Common Types of Car Accident Leg Injuries

The legs are especially prone to injury in a motor vehicle accident.

The sudden impact and forces involved in a collision can cause various types of damage to the legs and feet.

A pelvic bone fracture is one of the most common in car accidents.

When the hips, legs, feet, or ankles are injured in a crash, it can be especially life-altering for the victim because of the resulting mobility loss.

These painful injuries cause victims to not be able to walk, work, or enjoy their lives as they did before their legs were hurt.

In severe car accident cases, it can result in permanent disability or never being able to walk pain-free again.

Call the top-rated auto injury attorneys at Lawsuit Legal immediately after an accident for a free consultation to review your legal claim options.

If you have suffered a leg injury from a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, treatment costs, and lost wages.

In our experience, the most common car accident leg injuries we encounter regularly include:

Leg bones can fracture in various places in a car accident. Depending on the severity of the collision the force of impact can cause the limbs to strike the dashboard and exert a lot of force. Collision-caused bone breaks in the limbs can be especially painful and require long periods of medical treatment and rehabilitation to regain mobility.

Thigh Bone Breaks:

It requires tremendous force to break the femur which is the longest and strongest bone in the body. Thigh bone breaks are most common in high-impact collisions involving high rates of speed. Depending on whether it was a clean break or compound fracture

Tibia and Fibula Fractures:

The tibia (shinbone) and fibula, located in the lower leg, can break in several ways and is a common injury sustained in motor vehicle accidents. We see both clean breaks and compound fractures where the bone is exposed through the skin in our personal injury practice. A broken shinbone typically results in severe pain and leaves the victim unable to walk or bear weight on the leg.

Patellar Fractures:

The kneecap, or patella, can fracture if it hits the dashboard during a collision. Patellar breaks can complicate knee movement and stability and require extended care to avoid further mobility loss.

Hip & Pelvis Fractures:

While more common in older individuals, the force from a car accident can cause hip fractures and, in some cases, fracture the pelvis. Damage to the hip can impact load bearing and mobility and cause excruciating pain. These injuries require immediate attention from a doctor due to their complexity and the risk of complications.

Foot & Ankle Breaks:

The toes, ankles, and feet are especially susceptible to injury in a car accident. Their location near the brake and gas pedals can result in twisting, direct impacts, and crush damage in a crash. The fragile bones in the feet and ankles can easily break, causing considerable pain and immobility. Foot fractures and broken toes are a common injuries our lawyers encounter in car accident cases.

Bone breaks can cause substantial suffering for the accident victim. Depending on the severity and type of fracture, it can be especially painful and require an extended healing time to regain mobility.

Knee Injuries

The knees of drivers and passengers are especially vulnerable to injury in a motor vehicle accident. The violent forward momentum in a collision can cause the victim's knees to strike the dashboard. Dashboard knee injury claims In some cases, the collision forces can cause the knee joint to twist violently in the crash, wrenching the knees and damaging the ligaments and cartilage. Our dashboard knee injury lawyer has helped numerous clients who have hurt their knees in a car accident recover the compensation they deserve. Trauma can range from sprains, strains, ligament tears, and dislocations. Knee injuries can be extremely painful and require corrective surgery and extensive rehabilitation to restore mobility.

Knee Bursitis:

Cushion sacs in the knee that pad the bones, muscles, and tendons, known as bursae, can become inflamed from trauma in a car accident. This irritation of the bursa can result in a painful swelling in the front of the knee and decrease mobility. In some severe cases, knee bursitis can require surgery to treat.

ACL Injury:

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in a car accident is common in a frontal collision when the impact forces the knee beyond it's normal range of motion. The ACL ligaments connect the femur to the tibia to the femur and are critical for stability and range of motion in the knee joint. An ACL injury can be very painful, lead to swelling, and is typically debilitating to the victim.

Torn Meniscus:

The meniscus, made up of two pieces of cartilage that act as shock absorbers between your thighbone and shinbone, can tear under the stress of a collision. A popping sensation usually accompanies a torn meniscus at the time of injury. A meniscus tear can be caused by a severe direct impact on the knee area or a forceful rotation in a wreck. Treatment can require surgery and several months for the restoration of mobility depending on the complexity and severity of the damage.

The pain of accident-induced knee injuries can often be worse with movement and the prolonged time required for treatment can result in victims not being able to work or walk. Treatment usually requires the help of a medical specialist, pain management, and physical therapy. In severe cases surgery may be required to repair the damage caused by the collision.

Crush Injuries

Muscle, ligament, and tendon damage to the legs and feet is very common in a car crash. In serious wrecks, the crumpling of the vehicle's metal frame can crush or pinch the legs of the victim. This is more commonly encountered in crashes resulting from a high rate of speed, head-on collisions, truck accidents, and rollover accidents. Any part of the body can be crushed in a catastrophic motor vehicle accident but it's more frequently seen in the arms and legs.

Compartment Syndrome:

When the legs are pinched between two heavy objects it can result in a muscle condition known as compartment syndrome. The crush injury causes increased pressure within a muscle compartment in the body, leading to muscle and nerve damage and blood flow issues.

Muscle & Nerve Damage:

When the nerves are compressed or damaged in a traumatic crash it can cause the loss of control of the limb and affect sensation. The neurological symptoms can include numbness, tingling, burning sensations, pain, and muscle weakness in the affected leg. The type of nerve damage and severity will dictate treatment options and whether surgical repair is required.

Amputation:

In extreme cases, the tissue damage may be so severe that surgical amputation of the affected limb or part of the limb becomes necessary. A crush injury is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical intervention to avoid amputation and other potential complications. A crushed leg resulting in limb or foot loss is a life-altering injury resulting in significant pain and suffering on behalf of the victim. An attorney who understands limb loss injury claims can help you get the specialized medical care and best treatment for your needs.

Soft Tissue Injuries

According to our data, the majority of car accident cases involving leg injuries will consist of lacerations, muscle damage, bruises, sprains, and swelling. Hard blows to the muscles in the legs, commonly sustained when they hit the dashboard or frame of the vehicle in some manner, can cause trauma to the sensitive soft tissues. Severe trauma can lead to rapid bruising, stiffness, and swelling. Tears of ligaments or ruptured tendons can be painful and debilitating and treatment will vary depending on the nature of the injury.