Sacramento Dashboard Knee Injury Lawyer

A dashboard injury may occur when the bent knee of a driver or passenger comes into contact with the dashboard in the event of a traffic collision. The blunt trauma may cause the shinbone to be pushed below the knee resulting in a tear of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Conversely, a direct blow to the knee may also cause a fracture of the kneecap (patella). Rehabilitation is necessary in PCL injury and patella fracture cases as it focuses on decreasing the stiffness of the knee, rebuilding muscle strength, and improving range of motion. However, recovery from a knee injury may take several weeks or even months. This may potentially leave a patient with mounting medical expenses and missed time at work.

Our personal injury lawyers have provided many parties hurt in accidents across California with the experienced legal representation they need for their dashboard knee cases. Give us a call today to learn how we can help and receive free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400.

When you have suffered traumatic injuries in a crash because of another party’s negligence, nothing is more important than your recovery. Since 1982, our legal team at AutoAccident.com has fought to protect the rights of parties injured in all types of accidents across California and has helped them secure the financial compensation they need to rebuild their lives. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our dashboard knee injury lawyers to discuss your case and learn how we can help you with moving forward.

The signs of an injury to the knee may include but is not limited to:

• Difficulty bearing weight
• Instability of the knee
• Issues with bending the knee
• Pain, redness, swelling, and tenderness
• Popping or clicking sounds

When a person has been hurt in a crash from their knees striking the dashboard, it is essential to seek medical treatment immediately when any of these symptoms have been experienced following the incident.

Several types of treatment are available for knee injuries and pain management, some of which may include:

• Medication: A physician may prescribe medications for pain relief from a dashboard injury.
• Physical Therapy: A patient presenting with a kneecap injury may be referred to physical therapy by their primary care provider to revise movement patterns that may be impacting the knees.
• Injections: A doctor may suggest several types of injections or substances into the knee joint to ease the pain. This may include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid, and corticosteroids.

A patient presenting with a patellar fracture may require surgical intervention if they have not shown signs of improvement from non-surgical rehabilitation. Some of the types of surgical procedures for a fractured patella may include partial or total knee replacement and arthroscopic surgery for reconstruction of torn ligaments and to repair or remove damaged cartilage. Osteotomy may also be recommended to relieve pain from arthritis and improve knee alignment from the removal of bone from the shinbone or thighbone.

In the case of a PCL injury, operative treatment may be reserved for a patient presenting with a posterior cruciate ligament injury that is classified as acute or one that is chronic. Reconstruction of a PCL injury is generally performed arthroscopically that may include open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for an avulsion fracture. Conversely, surgical management may also include an autograft, double-bundle technique, single-bundle technique, high tibial osteotomy (HTO), and transtibial or tibial inlay techniques.

A patella fracture or a posterior cruciate ligament injury from the knee striking the dashboard of a vehicle in an auto accident may produce some of the following complications with non-surgical management and surgical intervention:

• Arthrofibrosis
• Infection
• Insufficient extensor mechanism
• Issues with wound healing
• Loss of range of motion, particularly in knee flexion
• Neurovascular injury
• Osteonecrosis
• Pain in the anterior region of the knee
• Post-traumatic arthritis
• Residual laxity
• Symptomatic hardware

Improper rehabilitation is one of the leading causes for the most common complication, decreased range of motion, following a patellar fracture. Therefore, seeking medical treatment after a dashboard injury is crucial to patient benefits and health outcomes.

Failing to seek medical treatment for a posterior cruciate ligament injury or patella fracture from contact with a dashboard of a vehicle may have detrimental effects on the outcome of a potential accident case. In the latter, the reason is that the insurance company may question the severity of the injuries reported if the claimant failed to seek immediate medical care following the collision or allowed gaps in treatment.

When there is a delay in treatment after a crash, there is no medical record establishing the link between injuries and the incident. This may cause the insurer to question whether the injuries were because of an unrelated accident, and they may even claim that they are not liable for them. In such situations, the insurance carrier may reduce the amount of compensation offered or even deny the bodily injury claim outright.

Gaps in medical treatment may potentially cause serious harm to one’s health and well-being. Some of the reasons may include failing to follow up with a physician. This may make it more challenging to determine how a patient is responding to a particular treatment. Conversely, the condition may become chronic, or the patient may never be able to recover. That is why it is essential to keep medical appointments after an auto accident to protect your health and your case.

A common defense tactic an insurance company will use as a reason for reducing the amount of compensation they offer is a pre-existing condition. This is a legal term used to describe a medical condition or an injury that was suffered because of an unrelated cause. An insurer may argue that a dashboard knee injury was not the result of the accident. In such situations, the value of a bodily injury claim may decrease as economic damages and non-economic damages may be lowered. To obtain financial recovery for injuries that were worsened or aggravated because of a pre-existing condition, a physician must state that the current condition and complications were the result of the incident.

Every individual’s medical history is unique. Determining whether a person may qualify for compensatory damages when they have a pre-existing condition may be challenging. Even when this does not prove to be the case, a pre-existing injury argument may be used against a claimant as a way of lowering an insurance settlement. Therefore, it is essential to discuss a dashboard knee case with an accident attorney as they will use their knowledge, skills, and resources to establish that the injury was the result of someone else’s negligence.

An expert witness is an individual with knowledge, training, or expertise in a specific field that is related to a personal injury case, such as the cause of the incident or dashboard knee injuries. The testimony of an expert witness may help provide a judge or a jury with a better understanding of the matter and empathize with the injured party. Some of the experts that may be called in for an accident case may include but is not limited to:

• Accident Reconstruction Expert: Testimony from an accident reconstruction expert may provide a recreation of the scene and an explanation of the sequence of events leading up to the incident. These may help answer any unanswered questions regarding the accident resulting in traumatic injuries.
• Economic Expert: An accident attorney may call an economic expert to provide testimony or insight on the severity of the financial impact an injured party may have suffered because of the incident and the dashboard knee injury.
• Engineering Expert: In a premises liability case, an engineering expert may be called to provide an explanation on how a roadway was not properly designed or maintained and that the road defect was the direct result of the crash.
• Medical Expert: A medical professional such as a nurse or a physician may testify about the nature of a claimant’s injury, the long-term complications, and how it may affect their life.

Not all personal injury claims require testimony from an expert witness. However, their testimony may make a difference in the outcome of a challenging civil case. If an injured party has retained legal counsel and it has been determined that an expert witness is necessary, the dashboard knee injury attorney will find the expert with the appropriate expertise, training, and knowledge for the case.

As a party injured in an accident caused by the negligent acts of another party or entity, bringing a personal injury suit may be daunting as there may be endless paperwork and strict filing deadlines involved. Under the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, a claimant generally has two years to file a case in civil court. Since there are a lot of moving parts to these cases, it is essential to retain legal counsel immediately for the experience necessary for a successful resolution. Watch the video below on how to find the best lawyer for a dashboard injury case.

When you have suffered dashboard knee in a crash because of someone else’s negligence, you can depend on one of our experienced injury lawyers to guide you through the legal process. Our law firm has successfully represented injured parties across California since 1982. We can put our experience, skills, and resources to work for you and your injury case. Get started by calling (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 and receive free, friendly case advice today.

Photo Credit: By “Towfiqu Barbhuiya” via Pexels

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