Over the last decade, we have seen innovative car safety features take great strides in protecting people in auto accidents. Unfortunately, protective devices such as airbags and seat belts are unable to fully protect against lower body injury. Oftentimes, people assume that car accident injuries only affect the upper body, but I have seen some very painful and expensive injuries result in the lower body.
One of the most vulnerable lower-body parts in a serious auto accident are the knees. Not only is the knee rather fragile, but its proximity to the steering wheel, door and dashboard make it susceptible to serious injury. The knee is more of a general term for the ligaments and bones that make up the connection between the thigh (femur) and lower leg (tibia and fibula). The makeup of the knee allows for great mobility, but also accounts for the number of injuries that occur in that part of the body. Car accidents are amongst the most common causes of knee injuries because the force that is created in a high speed collision can do serious damage to the cartilage and bones that create the joint. As is the case with most car accident injuries, the injury becomes more serious when the driver tenses up before impact. When this happens, the bones, tendons and ligaments are forced to deal with all the pressure from the accident rather than allowing your muscles to take the shock.
The majority of knee injuries affect the ligaments in the knee. These are the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), MCL (medial collateral ligament), and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). The most commonly injured part of the knee is the ACL, which is hurt in 70% of all knee injuries. Car accidents can cause damage to the ACL by forcing the knee to twist in an unnatural way, or by forceful contact with the inside of the car. The PCL is usually injured in head on collisions when the knee makes hard contact with the dashboard. ACL, PCL and MCL injuries can vary from a small tear, to a complete tear and rupture. Each of these injuries has unique symptoms and may require different treatment.
An ACL tear can be diagnosed in a number of ways. Pain and swelling are immediate and very noticeable. Various stress tests or an MRI on the knee can confirm the extent of the injury. Not every knee injury will require surgery, but it is usually the best option for ligament tears. This surgery is called an ACL reconstruction, because it is actually reconstructed using another ligament or tendon. This surgery is generally very successful, and rehab can help prevent the ligament continue to be unstable in the future.
If you have suffered a serious knee injury in an auto accident, you may need an experienced car accident lawyer to help you recover the money you deserve. Insurance companies make record profits by lowering and denying claims, but a personal injury attorney can level the playing field on your behalf.
No comments:
Post a Comment