Knee Injuries From Car Accidents

Many victims of North Carolina car accidents suffer knee injuries that involve damage to ligaments, soft tissue, tendons, muscles, and the knee joint itself. The twisting or blunt force trauma that can happen to one or both knees during a car accident can cause serious injuries that require medical treatment and possibly rehabilitation. Knee injuries can cause dislocation, cartilage tears, sprains, strains, or fractures. Knee injuries can take a notoriously long time to heal and may require significant time off of work. Rollover car accidents, rear-end crashes, or head-on collisions can all result in knee injuries. Additionally, pedestrians and bicyclists can suffer knee injuries in car collisions.

Losing your ability to walk due to a car accident knee injury can be devastating. When an at-fault driver causes a car accident, the injured party may be entitled to compensation. North Carolina law allows an injured person to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the person whose negligence caused their injuries.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC our lawyers have successfully represented many clients and helped them recover compensation for their injuries. Our lawyers are available to answer any questions you may have. We offer potential new clients a free consultation to discuss their case and how our law firm can help them seek compensation for their knee injury.

Knees are vital for mobility but they are also incredibly fragile. In a serious motor vehicle accident, a person’s knee might hit the dashboard. The impact on the dashboard can twist the leg or crush the kneecap (the patella), causing a “dashboard knee” injury. Even those who wear a seatbelt in the car can receive dashboard knee injuries. In a head-on crash, severe knee injuries are even more likely.

The knee joint has a cartilaginous pad in between the shinbone and the thigh bone. This cartilage allows the knee joint to move smoothly. When the knee is subject to a harsh blow, it can cause one tear or many tears in the meniscus. Tears in the meniscus can be incredibly painful. Doctors may recommend resting the knee for a while before engaging in surgery. Typically, doctors recommend wearing a brace to provide additional support for the affected knee. In some cases, the surgeon will take out part of the cartilage in the knee that is damaged.

When someone’s knee slammed into the dashboard, it can cause a partial or complete tear of the PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). Healing from this injury usually involves intense physical therapy in order to strengthen the surrounding muscles to stabilize the injured ligament. In severe tears, the surgeon may need to use transplanted donor tissue to rebuild the PCS. This is one of many knee injuries that take significant time to heal.

Knee dislocation is more serious. High impact, high-speed collisions can result in knee dislocating. When the joins are moved out of their normal position, the knee can “pop out” of place. Dislocated knee joints are complex injuries that often involve ligament tears or cartilage tears. In severe cases, a dislocated knee can require amputation below the knee or above the knee. A dislocated knee can cause a blockage of blood flow requiring amputation in severe cases. When motor vehicles collide with bicyclists, the knee is completely unprotected and is more likely to be dislocated.

Bone fractures can also happen in serious bicycle, motorcycle, or car accidents. In a side-impact collision or a head-on collision, the force of the crash can cause the patella (kneecap), thighbone, or the shinbone to fracture. In severe cases, complex fractures occur in which all of the bones around the knee fracture. Surgery is often necessary in these cases. The recovery time for complex fractures of the bones making up the knee joint is usually significant. Recovering from severe knee fractures often requires taking time off of work.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC our lawyers understand how frustrating recovering from car accident injuries can be. Knee injuries, in particular, can be extremely painful. Many individuals with knee injuries must take time off of work to recover and have extensive medical bills. Contact our Charlotte personal injury law firm to schedule your free consultation. We can discuss how our lawyers can help you seek compensation for your car accident knee injury. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.