Car Wreck Injuries: Knee Injuries

Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney for People in Knoxville and East Tennessee

Knee injuries suffered in East Tennessee car wrecks may be painful and lingering. After a crash, you may experience pain in your knee. It is important to get attention for your symptoms and see a doctor immediately. In some cases, seeing a doctor sooner rather than later may make a difference regarding the impact of your injuries on your life and the cost of treatments. At the Hartsoe Law Firm, Knoxville car wreck lawyer Mark Hartsoe can vigorously advocate for you against a careless driver who struck you and caused your knee injuries.

Pursuing Compensation for Knee Injuries in a Car Wreck

To recover damages through a car wreck lawsuit, you will most likely need to establish negligence on the part of the other driver. This means that you will need to show that the other driver owed a duty of care (to drive safely), which they breached (negligence), thereby causing the wreck and your injuries. You also must have sustained actual damages like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. If you can successfully show these elements, you likely will be able to recover compensatory damages.

There are numerous ways that a driver or passenger may suffer knee injuries in a car wreck. One way is for a solid object like the side door or roof to collapse and crush the knee. The knee may fracture, which is an injury that requires open reduction internal fixation surgery. This is a surgery that necessitates an opening up of the front of the knee and a reconstruction of the kneecap bone, using wires, screws, and pins. Any pieces that are too small may need to be removed. In some catastrophic cases, the whole damaged bone must be removed. Therapy after the surgery usually lasts for months, costs thousands of dollars, and is very painful.

Another possible knee injury arising out of a collision consists of twisting or hyperextending the tendons and muscles around the knee. Damage may occur to the ACL, MCL, LCL, or PCL, which are four ligaments that create flexibility for the knee. A doctor may diagnose a torn ligament, such as a torn ACL, by conducting an MRI. In some cases, it may be necessary to use a walker and go to therapy. However, if it is twisted too much, the ACL may be torn, and if the ACL is completely stripped from the knee joints, the injury and pain may be debilitating. In this case, you may need arthroscopic surgery.

When you are going to the doctor, it is important to let your doctor know that you were in a car wreck and what happened during the collision. If you do not discuss the reason for your injuries with the doctor, a driver that you sue for compensation or their insurer may claim that you were injured in some other way, such as through sports or a fall. You also want your primary care physician to refer you to an orthopedic surgeon if your knee is bothering you for a thorough evaluation.

Contact Knoxville Lawyer Mark Hartsoe After a Car Wreck

Our firm has the experience to represent you if you suffer knee injuries in a car crash, and we can develop an appropriate strategy to pursue compensation. Call Knoxville car wreck attorney Mark Hartsoe at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form to set up a free consultation. The Hartsoe Law Firm assists people who need a motor vehicle accident attorney throughout East Tennessee, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.