Car accidents often end up causing serious leg injuries. A person’s leg can easily get twisted beneath them at awkward angles, or their knees can ram through the lower section of the dash. This trauma is sufficient to break bones and injure the skin. Other injuries involve the knee.
Call Larson & Gallivan Law to speak with aVermont car accident attorney if you suffered a leg injury in a collision. We can help motorists seek compensation to pay for medical bills and other expenses.
Common Leg Injuries
Leg pain is an immediate sign that something is wrong. Interestingly, some injuries occur in the back, but you feel the pain in your leg. Regardless, anyone feeling pain should go to the hospital.
Some common injuries include:
- Lacerations or abrasions. Anything sharp in your car can cut or scrape your leg. Lacerations vary in severity. Some might be relatively minor, although there is always the risk of an infection, which can even be life-threatening if you ignore it. A laceration to the femoral artery, however, is immediately dangerous. This artery provides blood to your lower body, and any damage to it could turn fatal.
- Fractures. The lower leg has two major bones, the tibia and the fibula. A traumatic accident could break one or both. The shinbone (tibia) will often push through the skin in a gruesome manner, which means it is a compound fracture. This is a dangerous injury because the skin might become infected.
- Contusion. A deep bruise is a sign that blood vessels were damaged in your leg. You can experience pain and swelling. If a deep vein was injured, there is a risk of developing a clot, which could be life-threatening. Head to the hospital immediately, even if all you see is a bruise.
- Dislocated patella. Your kneecap can pop out in a car accident, but treatment is more complex than simply “popping” the kneecap back in. It can take months to recover, and many people can’t put any pressure on their leg.
- ACL tear. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the thigh bone to the shinbone. Dramatic accidents can twist or sprain the ligament, possibly tearing it into two pieces. This is an incredibly painful injury. You will likely need surgery.
- Meniscus tear. The meniscus is a piece of rubbery cartilage in the knee. A tear can lead to immediate pain and instability in the leg. Unfortunately, tears are often hard to heal, because there is no blood flow to the meniscus so it will not heal itself. Accident victims often need surgery and significant rehab.
- Osteoarthritis. Some injuries to the knee lead to long-term damage. Even young people can develop osteoarthritis in a joint, which can slowly degenerate to the point that they need a knee replacement if they want to walk again.
Other Injuries Which cause Pain in the Leg
You might have suffered other injuries which show up as leg pain following a crash:
- Herniated disc. There are rubbery discs which provide cushion between the vertebrae in the spine. A car accident can damage a disc, causing the interior filling to extrude out and press on nerves. Although the injury is located in your spine, you could feel shooting or tingling pain in your leg. A doctor might prescribe conservative treatment, such as injections to control inflammation, but surgery is a real possibility.
- Sciatica injury. The sciatic nerve branches off from the lower spine and runs along the hip down the leg. Traumatic injury can lead to burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in your legs. Nerve damage is very hard to manage. A doctor can prescribe pain medication, which only masks the symptoms. Some patients will need surgery to reduce the pain.
Listen to your body following an accident. Sometimes, pain takes a day or two to materialize. That isn’t surprising, since many people are focused on the accident, not pain signals in the body.
Can You Receive Compensation?
Leg injuries are dramatic. You could suffer significant expenses, especially if you need surgery to correct a problem. We seek compensation for:
- Medical bills for your leg injury, including time in the hospital to recover, physical therapy, doctor’s appointments, and pain medication.
- Lost income or wages. You probably cannot jump straight back into work. Instead, while recovering at home, many victims experience significant lost income or wages.
- Pain and suffering. Leg injuries are often very painful. You can have trouble sleeping or enjoying hobbies. A person’s quality of life nosedives. You deserve compensation for all pain and related emotional distress.
- Damage to your car. You should also seek compensation to get your car fixed. Do not overlook this expense, since the cost of repairs has increased over the past few years.
How Comparative Fault Impacts a Leg Accident Settlement
Any compensation is reduced by your share of fault. Vermont is a comparative negligence state,12 V.S.A. § 1036. The law has the following elements:
- If your negligence is more than the combined negligence of the defendants, you cannot receive compensation. In practice, this means you can be 50% to blame but not 51%.
- If you are 50% or less at fault, then your compensation is reduced proportionally. As an example: your damages might total $60,000 but you are 33% at fault. You can receive at most $40,000 in compensation when accounting for your own negligence.
We settle most cases, but this law will impact even settlement talks. The defendant’s insurance company will insist on deducting from any settlement an amount equal to your share of fault. So this is an issue we often end up negotiating. If you were speeding, tailgating, or driving while distracted, then your settlement can be lower.
Speak with a Car Accident Lawyer in Vermont
Larson & Gallivan Law is prepared to help anyone hurt in a car accident seek financial compensation from a negligent driver or another defendant. The biggest mistake to avoid is trying to handle your own claim. Instead, call our office to schedule a meeting. We can roll up our sleeves and begin protecting your rights.