Leg Pain After a Car Accident? Here’s What to Do Next.
Are you or a loved one experiencing leg pain after a car accident? If so, it may not be in your best interest to wait and see if you get better on your own.
Car accident victims face a high risk of suffering injuries to the lower extremities. The hips, legs, and feet are highly susceptible to injury in most types of car accidents, along with the ankle and knee joints. Left undiagnosed and untreated, you could develop complications and potentially even permanent injuries or disability.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you might have a valid legal claim. You could be entitled to recover compensation for your medical treatment, lost wages, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and more.
At Abrahamson & Uiterwyk, our Florida car accident lawyers help personal injury victims pursue the justice and financial compensation they deserve. If you are suffering from any car accident-related injury, call on us for help.
Common Types of Leg Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents
The structure of the lower limbs involves a complex network of bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue. The possibilities for injuries—from mild to devastating—are countless. The following are some of the most common types of leg injuries that result from car accidents.
Fractures
You have more than 60 different bones in your lower extremities, including the femur (thigh bone), tibia, and fibula (lower leg bones). The force of a collision can break or shatter one or more of these bones. Broken femurs, which are unfortunately common in car accidents, can take months to heal, leaving you immobile and potentially unable to work.
Soft Tissue Damage
Damage to your ligaments, tendons, cartilage, muscles, or nerves are all potential results of a car crash. Some of the most common include ACL tears and damage to the meniscus in the knee. Without proper treatment, you could develop arthritis and other potentially debilitating conditions.
Lost Limbs or Digits
In extreme cases, accident victims can suffer leg injuries so severe that they result in the full or partial loss of the leg(s) or toe(s). This type of injury can also occur after the fact if the victim develops an infection or loses blood flow to the lower limbs.
If you suffered a severe injury, you likely had immediate medical attention. If your injuries didn’t seem serious at the time, however, you might have skipped seeing a doctor for evaluation. As a result, you could develop leg pain later without knowing the cause.
Should I Seek Medical Treatment Even If My Injuries Don’t Seem Serious?
After any motor vehicle collision, you should see a qualified medical treatment professional for evaluation. If you don’t get checked out by EMTs at the scene of the crash, consider going to the ER or urgent care immediately. You can also make an appointment with a doctor for evaluation, as long as you do so right away.
You might not experience symptoms of your injuries right away. If you’re in shock, you may not feel pain or discomfort as you normally would. Internal and soft tissue injuries can take hours or days to start causing symptoms. By then, you could develop potentially dangerous complications.
Building the strongest possible legal case is another important reason to seek medical attention immediately. Your attorney will use your medical testing and treatment records as the basis of your claim. If you hold off on going to the doctor or ER, the insurance company could argue that your injuries must not have been that serious.
Can I Seek Compensation for My Car Accident Injuries?
If another person caused or even contributed to your accident, you have the right to pursue legal action. Florida’s modified comparative negligence law allows you to seek recovery of compensation even if your actions contributed to the accident so long as your portion of the blame does not exceed 50%.
Attorneys typically establish fault by demonstrating that another party caused your injury accident through negligent, reckless, or intentional action. The best way to determine if you have a viable case is to talk to an attorney. After reviewing the facts of your case, an attorney can recommend the best approach to pursuing legal action.
Attorneys recommend pursuing a claim as quickly as possible. This helps ensure that your legal team can try to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. If the insurer agrees to an acceptable settlement, you won’t have to wait for a trial to seek the justice and compensation you deserve.
Talk to a Florida Car Accident Attorney Today for Answers
The Florida personal injury lawyers of Abrahamson & Uiterwyk have more than three decades of experience helping car accident victims get justice.
We offer a free consultation and case evaluation to help you get started with the legal process. We answer your questions and explain your options, so you can make the best choice for your future health and well-being.
Before you make any decisions or provide any statements to the insurance company, call or contact us online to learn more, or to speak with one of our Florida car accident attorneys about your leg pain.