KNEE INJURY ACCIDENT LAWYER CALIFORNIA: PATELLA FRACTURE (PART II)
In yesterday’s blog we talked about knee injury accidents and how serious they can be. Yesterday’s blog focused on Medial Meniscus Tears. Today we will be talking about Patella Fracture injuries.
PATELLA FRACTURE: A Patella fracture is also known as a broken knee cap. The kneecap bone is one of three bones that make up the knee joint. A patella can fracture in a single crack across the kneecap, or the fracture can result in the kneecap breaking in several places, which is known as a stellate fracture. Patella fractures are usually caused by a strong direct blow to the knee, such as a knee smashing into the dashboard of a car in an accident or a fall onto the kneecap. When this happens, there is usually also external damage to the skin with abrasions and lacerations. A patella fracture usually requires a trip to the hospital to x-ray the knee to assess the extent of the damage. If the fracture is just a small crack and a patient can perform a straight leg raise, generally surgery can be avoided. In these cases, a leg cast or knee immobilizer can be used to treat the minor fracture. However if the fracture is more serious and the knee cap is broken into several pieces or severely disrupted, it is usually necessary to operate on the knee cap to realign the bone. In this case, an incision is made over the frong of the knee joint. The fractured ends are realigned and held in place with a combination of pins, screws and wires. When damage to the kneecap is so several that realignment is impossible, it may be necessary to remove the kneecap entirely. In this instance the leg is usually put in a cast for six weeks.
If you have been injured in an accident and suffered a patella fracture, you should speak to an attorney as you may be entitled to monetary compensation. If you are in the State of California, please call us at the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP (1-800-ALAWPRO) for a free consultation.
To read part one of the blog, click here:
Part I: KNEE INJURY ACCIDENT LAWYER CALIFORNIA: MEDIAL MENISCUS TEAR
