What to Expect From Car Accident Knee Injuries

Debilitating knee injuries don’t just happen in sports accidents. They can easily occur in any kind of crash, from a rear-end wreck on Broad Steet to a passing collision on I-95. When bone, muscle, or other tissue crucial for mobility in your knee is harmed, you may find yourself out of work during a lengthy downtime. In these types of accidents, it is crucial to retain a qualified personal injury attorney to protect your financial recovery.

Common Car Crash Knee Injuries and Treatments

Even if you are wearing your seat belt and driving safely, an unexpected crash caused by a negligent driver can still lead to serious knee damage. It’s possible to hit that portion of the body on your dashboard or collide with the ground if you are ejected from the car entirely. Unfortunately, your knee can still sustain extreme trauma even if it doesn’t directly hit an object during the collision at all.

The sudden and violent force caused by a car wreck may lead to a variety of internal soft tissue injuries. These crucial fibrous components are susceptible to bruising, stretching, and actual tearing in more severe cases. Even if the kneecap doesn’t fracture during the collision, torn ligaments or tendons connected to that bone can significantly impair your ability to exercise, perform daily chores, or just simply go to work.

Some of the more common life-disrupting knee injuries in Pennsylvania car crashes include damage to the:

• Bone. The kneecap (patella) may fracture if it strikes something hard during a wreck, but the patella may also become dislocated rather than fracturing. In that sort of injury, the bone will need to be repositioned manually by a doctor.
• Cartilage. Articular cartilage and the meniscus in your knee absorb the impact of repeated motions that wear on bones, like walking, running, bicycling, etc. If your knee or leg ends up twisted in an odd position during the crash, this cartilage can overstretch to the point of ripping apart.
• Ligament. Bone in your knee is connected to the upper and lower parts of the leg through two collateral and two cruciate ligaments. Damage to the ACL and PCL are both particular concerns if your knee strikes the steering column, dashboard, windshield, etc.
• Tendon. This kind of flexible material attaches muscles to the bone of the knee. Unfortunately, the force of a collision can cut or rupture tendons.

Victims of these knee injuries may deal with bleeding, soreness, stiffness, swelling, or mobility reduction. Depending on the force of the impact, proper blood circulation in the knee and leg may become a serious concern. In some cases, a victim may lose the ability to extend the knee fully, which obviously interferes with everyday motions like sitting, standing, and walking. Chronic pain is additionally often an issue for knee injury patients.

A distinctive popping sensation when moving your knee or a feeling of instability in a knee joint are both serious warning signs to look out for after an accident. It’s important to visit a doctor quickly after leaving the scene of the wreck, even if you don’t feel hurt. Internal problems like knee soft tissue injuries that you can’t see with the naked eye don’t always display symptoms directly after the crash.

While some ligament sprains will resolve themselves through resting and keeping the leg immobile, many knee injuries instead require more extensive medical care. Treatments may involve expensive surgery with lengthy recovery periods. You may need to receive care at home or in a facility and are unlikely to be able to earn a living during that time.

Hiring a qualified car crash lawyer to help you protect your legal rights and pursue the financial compensation you deserve should be your next step after medical treatment. A skilled Philadelphia car accident lawyer can help determine how the accident occurred and find who is liable for your damages.

Talk to an Experienced Bucks County Car Accident Attorney

Are you dealing with knee damage from a car crash caused by negligent behavior? You need an attorney to handle negotiations with insurance adjusters and file a personal injury lawsuit within Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations. Call our Philadelphia office at 215-332-0300 to schedule an appointment or provide your details for a callback online here.