When talking about car accidents most people immediately picture head or back injuries, as those are the most commonly experienced by victims in such an accident. However, these are not the only types of injuries one may experience during a car crash. Frequently, those involved may experience injuries to their knees, ankles or feet. These injuries are almost as equally likely to occur as a whiplash or back hernia. While they might seem minute compared to often grave injuries to the head, these can lead to disabilities if the accident was severe.
As a leading workers compensation lawyer in El Cajon, Accident & Work Injury Law Group has receives a lot of inquires about how workers can be compensated for injury to their lower limbs obtained while involved in a car accident at their workplace. Therefore, we have listed the most common injuries one might contract in these conditions, as well as what we can do for you if you’ve been involved in such an accident.
Strains and Sprains
This injury involves suffering damage to the soft tissue of the leg or the ankle. This can occur if your lower limbs were twisted unnaturally during the accident. The soft tissue that can be injured this way includes tendons, muscles, ligaments and cartilage. These injuries are the most likely ones you could experience in such an accident. Fortunately, these are also the least serious ones.
Ligament Tears
Another common car accident injury is ligament damage or torn ligaments. This type of injury is most likely to occur in side-impact collisions. Depending on the impact force, the tendons can get pulled, twisted or hyperextended. Most often these accidents affect the ACL or the anterior cruciate ligament, the one among those responsible for giving your knee its flexibility. However, recovery predictions for twisted ligaments are often positive, as once twisted, this ligament returns to its original form. However, if the impact is more severe and the ligament is fiercely twisted, it can become hyperextended or torn. If the ligament is only twisted, you will experience mild or moderate pain, but if it is torn, the pain will likely be unbearable.
Kneecap Injury
During a serious collision, any part of the car can cave in causing severe damage to the passenger’s kneecaps. In this scenario the kneecap or patella is likely to fracture. The kneecap is there to protect the network of ligaments and tendons inside the knee. Repairing a fractured kneecap will likely require a surgery. During this particular surgical procedure, the surgeon attempts to reconstruct the bone using wires, pins and screws. The fractured pieces too small to repair are removed. In more severe cases parts of the kneecap or the entire bone might be removed and replaced. Expected recovery time for this delicate operation can range between six to nine months.
Self-Representation vs. Hiring an Expert Workers Compensation Lawyer in El Cajon
Depending on the severity of the injury, you might choose to represent yourself or seek an experienced workplace injury attorney to represent you. If your injury was minor and your only therapy was plenty of rest, you can probably handle the case on your own. If you’ve suffered a serious injury and had to undergo surgery, your best course of action would be to hire an expert.
If you choose to hire Accident & Work Injury Law Group, you can contact us for a free initial consultation. In the case of serious injuries that require an expensive surgery, the insurance companies might resort to aggressive tactics and try to prevent you from receiving proper compensation. With the help of an experienced legal representative you will have a better grasp of the case and improve your chances of getting justice and receiving a fair settlement.
The information you obtain in this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.
