Guide to Knee Injuries in Car Accidents
Knee injury from car accident incidents is a common injury that is sustained as a result of a vehicle collision. Knee injury from car accident incidents occurs with a sudden violent exterior impact to the knee or a severe twisting or hyperextension of the leg that results in trauma to the knee. In car accidents, a victim’s knee can hit some internal portion of the vehicle upon impact with another object or in rollover accidents. Knee injury from car accident injuries can result from the sudden impact between the knee and the vehicle’s dashboard, door, window, and even roof.
ACL Injury
The most common type of knee injury from car accident incidents is an ACL injury or damage to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. This type of injury accounts for seventy percent of all knee injuries and is most common in high-impact sports such as football and basketball. ACL knee injury from car accident incidents occurs when the knee joint is forced into extreme torsion causing the ACL to stretch or tear. The severity of these types of injuries varies depending on the extent of ACL damage. The ACL can tear resulting in mild pain without joint instability, or a complete rupture can occur between the ligament and the bone resulting in severe disability and complete loss of joint stability.
ACL knee injury from car accident incidents can be very painful and debilitating. Victims may not be able to use the affected leg for an extended period of time. ACL knee injury from car accident incidents is diagnosed through the use of x-rays. An extended healing time with supportive braces and other medical rehabilitative techniques must be employed after a knee injury from car accident incidents.
MCL Injury
Another less common type of knee injury from car accident incidents is an injury to the MCL or Medial Collateral Ligament. This type of knee injury from car accident incidents occurs less often but is sustained more easily if the impact in the accident damage these ligaments. The MCL is located on the inner side of the knee area but outside the knee joint. The LCL, or Lateral Collateral Ligament, can also be damaged in knee injury from car accident incidents. Victims who have suffered an MCL or LCL knee injury from car accident incidents may hear and feel a pop in the affected knee. The symptoms and treatment of these knee injuries closely resemble those of an ACL injury.
PCL Injury
Another type of knee injury from car accident incidents is a PCL, or Posterior Collateral Ligament, injury. This is the result of a direct violent blow to a bent knee, such as when a car accident victim’s knee impacts the dashboard or some other unyielding object. The symptoms of a PCL knee injury from car accident incidents include pain, swelling, and significant or total knee instability. Meniscal injury, patella dislocation, tendon rupture, and fracture can also occur in a knee injury from car accident incidents.
Knee injury from car accident incidents may require surgery and/or a significant period of recovery. Victims who have suffered knee injuries in auto accidents that were caused by another party’s negligence may be eligible to receive compensation for their damages.