Your feet, legs and ankles are particularly vulnerable in a crash, as they could be subject to blunt force trauma or get pinned under something.
The licensed Fort Worth auto accident lawyers at Anderson & Cummings discuss car crash leg injuries below, including common types, symptoms and treatment. We have more than 50 years of combined experience helping crash victims and have obtained more than $100 million on behalf of our clients.
If you have leg pain after a car crash and it is from a leg injury, another driver may be to blame. Call us to find out how we may be able to help you seek compensation.
No upfront fee. Free legal consultation. Call (817) 920-9000.
Five Regions of The Leg
Each one of your legs can be divided into five regions or sections. These include:
Thigh/Upper Leg
Each thigh contains a femur bone, which is the strongest bone in the body. Your thigh also contains:
- Three hamstrings
- Four quadriceps
- Five adductors
- Pectineus muscle
- Sartorius muscle
Calf/Lower Leg
This region of your leg contains two bones. One is the tibia, also known as the shin bone. The other bone is the fibular, which can also be called the calf bone.
Your lower leg also contains an Achilles tendon, which joins the bones in your ankle and foot to your calf.
Knee
The knees are the largest joints in your body. Each knee contains ligaments, cartilage, menisci, bursa, tendons and a cap, also called a patella.
Ankle
Your ankle has a bone connecting your foot to the bones in your calf. There are also medial and lateral ligaments that provide stability.
Foot
There are many bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons in each foot that are needed for balance. Damage to just one of these components can be devastating to your mobility.
Common Types of Car Accident Leg Injuries
Fort Worth car crashes can result in various leg injuries, such as:
- Broken femur
- Broken fibula
- Broken tibia
- Torn or sprained anterior cruciate ligament
- Torn or sprained medial collateral ligament
- Torn meniscus
- Broken ankle
- Broken foot
- Knee bursitis
- Internal bleeding in the leg
Pain and Other Potential Symptoms of a Leg Injury
One of the most obvious symptoms of a leg injury is pain in one of your legs, but there are many kinds of pain you might feel.
For example, some crash victims notice a burning pain in their legs. Others may experience sharp or throbbing pain. If the pain gets worse when you shift your weight onto the injured leg, it could mean you have sustained one or more fractures.
Other symptoms of a leg injury include:
- Popping noises when you bend your knee or move your ankle, which could mean a torn meniscus or an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
- Feeling weak or unstable when you walk or stand up, which could indicate an ACL injury
- Tingling or numbness
- Stiff feeling, which may mean your knee was damaged in the crash – stiffness may go away after a few days, but if it does not, the injury may be more significant
- Discoloration of your leg, which could indicate damaged blood vessels or arteries
You may also have pain in your legs from a non-leg injury. For example, your sciatic nerve could get pinched and cause shooting pain in your leg. Your pelvis could also break in the crash, which could cause significant leg pain.
Pain in your leg could be a sign you have a herniated disc in your back. This means one of the discs in your spinal cord is out of place. Fluid from your spinal cord may leak out and stimulate one of the nerves in your leg, causing pain.
When Do Leg Injury Symptoms Typically Show Up?
Generally, symptoms of a car crash injury show up right away. However, sometimes symptoms are delayed. Crash victims may initially ignore their symptoms, thinking they will resolve in a few days. However, waiting to seek medical care could cause your leg injury to worsen and potentially become life-threatening. Even if it is not life-threatening, you may increase the risk of long-term complications.
How Do Doctors Treat Leg Injuries?
Treatment will depend on the type of injury you suffered. If you broke a bone, you may need to wear a cast for several weeks to allow the break to come back together. However, severe fractures may require surgery and the insertion of plates or screws to hold your bones together.
If you are recovering from a damaged tendon or ligament, you may need to wear a cast or brace while recovering from a damaged tendon or ligament. Your doctor may also instruct you to keep weight off the affected leg for a certain period and limit physical activity.
Other treatments may include ice and anti-inflammatory medications to control swelling and help reduce inflammation.
If you suffered a nerve injury, doctors may do a variety of treatments, such as surgery or electrical stimulation. Physical therapy may also be prescribed to help you regain strength in the affected area.
Call Anderson & Cummings to Discuss Compensation For Your Car Crash Leg Injury
Leg injuries are some of the most debilitating injuries anyone can suffer in a car crash. Some victims might never be able to walk again while others may have permanent limitation in their ability to walk.
One of the worst aspects of a car crash leg injury is that it was likely caused by driver negligence, which means it could have been prevented. That is why victims need to contact an attorney to discuss legal options. Medical treatment for a serious leg injury is not cheap, and you cannot count on the insurance company to automatically agree to pay fair compensation.
Our attorneys are ready to pursue maximum compensation to help you move forward with your life.
Contact us to learn more. There are no upfront costs. Phone: (817) 920-9000.