Who’s At Fault in a Car Accident? A Guide to Liability in Ohio
Posted in: Car Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
Car accidents cause thousands of injuries every year in the United States. In the state of Ohio alone, there were a total of 100,148 non-fatal injuries sustained from car crashes in 2013, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety. While some injuries are less severe – such as bruising or minor cuts – others are debilitating, and may require long-term or future medical care.
One type of injury that can be particularly painful, and result in long-term complications in some cases, is a knee injury. Not only are knee injuries not uncommon, they can have a permanent effect on the injured party. If you sustained a knee injury in a recent car accident, you seek compensation for any resultant expenses and losses.
Common Knee Injuries in a Car Accidents
A tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the possible knee injuries sustained in a car accident. An ACL tear usually happens in one of two ways in a car accident: a traumatic impact, such as the knee(s) slamming into the dashboard of the car or a severe hyperextension or twist of the knee during the accident.
Other types of ligament injuries that may result from a car accident are listed here.
Like ACL injuries, PCL and MCL injuries can occur as a result of hyperextension, twisting of the knee, or a direct blow or blunt trauma to the knee. According to MedlinePlus, some refer to PCL injuries as “dashboard” injuries, as the knee slamming into the dashboard is a common cause of a PCL injury. Some suffer knee bruises, patellar tendon injuries, meniscus injuries, and more. Knee fractures – involving one of the bones making up the knee joint – may also result from a car accident.
Long-Term Complications of Knee Injuries
Unfortunately, a knee injury often causes long-term complications, or causes the individual to develop future problems and pain. Some injured parties may develop posttraumatic arthritis, for example. This affects the ability to engage in certain activities, such as certain job tasks requiring constant mobility.
Some patients may require total knee replacement (TKR) surgery if the injury is especially severe. Some may require replacing the artificial knee joint after a certain amount of time.
If filing a claim, patients should work closely with their doctors to figure out which treatment they may require in the future. An attorney can also help ensure that a claim accounts for all current and future damages.
Value of Knee Injuries Stemming from Car Accidents
Your settlement amount should include damages that address all or most of the following:
But figuring out a fair settlement amount can be difficult. It might be fairly straightforward to collect medical bills and calculate lost wages. For example, an ACL surgery can costs tens of thousands of dollars; you may miss work for several months during recovery (depending on your job), losing several thousands of dollars in wages.
Pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, and future medical care can be difficult to quantify. Your attorney can work with your doctors and other experts to help you quantify how much compensation you should seek in your claim.
At Kisling, Nestico & Redick, our attorneys fight for car accident victims. Our lawyers know how important recovering damages is to pay expenses and recover losses. As such, we’ll work to make sure you get the money you deserve. To get started filing a claim, contact us at 1-800-HURT-NOW.