Knee Injuries in a Car Accident

Car accidents can lead to many different types of injuries, and those injuries can vary widely in terms of severity. In some cases, a person involved in a car accident will suffer only minor injuries that will heal with relatively little medical intervention, while other injuries can result in permanent disability even after extensive medical treatment.

Knee injuries are one type of traumatic injury that can occur in a motor vehicle collision, and they can significantly impact a person’s mobility. In some situations, a knee injury can prevent a person from working, especially if that person’s profession involves physical activity. In those instances, consulting with a car accident lawyer might be helpful.

Like other types of traumatic injuries, knee injuries can vary in terms of severity based on numerous factors.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) explains that there are many different parts of the knee, and each can suffer different forms of traumatic injury. The following are the anatomical parts of the knee:

• Bone: Your knee is made up of three different bones that come together, include the femur (or your thigh bone), the tibia (or your shin bone), and the patella (or your knee cap).
• Articular cartilage: The “slippery substance” that “helps your knee bones guide smoothly across each other” when you bend your knee is known as articular cartilage. It covers the end of both the femur and the tibia, as well as the back of the patella.
• Meniscus: This is also a type of cartilage (meniscal cartilage), but it is “tough and rubbery,” unlike articular cartilage. It cushions and stabilizes the knee joint. The meniscus is typically the area where a “torn cartilage” injury occurs.
• Ligaments: Ligaments in the knee connect and hold together the bones in the knee, and they also help to stabilize the knee. The knee contains both collateral ligaments (on the side of the knee) and cruciate ligaments (inside the knee).
• Tendons: These connect muscles to bones in the knee.

Given the various components of the knee, there are many different kinds of traumatic knee injuries that can occur in a crash. The AAOS cites the following as some of the most common types of knee injuries:

• Fractures or broken bones, including patellar fractures, distal femur fractures, and proximal tibia fractures;
• Dislocation, which occurs “when the bones of the knee are out of place,” and can include an unstable kneecap or a patellar dislocation;
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury;
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury;
• Collateral ligament injury;
• Meniscal tear; and
• Tendon tear, including a patellar tendon tear or quadriceps tendon tear.

Depending upon the type of injury and its severity, treatment may include immobilization, physical therapy, and medicines to reduce any pain or swelling. In more severe knee injury cases, surgical treatment may be necessary.

If you sustained a knee injury in a car crash, you should talk with a car accident attorney about filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit to be compensated for the damages caused by your knee injury. An advocate here at the Walton Law Firm can speak with you today about your options. Contact us for a free consultation.