Car accidents can subject the human body to tremendous forces, and the knee joint is especially vulnerable to injury. Your knee, being the largest joint in your body, consists of bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscles that work together to provide stability and mobility. When a collision happens, the sudden impact can damage any or all of these components, leading to injuries that range from minor sprains to fractures needing surgical intervention.
At The Champion Firm, we’ve represented many clients who've suffered knee damage in motor vehicle accidents and know how these injuries can affect your life, work, and mobility. This blog goes over common knee injuries that can occur and how a Georgia car accident lawyer can help.
Why Knee Injuries Occur in Car Accidents
During a collision, your knee joint can suffer different types of trauma, depending on the impact force and exactly where you hit it. Common causes include:
- Dashboard Impact: If your knee strikes the dashboard or steering wheel column during a frontal collision, it can fracture your kneecap, damage ligaments, or compress joint structures.
- Twisting Forces: When your foot remains planted while your body rotates, the stress can tear ligaments and cartilage and even cause knee dislocation.
- Bracing Reactions: When you and other passengers brace for impact by pressing your feet against the floor or brake pedal, it creates force through your knee joint.
- Seatbelt Positioning: When your seatbelt placement is improper, it can contribute to knee trauma by altering how forces distribute through your body during impact.
- Vehicle Interior Design: Dashboard height, steering column placement, and confined spaces in smaller vehicles increase the likelihood of your knee contacting interior surfaces
Medical evaluation is critical after any collision, even when your knee pain seems minor. Adrenaline and shock can mask potentially severe injuries, so call 911 or head to the closest emergency room after the police have arrived and documented the accident scene.
Ligament Injuries
Your knee joint has four ligaments that provide stability and control movement. When subjected to forces that exceed their normal range of motion, these bands of tissue can suffer damage and may need surgical repair.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears
If you have an ACL tear, you'll often feel a "pop" at the time of injury, followed by swelling, instability, and difficulty bearing weight on your affected leg. Your healthcare provider will diagnose ACL tears through tests like the Lachman's test and confirm the diagnosis with MRI imaging. ACL injuries usually need surgical reconstruction, followed by months of rehabilitation.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injuries
MCL sprains and tears result from blows to your outer knee or forced valgus stress that pushes your knee inward. Symptoms include severe pain along your inner knee, tenderness, and bruising. Medical professionals grade your MCL injuries from Grade I (mild sprain) to Grade III (complete tear). While your minor MCL injuries may heal with conservative treatment, tears often need surgical repair.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injuries
PCL injuries can happen when your bent knee hits the dashboard, driving your shinbone backward. You'll experience pain at the back of your knee, difficulty walking, and swelling. The posterior drawer test and imaging software help diagnose your injuries, which may need surgical intervention.
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Damage
When a motor vehicle crash pushes your lower leg inward, it can damage your outer knee structures. Symptoms include outer-knee pain and laxity under inward pressure. Medical treatment, which depends on the severity of your injury, may range from bracing and physical therapy to surgical reconstruction.
Meniscus Tears
Your meniscus consists of two C-shaped pieces of cartilage between your thigh bone and shinbone. Symptoms of a torn meniscus include joint pain, locking sensations in your knee, clicking sounds while you move, or your knee giving way unexpectedly. Your healthcare provider will use tests like McMurray's test and MRI imaging to diagnose meniscus injuries. Treatment options range from physical therapy to arthroscopic surgery.
Patellar (Kneecap) Injuries
Your kneecap, or patella, sits at the front of your knee joint, exposing it to direct impact during automobile accidents. Common injuries include kneecap fractures and severe dislocations.
Patellar Fractures
When your kneecap hits the dashboard or other interior surfaces, it can break. Symptoms of a fractured patella include extreme pain, inability to extend your knee, and visible deformity. Treatment depends on your fracture displacement - non-displaced fractures are usually managed with immobilization, while displaced fractures need surgical repair.
Patellar Dislocation
When struck, your kneecap can shift out of its normal position. This causes swelling, an out-of-place kneecap, and limited range of motion in your knee. While some of your dislocations can be helped without surgery, recurrent dislocations or associated fractures may need surgical treatment.
Tendon Injuries
Your tendons connect muscles to bones and transmit the force needed to move your knees. When car accidents happen, the tissues can tear or rupture, causing intense pain and limited mobility.
Patellar Tendon Rupture
This injury happens when the tendon connecting your kneecap to your shinbone tears. You won’t be able to straighten your knee and may feel or see a gap below your kneecap. These ruptures are usually treated with surgery, especially if the tendon is completely torn. After surgery, the knee is typically placed in a brace or immobilizer to limit movement while the tendon heals.
Quadriceps Tendon Tears
If your knee forcefully bends while your quadriceps muscle is tight, the tendon above your kneecap can tear. Symptoms include pain above your kneecap, difficulty extending your knee, and swelling. Like patellar tendon ruptures, these injuries need surgery and prolonged rehabilitation.
Long-Term Consequences of Knee Injuries
Even with proper treatment, your car accident knee injuries can affect your quality of life for years. For example:
- You could develop osteoarthritis if bone fractures or cartilage damage accelerate joint degeneration. In extreme cases, you may eventually need joint replacement surgery.
- When your ligament tears go untreated, you may develop chronic instability that compromises your work performance, athletic activities, and independence.
- The psychological impact of chronic pain and reduced activity may need to be addressed through counseling or support groups.
What Compensation Can You Get for Knee Injuries?
When car accident victims suffer knee injuries in Georgia, they may be entitled to recover financial damages, including:
- Medical Expenses: This covers all past, current, and future medical care costs related to your knee injury, including emergency room visits, surgery, physical therapy, medications, medical equipment, and ongoing care.
- Lost Wages: You can receive compensation for income you missed while recovering from your injury, including time off work for medical appointments, surgery, and rehabilitation sessions. This includes bonuses, sick days or vacation time you had to use, and lost tips or commission
- Diminished Earning Capacity: Diminished earning capacity refers to the loss of your ability to earn income in the future due to a lasting injury. Unlike lost wages, which cover past income you already missed, diminished earning capacity looks at how your injury affects your future work potential.
- Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering refers to the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injury. This part of a personal injury claim compensates you for how the injury affects your daily life, comfort, and mental well-being. It can include chronic pain, discomfort, and mental anguish.
- Reduced Quality of Life: This refers to the lasting impact an injury has on your ability to live as you did before the accident. It includes the loss of independence, such as needing help with daily tasks or no longer being able to drive. You may no longer enjoy hobbies, travel, or time with loved ones the same way, and your relationships can suffer as a result.
As long as you're less than 50% at fault for the accident, Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence system, meaning you can recover damages reduced by your percentage of fault. In addition, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Georgia is generally two years from the date of the accident, making it important to seek legal representation promptly.
How The Champion Firm Can Help
At The Champion Firm, we have obtained over $150 million for clients across Georgia, including settlements for knee injury cases. Our experience includes a $100,000 recovery in a lane-change car wreck injury case, demonstrating our ability to secure fair compensation for knee injuries. When you hire our law firm, you benefit from:
- Comprehensive Case Evaluations: We examine accident reports, medical records, witness statements, and expert opinions to build a solid foundation for your legal claim.
- Identification of all Liable Parties: Our legal team investigates all potential sources of liability, including drivers, employers, manufacturers, or property owners, depending on the nature of the accident.
- Claim Preparation and Negotiation: We prepare detailed demand packages that include medical records, expert medical testimony, imaging results, proof of lost wages, and future earning limitations.
- Dealing with Insurance Companies: Our car accident attorneys handle all communication and negotiation with insurers. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we’re ready to file suit and proceed to trial.
- Ongoing Client Communication: We maintain regular contact throughout your case, ensuring you're informed about progress, next steps, and any new developments.
- Medical Coordination: We work directly with your healthcare providers to track treatment progress, document future care needs, and secure supportive evidence for your claim.
- Return-to-Work Support: Our team helps you plan a return to employment by identifying necessary accommodations, exploring modified roles, and accounting for long-term limitations.
Conclusion
If you've suffered a knee injury in a car accident, seeking compensation for your damages can help you cover medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and other financial losses. At The Champion Firm, we take personal injury cases on contingency, so you only pay attorney fees if we win a fair settlement or verdict for you. For more information or to schedule a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call 404-738-7509.
