Leg injuries are among the common injuries to result from a car wreck. They can range from muscle and ligament injuries to bone fractures in one or more parts of the leg. This requires medical evaluation as well as treatment, which can be costly and may require a period away from work.
It is important to understand how to proceed if you were injured because of the carelessness of another driver so you can recover compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and more. Establishing the extent of your injuries as well as fault will be important to prove your eligibility for compensation in a car insurance claim or lawsuit.
Ligament and Meniscus Injuries in Car Accidents
Injuries to the ligaments in the knee are fairly common in car accidents. This includes anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury as well as posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury, also known as “Dashboard Knee” because it occurs when the knee slams into the dashboard.
In many cases, ligament injuries occur with other injuries that can lead to:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Instability
- Difficulty walking
Another knee injury is a meniscus tear. A meniscus tear results from a sudden twisting or turning usually while the knee is bent and the foot is placed firmly on the floorboard the vehicle.
Leg Fractures from Car Accidents
Breaks are another common leg injury that accident victims might experience. Fractures may occur in the various bones that make up the leg, such as the femur, tibia (shinbone), fibula, patella (knee cap), and the bones that make up the ankle and foot.
A fracture can put you out of work for weeks or even months. Some breaks heal fairly quickly, but serious breaks may require extensive time to heal. You may need multiple surgeries and rehab. A great deal also depends on how the bone breaks. For instance, the break could be a comminuted fracture that means it shattered in several places, or a compound fracture which means the bone penetrates the skin, opening the patient to risk of infection.
What to Do If You Suffered a Leg Injury in a Car Wreck
If involved in a car wreck with injuries, call the police to report the accident (the accident report may be important to establish fault for the crash) and seek medical care. If you do not require emergency assistance, report to an emergency room or see your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will take x-rays of your leg and other structures to evaluate the injury and recommend a course of treatment.
Keep track of the medical costs required to treat and care for your injury like:
- Copies of medical bills
- Medical records
- X-rays
- Other documentation that establishes the extent of your injury and its financial and physical effects
Also keep track of the time you miss from work to establish the wages you lose as a result of the injury. To further establish the effects of the leg injury on your life, keep a diary of the pain and suffering it causes, how it limits your ability to perform daily activities, and more. This can help establish damages for non-economic damages.
At Hensley Legal Group, we offer consultations to car accident victims in Indiana about their rights and legal options to recover compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
Call us at (317) 472-3333 or contact us online to schedule your consultation today.