Leg, Knee and Foot Injuries from Car Crashes

There are several different kinds of injuries that occur when you have been involved in a car crash, and foot, knee and ankle injuries are among the more common ones. At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we help our clients obtain the compensation they need when they have been injured in a car crash caused by a negligent driver.

Many people may not realize how common leg, knee and ankle injuries are in car crashes. You may have heard of the prevalence of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, but leg injuries are actually not uncommon. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research, lower extremity injuries account for a significant portion of the injuries sustained by passenger vehicle drivers in frontal crashes.

Types of car crashes that cause leg, knee and ankle injuries

Lower extremity injuries in auto collisions tend to occur more commonly with the driver because they are sitting with their knees and legs up under the steering wheel and dashboard. In a head-on crash when the front end of the vehicle crumbles inward to intrude on the passenger compartment, significant injuries can take place. Frontal (head on) crashes had the highest risk of leg, ankle and foot injuries. Offset crashes, side impact and rollover crashes also account for lower extremity injuries in drivers.

Common lower extremity injuries caused by car crashes

Hip, thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle and foot injuries can incur different types of damage including:

• Broken bones. Fractured femur, tibia, fibula (lower leg bone), ankle bone and patella
• Sprains and tears. The meniscus, the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and the MCL (medial collateral ligament) can be torn and ruptured during a violent crash
• Muscle strains. When a muscle is suddenly stretched and then contracted, as can occur in a vehicle crash, it is a strain.

Depending on the speed that the vehicles were traveling at the point of impact and the angle of the crash, serious injuries that will cause significant pain and long-term disability can happen in front, side impact and rollover car crashes. If the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, the injured person may be able to take legal action against the party at fault and obtain compensation for their injuries and other losses. Working with a Delaware personal injury attorney allows the injured party to focus on healing and recovering from the accident while competent professionals focus on the legal issues.

Please give us a call us at 302.414.5553 or fill out our quick contact form to schedule a free case review. Silverman, McDonald & Friedman is conveniently located in Newark, Seaford and Wilmington and we serve clients throughout Delaware.