If you’re claiming that an accident caused your ACL sprain or tear, you need to know how to best handle your case.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the ligaments that make up the knee. The ACL helps make the knee stable.
An ACL tear can cause the knee to “give out.” It may require surgery to fix it.
Are Different Types of ACL “Sprains” Worth Different Amounts of Money?
Yes. Let’s quickly go over the types of ACL sprains.
An injured ACL is considered a “sprain” and it classified on a severity scale.
Grade 1 Sprains. The ligament is mildly damaged in a Grade 1 Sprain. It has been slightly stretched, but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable.
Grade 2 Sprains. A Grade 2 Sprain stretches the ligament to the point where it becomes loose. This is often referred to as a partial tear of the ligament.
Grade 3 Sprains. This type of sprain is most commonly referred to as a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.
The full value of the pain and suffering component of a Grade 3 Sprain is worth more than a Grade 2 Sprain.
The full value of the pain and suffering component of a Grade 2 Sprain is more than a Grade 1 Sprain.
How a Doctor’s Exam May Affect Your ACL Injury Case
Your doctor will compare your injured knee to the non-injured knee. Most ACL injuries can be diagnosed with a detailed physical exam of the knee.
If the doctor finds a ACL injury, this increases the full value of the pain and suffering component of your case.
How an MRI Scan Affects Your ACL Injury Case
An MRI produces better images of soft tissues like the anterior cruciate ligament.
However, an MRI is usually not necessary to make the diagnosis of a torn ACL.
If you get an MRI of your knee, it increases the full value of the case because the total billed medical charges increase. It also produces more objective evidence of a tear.
Does Surgery Add Value to an ACL Tear Case?
If you have surgery, this increases the full value of an ACL tear case. Having surgery helps increase the full value much more than a doctor saying that surgery is recommended.
How Much Is a Case Worth if You Have ACL Surgery?
Surgery to rebuild an anterior cruciate ligament is done with an arthroscope using small incisions.
Since small cuts are made, scarring is usually smaller. Thus, the full value of the pain and suffering component of the scar case is smaller than if you have open surgery.
Take Photos of the Incisions if You Have Surgery
Be sure to take photos as soon as possible of the incisions after the surgery. Then quickly send these photos to the responsible insurance companies.
Photos of the incisions and scars can add value to your case.
Does Arthroscopic Surgery on An ACL result in a Smaller Settlement?
Arthroscopic surgery is less invasive. One of the benefits of a less invasive technique is that you’ll have less pain from surgery.
These means that the full value of the pain component of your case is usually smaller for arthroscopic surgery than if you have open surgery.
Less Time in the Hospital = Smaller Full Value
If you have arthroscopic surgery on your ACL, your hospital bills will also typically be smaller. This is because you’ll likely spend less time in the hospital.
These smaller hospital bills result in a smaller full value of the case.
Quicker Recovery Time Means Smaller Full Value
One of the benefits of arthroscopic surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament is that it typically results in a quicker recovery time.
A quicker recovery time means that your case has a smaller full value for the pain and suffering component.
This is because a quicker recovery time means that you experience less pain and suffering than if the recovery time is longer.
Is a Case Worth More if You Suffer an ACL injury and a Meniscus Tear?
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can happen at the same time as a meniscus tear. If you suffer both at the same time, this increases the full value of the case.
The full value of two injuries is typically worth more than if just one of those body parts was injured.
$20,000 Settlement for ACL Sprain/Tear and Other Injuries from Car Accident
See a $20,000 settlement where a lady claimed that a car made an improper lane change and crashed into her SUV. Her SUV rolled over.
She claimed that the accident caused or aggravated her ACL sprain/tear, and herniated disc.
GEICO paid $10,000 to settle her uninsured motorist (“UM”) insurance claim. Windhaven Insurance paid $10,000 to settle her personal injury claim.
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