Common Knee Injuries Sustained in Car Accidents
Knee injuries account for nearly 10 percent of all injuries recorded every year for the past decade. If you were involved in a car accident and experienced any leg injury, there is a high possibility that you have a knee injury.
The knee is composed of bones, muscles, and ligaments. The most common injuries to the knee include fractures, muscular injuries, ligament tears, and many more that we shall discuss shortly. If you believe you have sustained a knee injury due to a car accident, don’t hesitate to visit a qualified doctor to perform a proper diagnosis and treatment.
An injury to the knee can affect the way you walk, and you might even be unable to use your legs for basic activities such as driving or riding your bicycle. A medical doctor can help reduce the pain and get you back on your feet again. On the other hand, if the injury was due to someone else’s negligence, then an auto injury lawyer can help you get compensated for the losses you have incurred.
Why Are Knee Injuries Common in Car Accidents?
Drivers and passengers are prone to knee injuries because of the way the knees are usually positioned in the car. When seated, you have nothing to restrain the lower part of the body to the car seat, which means that the knees can easily shift forwards and slam against the dashboard or the steering wheel.
Let us look at the common knee injuries that you can sustain in a car accident:
Injuries to the Ligaments
Ligaments connect the muscle group to the bone. During a car accident, the ligament can be stretched or torn. The knee uses four ligaments to control the movement of the leg. An injury or tear in a ligament affects how the leg moves in a particular direction.
Muscular Injuries
The knee uses two muscle groups to get stability – the quadriceps and hamstring muscles. Injuries to these muscles include strains, where muscle fibers are stretched due to impact or sudden turning, and muscle tears where something sharp cuts through the muscle.
Skeletal Injuries
This results from a blow to the knee that weakens or damages the bones. During an accident, the bones in the knee can shift to break completely. The knee consists of the tibia, femur, patella, and fibula. During an accident, one or more of these bones can suffer damage.
Knee dislocations occur when one or more bones shift out of the joint. Fractures happen when one of the bones breaks on impact.
Cartilage Injuries
The cartilage is a specialized connective tissue that holds the knee joint together. Injuries to the cartilage cause painful inflammation of the knee joint.
Why Are Knee Injuries Complicated?
The knee is vital in supporting the weight of the body and its mobility. However, many people don’t know that this joint is one of the largest and is made up of various bones and ligaments, making it complicated to treat. The complexity also makes the joint prone to injuries.
The first step to take when you injure your knee in an accident is to visit a doctor. The doctor assists you in examining the injury to determine the treatment process. Once they find out the extent of damage, he proceeds to identify the best treatment for you.
Should You File a Claim for Car accident-related Knee Injuries?
Knee injuries from a car accident require a lot of time to recover. This equals time away from work and no money to pay for hospital bills. If you have been injured and you suspect that the other driver was negligent, you have a right to sue the insurer. Talk to an auto injury lawyer today to understand the process of filing a claim for damages after a car accident.