NEW YORK CITY KNEE INJURY ATTORNEY
The most common cause of knee injuries are traffic accidents and falls. An experienced New York City knee injury attorney knows that when there are multiple injuries from an accident, sometimes a knee problem is not apparent until several hours or even the day after the accident, when there is substantial swelling and pain. If there is any trauma to your knee from any kind of accident, it’s wise to immediately seek medical treatment even if the injury does not seem severe. Prompt treatment can often minimize the harm to the knee.
It’s a good idea to go to the Emergency Room from the scene of the accident to rule out the most severe types of injuries. Emergency Rooms will take X-rays to see if there is a fracture in your knee as well as assessing any other injuries you might have. X-rays will only show broken bones, so “soft-tissue” injuries will require follow-up outside the Emergency Room.
These are the most common types of soft tissue knee injuries:
PCL Knee Injuries
The Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) connects the femur to the tibia. It is located towards the back of the knee. It is a strong ligament, but can be torn with strong trauma such as a high-speed traffic accident, a pedestrian hit by a car or a fall from a height. Symptoms of a torn PCL include swelling, instability, difficulty walking and severe pain. A regimen of physical therapy can sometimes treat a PCL tear, but sometimes surgery is necessary.
MCL Knee Injuries
The Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is a ligament on the inner part of the knee which prevents over extension. This type of injury is usually caused by a direct blow to the outside of the knee. Symptoms of a torn MCL include a “popping sound” when the injury occurs, swelling, tenderness in the back of the knee and instability. MCL do not usually require surgery, but a brace may be necessary for some time due to the instability. Physical therapy is usually very helpful.
ACL Knee Injuries
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is the most common serious injury in the knee. The ACL stabilizes the shin bone to ensure that it moves normally. There types of trauma that can cause ACL injuries including:
- Changing direction quickly
- Suddenly decreasing speed when running
- Landing a jump
- A collision
- Twisting (when falling)
Symptoms of an ACL tear include a “popping sound” at the time of injury, swelling, non weight bearing and instability. Doctors usually use an MRI and clinical correlation to diagnose a torn ACL. If the ACL is sprained and not torn, physical therapy may all that is needed. For simple torn ACL’s arthroscopic surgery is sometimes recommended. More severe tears may require a surgical ACL reconstruction.
NEW YORK CITY KNEE INJURY ATTORNEY
If you have hurt your knee in an accident, you need the best medical treatment. You also need the best Personal Injury Attorney to help you collect money for your medical bills, lost earnings, out of pocket expenses, plus compensation for your pain and suffering. Wittenstein & Wittenstein has been helping victims with knee injuries for over 60 years. Please call for a free consultation at 718-2611-8114.