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The short answer: A knee injury from a car crash can range from a deep bruise to a torn ligament, a meniscus tear, or a broken kneecap, often caused when the knee slams into the dashboard or twists on impact. Treatment runs the gamut from physical therapy to surgery, and recovery may take weeks or many months. In South Carolina, you generally have three years to file a claim. What a settlement is worth depends on things like whether you need surgery, whether the injury is permanent, and how it affects your ability to work.
A bad knee turns everyday life upside down. Walking, driving, climbing the stairs, and standing at work suddenly all of it hurts. If you were hurt in a crash in Moncks Corner or anywhere in Berkeley County, chances are you’re worried about medical bills, missed paychecks, and whether your knee will ever feel normal again. West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers has served the Lowcountry since 1945, and we’re here to help. Your consultation is free, and you don’t pay us unless we win.
Here’s what our Moncks Corner personal injury lawyers cover below:
– The most common types of knee injuries from car accidents.
– How a crash actually damages the knee.
– Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore.
– Treatment options and recovery timelines.
– What affects the value of a knee injury settlement.
What Are the Most Common Types of Knee Injuries From a Car Accident?
Car crashes produce several different kinds of knee injuries, from torn ligaments and cartilage damage to broken and dislocated kneecaps. The knee is a complicated joint of bone, cartilage, and connective tissue, and the force of a collision can damage several parts at the same time.
Torn ligaments (ACL, MCL, and PCL)
Ligaments are the tough bands that hold your knee together and keep it stable. A crash can stretch or tear the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). These tears hurt. They can leave the knee feeling like it’s giving out under you, and they often need months of rehab or surgery to repair.
Meniscus and cartilage tears
The meniscus is the cushioning cartilage between your thigh bone and shin bone. A sudden twist or impact can tear it, which causes pain, swelling, and a locking or catching feeling when you bend the knee. Some tears heal with therapy. Others need surgery.
Fractures and dislocations
Hitting the dashboard hard can fracture your kneecap (patella) or the bones around the joint. A collision can also dislocate the kneecap, shoving it out of place. These injuries are serious. They often require surgery and can leave you with lasting stiffness or arthritis.
How Do Car Accidents Cause Knee Injuries?
Most car accident knee injuries happen when the knee strikes the dashboard, twists in the tight space of the footwell, or braces hard at the moment of impact. It’s so common that doctors even have a name for it: “dashboard knee.”
In a front-end collision, your body is thrown forward, and your knees can slam into the dash or steering column. Drivers and passengers also brace their legs on instinct, which strains the joint. And because your foot is usually planted on the floor, the knee can twist as the vehicle crumples around it. Any of these forces can tear soft tissue or break bone in a fraction of a second.
What Are the Symptoms of a Knee Injury After a Crash?
The usual symptoms are pain, swelling, stiffness, bruising, a feeling of instability, and trouble putting weight on the leg. Some injuries are obvious right away. Others, especially soft-tissue tears, may take hours or even days to show up as the adrenaline from the crash wears off.
That delay matters for both your health and your claim. See a doctor the same day, even if you feel fine, and follow through on the treatment they recommend. Insurance companies love to argue that a gap in treatment means you weren’t really hurt. Prompt medical records protect both your recovery and your right to compensation.
How Are Knee Injuries Treated, and How Long Is Recovery?
Treatment ranges from rest, ice, and physical therapy for milder injuries to surgery for torn ligaments, serious meniscus tears, or fractures. Your doctor may start with bracing, anti-inflammatory medication, and a structured rehab program to rebuild strength and range of motion.
Recovery timelines vary widely. A mild sprain might settle down in a few weeks, while a torn ACL or fractured kneecap can mean surgery followed by months of therapy. Serious knee injuries can leave lasting limitations, chronic pain, or the need for future procedures. That’s why you shouldn’t rush to settle before you know your full prognosis.
What Affects the Value of a Car Accident Knee Injury Settlement?
The value of a car accident knee injury settlement depends on the severity of the injury, whether surgery is required, whether the damage is permanent, and how much it affects your ability to work and earn a living. A sprain that heals in a month is worth far less than a shattered kneecap that ends a physically demanding career.
When we build a claim, we account for your medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and the daily pain you live with. South Carolina law shapes your case in two key ways. First, under Section 15-3-530, an action for injury to the person must generally be brought within three years. Second, South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so if you’re less than 51% at fault, you can still recover damages, though your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Every case is different, and the only real way to learn what yours may be worth is to have an experienced attorney review it.
Injured in a crash in Moncks Corner or Berkeley County? Contact West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Knee Injuries
How long do I have to file a knee injury claim in South Carolina?
You generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in South Carolina. Waiting can still hurt your case, though, because medical records get harder to gather and witness memories fade. Call an attorney soon after your crash.
How much is a car accident knee injury settlement worth?
There’s no set figure. Value depends on the type of injury, whether surgery is needed, how permanent it is, and how it affects your work and daily life. A minor sprain and a surgical ligament tear are worth very different amounts. Past results never guarantee future outcomes, and every case is different.
What if I were partly at fault for the crash?
You may still recover compensation in South Carolina as long as you were less than 51% at fault, though your award is reduced by your share of the blame. Insurance companies often exaggerate your fault to pay less, which is exactly where having an attorney helps.
How much does it cost to hire West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers?
Nothing upfront. We offer a free consultation and work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning there is no fee unless we win your case. You focus on healing. We handle the legal side.
Talk to West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers Today
A knee injury can affect how you move, work, and live for months or years, and you shouldn’t have to face the insurance company alone while you’re trying to heal. Our attorneys have deep roots in this community and handle motor vehicle accident cases throughout the Lowcountry.
For over 80 years, West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers has stood with injured families in Moncks Corner and across Berkeley County. Contact our Moncks Corner office in Berkeley County at 843-483-8630 for a free consultation. Serving the Lowcountry since 1945, and you don’t pay us unless we win.