Atlanta Knee Injury Lawyer

An accident can shatter your sense of normalcy in an instant. Whether it’s a car crash on a busy Georgia highway, an unexpected slip and fall at a local business, or a fall incident at work, the consequences can be far-reaching. When the resulting injury affects your knee, the impact can be particularly devastating. Call us today at 404-975-1775 for your free consultation to see how we can help you.

Our knees are fundamental to our mobility, independence, and ability to perform everyday tasks, from walking and climbing stairs to working and engaging in recreational activities.That is why a serious knee injury can bring not only physical pain but also significant stress, uncertainty about the future, and mounting financial burdens.

Understanding the Risks

The knee joint is susceptible to injury from various types of trauma commonly encountered in accidents across Georgia. Understanding these scenarios is the first step toward recognizing potential negligence and protecting your rights.

Common Accident Scenarios Leading to Knee Injuries

• Car Accidents: The forces involved in a vehicle collision, even at lower speeds, can wreak havoc on the knees. A direct impact to the knee as a result of a car crash, often referred to as “dashboard knee,” occurs when the bent knee strikes the dashboard during a crash, potentially causing fractures or ligament tears. Sudden stops, swerves, and twisting motions during impact can also lead to ACL tears or other ligament damage.
• Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents: These incidents are remarkably common in various environments, from grocery stores and restaurants that can have spilled liquids, poorly lit hallways, unsecured rugs, or icy sidewalks. Falls represent a significant cause of injury in the state of Georgia, particularly impacting older adults, for whom they are a leading cause of injury-related death and emergency room visits. Property owners have a duty to maintain safe premises, and failure to address hazards may constitute negligence.
• Workplace Incidents: Job sites, whether in construction, warehousing, or even office settings, can present risks for knee injuries. Falls, impacts from objects, or repetitive stress can all be possible scenarios that lead to knee damage that requires medical attention and time off work.
• Pedestrian Accidents: When a car, truck, or motorcycle strikes a pedestrian, the results are often catastrophic, frequently involving severe trauma, including complex knee injuries.

Knee injuries in the state of Georgia alone are extremely common injuries that can range in severity.

• Traffic Crash Severity: While the total number of police-reported crashes saw a slight decrease in 2022 compared to 2021, the number of fatal crashes actually increased by 2%.Georgia recorded 1,829 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2022, a concerning figure representing the highest number since 1994. Accidents resulting in death often involve extreme forces, implying that survivors of increasingly dangerous incidents may sustain more complex and life-altering injuries, such as severe multi-ligament knee tears, tibial plateau fractures, or knee dislocations.
• The Distraction Epidemic: Distracted driving is a common problem that poses a major threat on Georgia roadways. A staggering 53% of all motor vehicle crashes in the state in 2022 involved at least one distracted driver. The consequences are severe: more than three-quarters of these distraction-related crashes were collisions with other vehicles or persons. These accidents can often lead to severe injuries, many of which are knee-related.
• Pervasive Fall Risks: Falls consistently pose a significant injury risk across various settings. In the workplace, falls, slips, and trips accounted for 15% of Georgia’s occupational fatalities in 2023, and are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in the workplace. The risk extends prominently into public and commercial spaces due to common hazards like spills, uneven surfaces, or poor maintenance. This data collectively shows that falls can often result in knee damage like fractures or tears, and are a widespread threat that often needs careful legal assessment regardless of where the fall occurred.

Common Knee Injuries Resulting from Accidents

The knee is a complex joint where the stability and function rely on a network of strong ligaments and shock-absorbing cartilage pads called menisci, muscles, and tendons. The forces involved in accidents can easily overwhelm these structures, leading to a range of injuries far more serious than a simple bruise or strain.

Specific Injury Types

• Ligament Tears (Sprains): Ligaments are tough bands connecting bone to bone. The four main knee ligaments are the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL).
• ACL Tears: Often caused by sudden stops, changes in direction, or hyperextension, common in car accidents and falls. ACL tears frequently require surgical reconstruction, especially for active individuals, followed by months of rehabilitation.
• PCL Tears: Typically result from a direct blow to the front of a bent knee, like hitting a dashboard in a car crash. While stronger than the ACL, PCL tears can still cause significant instability. Treatment varies based on severity, often involving bracing and physical therapy.
• MCL/LCL Tears: These ligaments stabilize the knee sideways, and they are often injured by blows to the side of the knee. MCL and LCL tears are usually less severe and often heal without surgery, though recovery can take weeks to months.
• Meniscus Tears: Each knee has two C-shaped pieces of cartilage that act as cushions between the femur and tibia, called the meniscus. Symptoms of a torn meniscus often include pain, swelling, a clicking or popping sensation, difficulty straightening the knee, or a feeling of the knee “locking up”.While some minor tears respond to conservative treatment (rest, ice, physical therapy), larger or more complex tears often require arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the damaged portion.
• Fractures: Broken bones in or around the knee are serious injuries that require intense medical treatment.
• Patella Fractures (Broken Kneecap): Usually caused by a direct blow to the kneecap, such as falling directly onto the knee or striking the dashboard.Treatment depends on whether the bone fragments are displaced or not. Non-displaced fractures might be treated with a cast, while displaced fractures typically require surgery to piece the bone back together.
• Tibial Plateau Fractures: These fractures are a break in the top surface of the shinbone where it meets the knee joint. These often occur from high-energy impacts like severe falls or car accidents where the leg is crushed or pinned.These fractures often involve damage to surrounding soft tissues and usually require surgery.
• Dislocations: A knee dislocation is a severe and often traumatic injury where the thigh bone and shin bone shift out of proper alignment. This typically results from major accidents such as high-speed car crashes or falls from significant heights. It’s considered a medical emergency because of the high risk of damage to major blood vessels and nerves running behind the knee, which can threaten the limb. Immediate medical intervention is critical, and surgery is often necessary.
• Other Injuries: Accidents can also cause painful knee bruises, strains affecting muscles or tendons, and cuts and scrapes that may become a serious risk of infection if debris enters the wound.

Symptoms Demanding Attention

After any accident involving impact or trauma to the leg, you should be aware of certain symptoms that can signal severe injury to the knee, which can include:

• Immediate and severe pain
• Significant swelling and/or bruising
• Inability to put weight on the affected leg
• A feeling of instability, buckling, or the knee “giving way”
• Hearing or feeling a “pop” at the moment of injury (often associated with ligament tears)
• Clicking, catching, or locking sensations during movement
• Limited range of motion or inability to fully bend or straighten the knee
• Visible deformity (in cases of fracture or dislocation)

It’s crucial to seek prompt medical evaluation after an accident even if symptoms seem mild initially. Some serious injuries, like certain ligament or meniscus tears, may not cause immediate, unbearable pain but can worsen over time or lead to further damage if not properly diagnosed and treated.

Potential Long-Term Consequences

Unfortunately, the impact of a serious knee injury doesn’t always end when the initial healing is complete. Potential long-term consequences can include:

• Chronic pain and stiffness
• Persistent swelling or inflammation
• Ongoing knee instability
• Increased risk of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis later in life, even years after the injury
• Permanent disability or reduced mobility
• Difficulty returning to previous work duties, potentially leading to reduced earning capacity
• Inability to participate fully in sports, hobbies, or daily activities, diminishing quality of life

The wide spectrum of knee injuries, combined with the potential for lengthy recovery and lasting complications, highlights the profound physical, emotional, and financial toll these injuries can take. Even injuries that seem manageable initially can evolve into chronic problems that will take time and energy to heal. This complexity underscores the need for any legal claim to account not only for immediate costs but also for future medical needs, potential long-term wage loss, and the significant pain, suffering, and life changes caused by the injury.

At Merritt & Merritt Law Firm, our Atlanta knee injury lawyer team is experienced in accidents that cause knee injuries and can ensure that your compensation will cover all of your financial needs now and in the future. Call us today at 404-975-1775for a free consultation to see how we can help you.

Key Georgia Personal Injury Laws

If your knee injury resulted from an accident caused by someone else’s carelessness or negligence in Georgia, you may have the right to seek compensation for your losses. However, successfully navigating the legal process requires understanding specific Georgia laws that directly impact your claim. Failing to adhere to these rules can jeopardize your ability to recover damages, which is why having an Atlanta knee injury lawyer from Merritt & Merritt Law Firm by your side can make all the difference in your case.

Georgia’s Statute of Limitations: A Critical Deadline

One of the most crucial rules is the statute of limitations. In Georgia, for most personal injury cases, including those arising from car accidents, slip and falls, or other incidents causing knee injuries, you generally have two years from the date the injury occurred to file a lawsuit.

This deadline is strict. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this two-year window, you will almost certainly lose your legal right to seek compensation from the responsible party, no matter how strong your case might otherwise be.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Atlanta Knee Injury Lawyer

Our primary goal is to ensure you receive the maximum compensation you are rightfully owed under Georgia law.At Merritt & Merritt Law Firm, we believe in providing compassionate and accessible legal support. We offer free initial consultations to discuss your case and answer your questions without any obligation. Call our experienced Georgia personal injury attorneys at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation at 404-975-1775.