Leg injuries in car accidents are far too common. Both the trauma and violent motion of the car accident could cause serious injuries to your lower extremities. Some of these injuries may not go away on their own after time. You may need surgery and extensive rehabilitation to help you make the fullest recovery possible, although it may not always be the case. If you have suffered a leg injury during a car accident, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation.
The following are some common leg injuries involved in car accidents:
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are perhaps the most common. The unnatural and violent motion that your body may make in a car accident can cause damage to your cartilage and ligaments. Many car accident victims will suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The ligament is what stabilizes your knee, and you would need surgery to repair the tear. You could also suffer damage to the meniscus in your knee. When your meniscus is damaged, you lose the shock absorber between the bones in your leg.
Fractures
The tibia, fibula, and femur are the three main bones in your leg. These bones can be broken when your body has sustained impact to a hard surface, such as a steering wheel, or when you have been thrown from the vehicle. Fractures to either of these bones can be devastating to your long-term health. You may need surgery to set these bones, and you may be immobilized for a long time to come. If the fracture is severe enough, you may never regain full motion in your entire leg.
Nerve Damage
Nerves are an extensive network in your body that transmits messages from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. If the nervous system is damaged, you may find yourself both in pain and with difficulty controlling your extremities. Some nerve damage in a car accident may go away after some time and rest.
Other injuries from car accidents that may require surgery are:
Crush Injuries
In some severe accidents, your leg may have been trapped under the car for an extended amount of time. In that case, you may have suffered a serious crush injury. These injuries can splinter bones and cause blood vessels to hemorrhage. Serious crush injuries may require that a leg be amputated because of tissue death.
Spinal Cord Damage
Trauma to the head or neck can cause vertebrae in the back to break. These broken vertebrae can compress or damage the spinal cord, which means your brain cannot send messages to your legs to move. Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of sensation and movement in your extremities. Many of these injuries are permanent, and you cannot regain this movement.
Leg injuries from car accidents can have lasting effects on your life. You may end up with reduced mobility and needing medical care for an extended amount of time. You may not be able to enjoy the life that you once did in light of your physical limitations. When you can prove that someone else was to blame for your car accident, they would need to compensate you for all of the harm they caused. Not only would they need to pay for your medical expenses, but they would also need to compensate you for the effects that your injuries have had on your life. The key is that you know the value of your claim before you file it, so your attorney can fight for you to receive total compensation.
The Towson Car Accident Lawyers at Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC Fight to Protect Your Rights
If you have been injured in a car accident, the Towson car accident lawyers at Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC can help. Call us today at 443-589-0150 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Hunt Valley and Towson, Maryland, and we serve clients in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Bel Air, Bentley Springs, Columbia, Freeland, Hereford, Hampton, Westminster, Essex, Monkton, Sparks Glencoe, Parkton, Phoenix, Pikesville, White Hall, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County.
