Knee Injury Attorney in Atlanta
Every day we use our knees. We get out of bed in the morning. We drive our kids to school, and use our knees while we work. Now imagine for a moment that each of these activities caused you pain as you did them. It could hurt to stand or to sit. Simple tasks such as walking up the stairs or grocery shopping suddenly become dreaded activities that leave you with days of discomfort. You might be tempted to believe that this could not happen to you, but the scenario described is a reality for thousands of Americans that have suffered knee injuries. According to the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, an estimated 6,664,324 cases of knee injuries were diagnosed in emergency departments nationwide from 1999 to 2008.
These injuries occurred for number of reasons. Some were undoubtedly caused by car accidents. For example, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 5,811,000 police-reported car crashes in 2008 that resulted in an estimated 2,346,000 being injured nationwide. This means that Americans were injured in car accidents at a rate of 771 injuries per 100,000 members of the U.S. population. Another common way that knee injuries occur is due to an accident at work. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there were an estimated 104,090 cases of occupational injuries to one or both of the knees that required time away from work. This indicates that workers injured their knees at a rate of 10 injuries per 10,000 full-time employees. Due to the commonality of knee injuries, there a few things about a knee injury that you should know.
Common Types of Knee Injuries
Knee injuries come in many forms, and they are one of the most easily injured joints in the body, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). Your knees are also some of the largest joints in your body, and they connect four bones, the femur, tibia, fibia, and patella together through a series of ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Due to the multiple bones and muscles that are connected at the knee joint, knee injuries can be very complex and painful. Some of the common types of knee injuries people experience after an accident are listed below:
- Fractures: According to the AAOS, the patella, which is commonly referred to as your knee cap, is the most commonly fractured bone in the knee, but you should always be cautious after a knee injury, because it is possible for you to fracture multiple parts of your knee at one time.
- Torn Meniscus: There are two menisci, which are pieces of cartilage, in each knee. These pieces of cartilage can be torn during an accident, thereby causing considerable pain, swelling, and weakness. As such, if you ever experience any of these symptoms after an accident, you should always get evaluated by a doctor.
- Torn ACL: One of the major ligaments that connects the bones in your knee together is referred to as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This ligament is often torn by athletes, but it can also torn due to a car accident or a slip and fall accident.
Symptoms of Knee Injuries
You could experience a number of different symptoms as a result of your knee injury, but generally, some of the most common knee injury symptoms are pain, swelling, knee stiffness, difficulty fully bending the knee, and difficulty walking. You should seek medical attention if you are experiencing any of these common symptoms after an accident. People often try to convince themselves that they did not hurt their knee or merely sprained their knee after an accident, but there were an estimated 258,158 cases with a knee fracture diagnosis in emergency departments nationwide from 1999 to 2008. So, you should always be cautious and get evaluated by a doctor for your injuries.
Knee Injuries in Atlanta, GA
At Cambre and Associates, our team of attorneys have witnessed the devastating effect that a knee injury can have on a person’s life after an accident, but you don’t have to go through this difficult time on your own. Missed days from work, medical bills, and a painful recovery process are just a few of the challenges that affect accident victims with a knee injury, which is why our attorneys have dedicated their careers to seeking the compensation that accident victims deserve. Don’t let a knee injury ruin your life. Call Cambre and Associates today for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer that will fight for you.