Foot, Ankle, and Leg Injuries in Car Accidents

Most of us do not realize how much we rely on our feet and ankles every day. When a person’s foot, ankle, or leg becomes injured in a Charlotte car accident, they often become unable to complete important daily tasks. Injuries to the lower legs and feet are often debilitating because they prevent a car accident victim from placing weight on their legs. Victims of a serious foot, ankle, and leg injury often face long and painful recoveries, and many need to take time off work to rehabilitate. Some leg injuries take years to heal, and others continue to be problematic throughout the victim’s lifetime.

Whether you have been involved in a minor fender-bender or a more serious car accident, it is possible to break your leg during the accident. The most common car accident injury is a bone fracture, and legs are at risk during car accidents. When a car accident is severe enough, a car or truck will crumble during the crash. When a car crumples during a car accident, broken legs can occur. Broken fibula and tibia bones are common in car accidents.

The femur bone, also known as the thigh bone, is one of the strongest bones in a person's body. The femur is responsible for holding up a person's legs and allowing him or her to walk. The strength of the femur bone is no match for the force involved in a severe car accident. During a high-impact collision, such as a head-on collision or rollover accident, the femur bone is at risk of breaking.

Motorcyclists are at a high risk of suffering a broken leg bone in an accident. We represent clients who have suffered fibula, tibia, femur, and talus bone fractures in motorcycle accidents after being thrown off their motorcycles onto the road or into another vehicle or object. Motorcyclists are less protected than drivers and passengers in passenger vehicles, making them more at risk for bone fractures.

Leg, ankle, and foot injuries are particularly serious because they can cause a victim to lose his or her ability to move independently by walking. Losing the ability to walk without assistance causes significant mental and emotional stress. Many of these lower-body injuries are also incredibly painful and make it difficult to focus on work or complete daily tasks.

Injuries to the knee can be excruciating. We use our knees to walk, and when the ligaments, tendons, or protective kneecap become injured, the victim often requires surgery and significant rehabilitation. When the knee joint becomes dislocated in a car accident, through a torn PCL or ACL, the victim may not be able to run or walk properly for months.

Injuries to the thigh are also serious. Even when a passenger or driver is wearing a seatbelt, and the airbags work correctly, their thighs can become injured. During a car accident, the victim's body is thrown forward and can collide with the dashboard, steering wheel, or panel. While airbags protect the victim's face and upper body, they do not protect a person's thigh or knee. When their knee or thigh strikes another object, fractures and tissue damage can occur.

Our feet support our entire bodies. When the ankle becomes sprained, strained, or fractured, the victim cannot place weight on the affected ankle. In a car accident, ankles can become caught between moving objects, broken, crushed, or twisted. In some cases, a victim's heel bone will fracture completely, taking months to heal properly. In extreme cases, a victim’s feet or ankles can become so mangled that a surgeon decides to amputate them, leading to a lifetime of pain and immobility.

Severe fractures, sprains, strains, and soft tissue injuries usually require extensive rehabilitation. In many cases, victims need to undergo one or more intense surgeries and physical and occupational therapy to regain their mobility, making it difficult to maintain gainful employment. This can lead to a lot of costs incurred by victims.

If a negligent driver or business caused your injuries, you might be entitled to compensation that will cover your medical expenses and your pain and suffering. Contact the experienced car accident lawyers at Arnold & Smith, PLLC today to schedule your initial consultation to learn how we can advocate and fight for your right to compensation.