Traumatic knee injuries can cause serious and lasting consequences for injured victims. A serious injury knee can cause trouble walking, diminished physical abilities, or partial paralysis. In some cases, severe injury to the knee can even lead to amputation.
Individuals who suffer serious knee injuries not only deal with severe pain. They also have to manage steep medical costs, long recoveries, and a lack of income while they’re out of work. If you’ve sustained a knee injury due to someone’s negligence, you deserve compensation for your damages.
The Chicago personal injury attorneys of Abels & Annes will work on your behalf to build a strong case against the negligent party, investigate your claim from all angles, and use our vast network of resources to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
Common Knee Injuries Caused by Personal Injury Incidents
Knee injuries are not commonly associated with car accidents. However, they do happen and can be severe. According to MedicineNet, the knee is one of the most commonly injured body parts.
Some of the most common knee injuries caused by traumatic incidents like car accidents and falls include:
Knee Fractures
Knee fractures, one of the most common knee injuries, is a crack or break in the bone of or around the knee. A knee fracture can be a hairline fracture or a complete break to the patella (commonly known as the kneecap). Your kneecap’s main role is to protect the knee joint. When your knee collides with an object, your kneecap absorbs the pressure. This makes the kneecap susceptible to fractures. Examples of instances where excess pressure is applied to the knee include a fall or car accident.
Knee fractures are common and can be serious. Knee fractures require the leg to be immobilized while the bone heals. More severe fractures may require surgery, which includes the use of screws, pins, and wires to reposition the bones into place.
Dislocated Knee
The knee is a complex joint that bears the body’s weight to allow for movement in performing everyday tasks. The knee joint is made up of bones, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons that are all susceptible to damage. When one of the knee bones comes out of place, it’s known as a dislocation. This can happen when the knee suffers impact, like during a fall, collision, or motor vehicle accident.
A dislocation of the knee can range from minor to severe. More serious injuries cause damage to the surrounding ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves. Sometimes a simple procedure can correct the issue. However, for some, surgery may be required. In almost all cases of dislocation, rehabilitation and bedrest are unavoidable.
Ligament Injuries
Ligament injuries in the knee are common in sports injuries and during traumatic impacts. These ligaments connect the thigh and leg bones to one another. They also stabilize the knee while allowing it to rotate and bend. During a high-force impact, the knee ligaments can sprain and partially or completely tear.
Depending on the severity of the injury, damage to these ligaments is not just painful but may create lifelong discomfort and mobility issues. This is especially true because knee ligament injuries are notoriously hard to treat.
Some of the most common knee ligament injuries include:
Medial collateral ligament sprain (MCL sprain)
Lateral collateral ligament tear (LCL tear)
Posterior cruciate ligament tear (PCL tear)
Anterior cruciate ligament tear (ACL tear)
Torn Meniscus
The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of cartilage that cushions the connection between the shinbone and thighbone. The meniscus most commonly becomes sprained or torn under twisting pressure, like that which might occur when someone falls down stairs.
Common Causes of Traumatic Knee Injuries
Knee injuries are commonly caused by wear from old age, sports injuries, and trauma. The former two causes are most common. However, trauma injuries are usually more severe since they involve high-speed impact and unanticipated force. If someone’s negligence caused your knee injury, you may be able to seek compensation for your damages.
Some of the most common causes of traumatic knee injuries include:
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents, like car accidents and truck accidents, are among the most common scenarios resulting in trauma-related knee injuries. During an automobile collision, the body is put under tremendous pressure and twisted in unnatural ways.
Motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents are also common causes of knee injuries since the knee is so exposed during these incidents.
Slips and Falls
Slip and fall injuries are another common cause of knee injuries. Even a simple fall can cause the knee to improperly rotate. This motion can lead to ligament tears, fractures, and dislocations.
If you believe your injury was caused by another’s negligent acts, you can file an injury claim to recover damages. Some examples of negligence that lead to slips and falls include:
broken and unmaintained walkways
improper or insufficient lighting
unattended spills
and any hazard that a reasonable person should have known about and fixed
Construction and Workplace Injuries
Construction jobs are known to be especially dangerous, accounting for the most work-related injuries each year. Like brain and spine injuries, knee injuries are very common construction site injuries.
However, construction jobs are not the only culprits for workplace injuries. Other workplace accidents can cause knee injuries. For example, if you trip, fall, or otherwise injure your knee while you’re on the clock, you may be able to claim damages for your injury.
The Devastating Effects of a Knee Injury
Knee injuries are notorious for having lasting effects that lead to recurring injuries. The knee is also a complex joint that is challenging to repair. Victims of knee injuries may be required to have multiple knee surgeries, and attend frequent physical therapy sessions. Despite this, many knee injury victims experience lifelong chronic pain.
Some individuals who suffer knee injuries never fully recover. The saying “I have bad knees” is common for a reason. Most people are never the same once the damage is done.
The costs associated with medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, and future surgeries and treatments quickly add up. This becomes just another burden placed on injury victims who already have to deal with their physical pain.
Common Damages from a Traumatic Knee Injury
If your knee injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you can seek to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include the costs of medical treatments, physical therapy, hospital stays, surgery, prescription medications, and other direct healthcare costs. It also includes lost wages (both past and future) caused by your knee injury.
Non-economic damages are more complex to recover as they are not tied to damages that are clearly quantifiable. Nonetheless, it’s still possible to receive compensation for non-economic damages. Examples of non-economic damages include pain and suffering and permanent disability, such as paralysis.
Contact a Chicago Traumatic Knee Injury Attorney Today
Dave Abels
If you or someone you love has been injured in a personal injury incident that caused a traumatic knee injury, please contact our experienced team of attorneys at Abels & Annes.
We have years of experience securing high settlements and verdicts for our clients. And we’d like the opportunity to help you too.
For more information or a free case evaluation, please contact us online or by calling us at 855-529-2442.
