NYC Knee Injury Lawyer

As an important joint in the body, knee injuries are excruciatingly painful and limit one’s mobility, typically resulting in a prolonged and painful recovery. This may involve hospitalization, admission to a rehabilitation center or prolonged at-home care. Knee injuries can lead to time out of work, the inability to drive and the interruption of normal life in general for a significant period of time.

Knee Injuries and Treatments

The knee is able to function because of a complex makeup of different ligaments and bones. The many moving parts that allow a knee to operate in many ways also make it highly susceptible to injury. A seemingly light issue with a knee ligament injury can interfere with work and immobilize you. A lot of knee injuries come under one of the following categories:

Ligament Tears:

• ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament)
• MCL (medial cruciate ligament)

A torn ligament after injury from an unforeseen force, twist or change of direction can be debilitating. A torn ligament can create significant pain, swelling and knee instability. Treatment often requires surgery to restore full function. ACL tears are incredibly common and full recovery from such a tear can be six months or longer.

A Torn Meniscus:

The meniscus is a small piece of cartilage that cushions the knee joint. Damage to the meniscus can result in serious limitation and pain. A tear to the meniscus can result in the need for surgery, and the healing process can be protracted. Many of these types of injuries can be helped by physical therapy and other types of treatment. The cost of physical therapy treatments, if not covered by no-fault in an auto wreck can be high, but may depend on the type of your medical coverage.

The bones that comprise your knee are the femur, tibia and patella. Serious force can cause a bone to break or fracture, resulting in significant pain.

Sometimes, hairline fractures or non-displaced fractures may heal on their own in a cast or splint after several weeks or months. More severe fractures can require surgery, including arthroscopies, to properly reset the bones. In any event, physical therapy program is usually medically indicated to strengthen the joints and restore proper range of motion.

Tears:

Tendons connect bones and muscles, allowing the leg to flex and extend. Tendons are many times damaged after falling and landing hard. Partial tears, as opposed to complete tears, are sometimes treated conservatively with a brace or other devise to restrict movement during the healing process. Complete tears will require surgery to be repaired. It is important to note that tears, and especially partial tears, are many times not revealed by an x-ray, so an MRI is required to see a tear, or rule out a tear.

Permanent Consequences of Knee Damage

Following a traumatic knee injury, sustained or even permanent damage can happen. Even though treatments are available, a knee injury can leave a knee permanently damaged.

Knee injuries can be even worse for older individuals with weaker joints due to degeneration. Some of the consequences of knee injuries are:

• Chronic Pain: Pain that does not subside may be treated with medication, but pain killers are more like a band-aid than a permanent fix. It can be frustrating to only be able to reduce symptoms and be unable to get to the root cause of the pain. Medication can also be habit-forming and lead to dependency.
• Decreased Range of Motion: Full range of motion is required for normal, unimpaired walking, running, kicking or even sitting comfortably. Decreased range of motion can be caused by the injury itself or a lack of appropriate rehabilitation post- surgery.

Contact an NYC Knee Injury Attorney

Knee injuries can alter your life forever. The attorneys at Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC will fight to help you obtain full compensation for your injuries. With over a decade of experience helping personal injury victims, you can rest assured that protecting your rights is our goal. Contact Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC at 212-240-9465 now for a free case evaluation.