Suffering a knee injury because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct could leave you facing significant medical expenses, and you may end up needing to take time off from work. Dealing with the aftermath of an accident shouldn’t include having to cover all of these losses yourself.
One of the legal remedies available to you is to file a personal injury claim to hold the at-fault party liable. Learn more about knee injuries and what your options are after suffering one in an accident.
Consider some of the types of knee injuries that you could suffer in an accident:
Knee Dislocation
A knee dislocation occurs when one or more bones in the knee are out of alignment. You can dislocate your knee in a car accident, a slip and fall accident, and other traumatic events. Although treatment is fast, you may experience significant pain.
Meniscal Tear
A meniscal tear happens when a piece of cartilage called the meniscus suffers damage. The meniscus helps cushion and stabilize the knee joint. If it gets damaged in any way, you can suffer serious pain and have your range of motion limited. These injuries are some of the most common, and they can result from car accidents if your knee twists excessively in the crash.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome is an overuse injury of the connective tissues in your knees and outer thighs. It can arise from repetitive motions and is a common work-related injury. IT band syndrome often causes pain and stiffness in the affected areas.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a crucial part of the knee. It connects your thigh bone to your shin bone. If the ACL tears, it results in not only pain but instability in the knee as well, making walking difficult. Car accidents and falls are common causes.
Kneecap Fractures
A kneecap fracture is a break in the patella, which is the bone at the front of your knee. These are typically serious injuries that require surgical intervention and could keep you from walking normally for months.
What Causes Knee Injuries?
Knee injuries can occur for many reasons, but traffic accidents are some of the most frequent causes. The force of a collision can wrench your knee beyond what it’s able to withstand, leading to torn ligaments and even broken bones. You may also hit it against parts of the vehicle, resulting in fractures or dislocations.
Falls are another common cause of knee injuries. Slipping or tripping can result in you landing awkwardly on your knees, potentially dislocating or breaking bones. Ligaments could tear if you land while twisting the knee as well. It’s also not unheard of to suffer ligament tears in the back of the knee in a fall.
Workplace accidents and overuse can lead to knee injuries, too. If you perform repetitive movements that put stress on your knees, it’s possible for the wear and tear to get serious enough to cause pain. That’s even more likely to happen if you aren’t taught how to perform repetitive movements safely.
What Are Your Legal Options After a Knee Injury?
Because of how expensive and complex treating knee injuries can be, you should consider filing a personal injury claim to recover losses if the accident occurred because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct.
To do so, you will most likely need to demonstrate that negligence was a factor. This means meeting a few key requirements, beginning with showing that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it. For example, if you were hit by an intoxicated driver, they breached their duty of care to drive lawfully and safely.
You then have to demonstrate that the other party’s conduct led to your injuries and that you can be compensated for them. If you suffered a kneecap fracture because of the intoxicated driver, you can file a claim based on negligence.
Damages You Can Claim After Suffering a Knee Injury
Suppose that you file a personal injury claim after an accident that results in a knee injury. In that case, you can receive compensatory damages in the form of economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages After a Knee Injury
Economic damages cover the financial losses you suffered because of the accident that led to your knee injury. All medical expenses may be covered, along with future treatments you may need.
If you’re unable to work because of the knee injury, you can also receive lost wages. This compensates you for salaries, commissions, and bonuses you lost because of the accident. If you’re unable to return to your job or work as many hours or in the same capacity as you used to, you can receive compensation for a loss of earning potential as well.
Non-Economic Damages After a Knee Injury
The losses you sustain after an accident aren’t all financial. You can experience psychological trauma and distress that lowers your quality of life. If that’s the case, you can also claim pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help After a Knee Injury
At first glance, filing a claim after an accident that causes a knee injury might look simple. However, it’s never a good idea to go through the process without legal representation. A lawyer has the necessary training and experience to investigate the accident and gather evidence demonstrating that you deserve compensation.
Vitally, a lawyer will know how to negotiate with insurance companies. Insurers are always on the lookout for some way to protect the company’s assets, and that can mean that they’ll try all manner of tactics to get you to accept a low offer or drop the claim completely.
Your lawyer won’t allow that to happen. They’ll negotiate aggressively with insurers so that you can recover what you deserve.
If the insurers refuse to cooperate, your lawyer has another option: taking them to court. Litigation can be a good way of getting you fair compensation for the losses that you have suffered.
Hire Experienced Texas Personal Injury Lawyers to Help With Your Knee Injury
After suffering a knee injury in an accident that someone else caused, the best way to respond is by hiring a lawyer. At Anderson Injury Lawyers, we have decades of experience representing the people of Fort Worth. Whether you’ve been in a slip and fall accident, car accident, or any other kind of incident that resulted in injuries, we can help. Contact our team at (817) 294-1900 to schedule a free consultation.