Legal Options After Suffering A Leg Or Knee Injury

A leg or knee injury can immobilize you, temporarily or even permanently. When a leg or knee suffers an impact in an accident, it can be injured. Legs and knees can also suffer injuries when other body parts bear the brunt of an impact, like the foot or the spine. Leg and knee injuries can be minor or severe, and in some cases, they can have long-term complications or cause permanent disability.

After an accident, seek medical attention from the nearest emergency medical provider as soon as you can. In Appleton, your options for emergency medical treatment are St. Elizabeth Hospital and ThedaCare Regional Medical Center. After you have received a diagnosis and begun medical care, start working with an experienced Appleton leg and knee injury lawyer to pursue a claim against the party whose negligence caused your leg or knee injury.

Types Of Leg And Knee Injuries

The knee is part of the leg. When an individual suffers a knee injury, he or she can also suffer other injuries in the leg. Other parts of the leg include the ankle, the calf and the thigh. Other body parts that can suffer injuries related to a leg or knee injury include the hip and the foot.

The leg contains bones, muscles, connective tissue and blood vessels. Examples of leg injuries a victim can sustain in an accident include:

• Broken bones
• Sprains
• Strains
• Burns
• Cuts that lead to severe bleeding and put the victim at risk of suffering from shock or an infection
• Bursitis, damage to one of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the areas between tissues
• Clots in the blood vessels
• Joint dislocations in the hip, knee or ankle joint

The knee can suffer specific types of injury, such as:

• Fractures in the knee
• Sprains and strains to the ligaments in the knee, the bands of fibrous tissue that hold the joint together. They are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
• Loose bodies in the knee due to fractures, tears or dislocation

Sometimes, a leg or knee injury is not immediately obvious when an accident occurs. This is why it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after an accident – a prompt examination can catch an injury before it becomes more severe due to lack of treatment.

Accidents That Can Cause Leg And Knee Injuries

A leg can be crushed, burned, squeezed, pinned, pulled, bitten, stabbed or hit in an accident. Any type of accident can result in a leg or knee injury for the victim if the leg or knee bears the force of the trauma. These accidents include:

• Car accidents
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
• Slips and falls
• Dog bites
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Accidents involving falling or projectile objects
• Accidents involving electric currents or fire

Recovering From A Leg Or Knee Injury

The ideal recovery plan for a patient’s knee or leg injury depends on the nature of the injury. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, the victim may need:

• Surgery
• Compression
• Antibiotics to fight infections
• Physical therapy to rebuild muscle tone in the affected area and regain use
• Setting broken bones in a cast to allow them to heal

During a patient’s recovery, he or she may be advised to stay off the leg or knee by using crutches or a wheelchair. Rest is an important part of any recovery plan, so a leg or knee injury victim may need to take a prolonged period of time off from work in order to recover fully. Other components of a recovery plan can include icing or heating the affected area and massages to promote blood flow and reduce pain.

Through a personal injury claim, the victim may seek compensation for his or her medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages like reduced mobility and emotional trauma.

How To Contact Us

When an accident leaves you injured, do not let it leave you broke. After you have received appropriate medical care for your injury, work with an experienced Wisconsin personal injury lawyer to pursue the monetary compensation you deserve for your damages. Contact our team at Hammett, Bellin & Oswald, LLC, today to schedule your initial legal consultation with us and learn more about what you can expect from the personal injury claim process. Contact our team online or call 920-202-8872.