How a Car Accident Can Injure Your Knees—And What It Means for Your Georgia Settlement

The ACL helps to stabilize your knee and keep your tibia from sliding out in front of your femur.  In some car accidents, especially during front-end collisions, you can be flung forward. This can force your knee to twist or hyperextend, which in turn can strain or tear the ACL. If you hear a loud pop from your knee and feel immediate pain and swelling, it’s likely you tore your ACL.

As with most knee injuries, a physical exam and MRI will reveal the extent of the damage. Most torn ACLs require surgery and up to a year of recovery time, which includes physical therapy.

The costs of ACL injuries can range from $5,000 to $50,000.

The Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) is one of the four major ligaments in the knee. Its primary responsibility is to stabilize the joint and prevent the tibia from moving too far backward. In car accidents, direct force to the bent knee can push the tibia backward and lead to a PCL injury by overstretching or tearing the ligament.

Even though PCL injuries aren’t as common, they can still be incredibly painful and will require medical care. A less severe injury can often be treated with a knee brace and physical therapy. More severe PCL injuries will require surgery and may take up to a year to heal properly. The overall medical costs can range from $5,000 to $40,000.

The Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is a ligament on the inner side of the knee. It helps to stabilize the joint and prevent excessive inward movement. In car accidents, a direct blow to the outer part of the knee or severe twisting motion can stretch or tear the MCL.

Like the PCL, an MCL injury can be treated with a brace if the damage isn’t extensive. If surgery is needed, you can expect it to take several months to recover.