Professional and amateur athletes in Atlanta are frequently sidelined with knee injuries. But knee injuries can happen to anyone, and they are especially common after falls and car accidents. Knee injuries can cause intense pain, keep you away from sports and exercise, or prevent you from walking, climbing stairs or doing your job.
They can profoundly alter your day to day life. If your injury was not your fault, you do not have to bear the financial burden of treatment alone. You need to speak with an Atlanta knee injury lawyer.
At John Foy & Associates, we help victims of knee injuries get the financial compensation they need and deserve. From our beginnings as a small law office, we have spent the past 20 years dedicating ourselves to the rights of injury and accident victims.
Today, we are widely regarded as one of the top personal injury law firms in Georgia. Let us give you a free consultation and find out how we can help you recover for your knee injury.
Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
What Are the Most Common Types of Knee Injuries?
Your knee is your largest joint, and with all the abuse it takes, it’s no surprise that it is also one of the easiest joints to injure. There are three bones that make up your knee joint: the thigh bone (or femur), the shin bone (or tibia), and the kneecap (or patella). The ends of the femur and tibia and the back of the patella are covered with cartilage that helps your bones glide smoothly against either other.
There’s also meniscal cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your femur and tibia. Finally, your knee is also made up of ligaments that help hold the bones together and stabilize your knee, and tendons that connect the bones to muscles.
Common knee injuries can affect the bones, the cartilage, the ligaments or the tendons. These injuries include:
- Fractures. Most knee fractures involve the patella.
- Dislocation. This occurs when the bones are forced out of their proper places.
- Ligament injures can occur due to changing direction rapidly, jumping or having force applied to the knee
- Meniscal tears typically happen because of a twisting motion
- Tendon injuries can result from falls and a direct force to the front of the knee
Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of a knee injury, but you may also feel weakness and a sense that your knee is locking up or giving way. We recommend that you see a doctor as soon as you can after any accident or injury.
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What Kinds of Accidents Cause Knee Injuries?
Many people dismiss knee injuries as age-related or simply a result of playing sports. But you should not assume that a knee injury is your fault. We frequently meet with clients who have hurt their knees because they fell, stumbled or twisted their knees on uneven ground, slippery surfaces, or stairs that didn’t have adequate handrails. Often, these accidents could be prevented if the premises were better maintained.
Common types of accidents that lead to knee injuries include:
- Falls
- Auto accidents
- Sports accidents
- Workplace accidents
It is important to take all knee injuries seriously. Left untreated, they can grow worse over time.
What Costs Can I Recover As a Result of My Knee Injury?
The City of Atlanta follows Georgia state law, which allows you to recover all your costs for a knee injury that was someone else’s fault. In most cases, the person who was at fault has insurance, so your claim is with the insurance company. We commonly help our clients recover the costs of:
- Medical treatment
- Prescriptions
- Physical or rehabilitative therapy
- Lost pay, if you miss time from work because of a knee injury
If your injury is severe, the local courts may award you other costs as well, including damages for ongoing pain and suffering or disability.
In order to help you recover money, we will send an investigator to examine the conditions at the place where you fell or got injured, and to research the circumstances behind your accident. Often this will show negligence on the part of another person involved, or the property owner.
We will also make sure that you have a complete medical evaluation by a doctor who understands knee injuries. We will then work to negotiate with the insurance company for an amount that will fully compensate you for your knee injury—nothing less.
What If I Hurt My Knee at Work?
Workplace knee injuries are common, but they’re handled a little differently than other types of accidents. Employers in Georgia must carry workers’ compensation insurance if they have three or more employees. This insurance pays for employees’ on-the-job injuries, and it means that you won’t have to sue your employer or prove they are at fault to recover money.
However, the workers’ compensation insurance company will usually try to pay you less than your claim is worth. We always recommend working with an attorney if you are injured on the job.
How Long do I Have to File a Knee Injury Claim?
The deadline for filing a knee injury claim varies depending on the circumstances of your case. For many injuries, you have two years to make a claim, but for others the deadline is only a few months. Workers compensation claims must usually be reported within 30 days.
If you miss the deadline for filing your claim, you will probably be unable to recover money for your injuries. That’s one of the reasons we always recommend that you speak to a lawyer as soon as possible.
Talk to an Atlanta Knee Injury Lawyer for Free
A knee injury can be painful and keep you from living life to its fullest. You may miss time from work, need surgery, or have ongoing physical therapy. If your injury was someone else’s fault, you shouldn’t have to pay for it.
At John Foy & Associates, we will discuss your case for free and help you decide whether you have a claim. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
(404) 400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
