Torn Meniscus Car Accident Settlements

This page will look at the average settlement value of accident and personal injury lawsuits involving a torn meniscus as the primary injury.

Torn Meniscus Injuries

A torn meniscus is one of the most common types of knee injuries. Our lawyers have handled many car accident claims where the victim sought damages for a torn meniscus.

The meniscus is a normal anatomical structure that distributes weight-bearing stresses over wider surface areas. Humans have a meniscus, and so do most animals that walk. The meniscus takes pressure off specific areas of bone and the cartilage. An even simpler explanation would be that the meniscus acts as a shock absorber for the bone.

The knee has two menisci, which are horseshoe-shaped pieces of cartilage. The menisci act as cushions between the thighbone and shinbone. Damage to this cartilage is referred to as a torn meniscus.

A meniscus injury can cause lifelong injuries. One problem is that much of the meniscus has a limited blood supply, which makes natural healing a challenge for some tears. Our car accident attorneys have also seen many patients who have a portion of their meniscus or all of their meniscus removed who later develop arthritis.

When lawyers calculate pain and suffering damages in a car or truck accident case, we also must factor in this increased risk for developing arthritis compared to a patient that does not have part of their meniscus removed.

Can a Car Accident Cause a Meniscus Tear?

Any type of excessively forceful rotation or twisting of the knee while it is under stress can result in a torn meniscus. This is why a torn meniscus is a very common injury suffered in car accidents.

At the moment of impact in a car accident, the knees are frequently twisted or pushed backward with a great deal of force. The older you get the easier it is to tear a meniscus. Sometimes a torn meniscus can result from deep kneeling to lift something heavy. It is also a common injury in certain sports such as football.

So can you tear your meniscus in a car accident? Absolutely. A meniscus tear from a car accident may result from twisting the knee during the crash, striking the knee inside the vehicle, or the tremendous force placed on the leg during impact.

The harder issue in many lawsuits is not whether a car accident can cause a meniscus tear. Of course it can. The harder question is whether this particular accident caused this particular tear. That distinction drives a surprising number of these cases.

How Do You Know If You Have a Torn Meniscus?

When the tear of the meniscus initially occurs you might experience a painful popping feeling in the knee. Swelling and stiffness in and around the injured knee will typically develop soon after the tear. When the meniscus is torn it will be difficult to fully straighten the knee and moving or rotating the knee will be very painful. Another common symptom is feeling as if the knee is locked in place.

The perception people have of meniscus tears is all wrong. In many ways, these tears are like having a cavity. How long do you have a cavity before you are aware of it? Because, like a cavity, you can have torn cartilage and not have symptoms. This is why a relatively minor car accident can cause symptoms from a tear.

This point matters in a lawsuit. Meniscus tears are found with surprising frequency on MRIs of people who were not having any knee symptoms. So an insurance company cannot simply point to evidence of degeneration and assume that ends the causation question.

If you are a lawyer taking one of these cases to trial, you have to keep in mind that the jury does not understand the science of these cases and they need to be educated on the epidemiology or how these tears work beginning with the opening statement and through the expert witness testimony at trial.

How Is a Torn Meniscus Diagnosed?

A preliminary diagnosis of a torn meniscus can often be done based on a physical exam. The doctor will observe how the knee responds to various movements such as walking and squatting and the patient’s reaction to different positions. Diagnosis may then be confirmed or better evaluated with imaging, particularly an MRI.

Meniscus tears involve damage to cartilage, not bone, so the tear will not be visible on an X-ray. X-rays of the knee are often used, however, to rule out other conditions that might present similar physical symptoms.

More advanced diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to actually see the cartilage damage and evaluate a suspected torn meniscus. MRI is generally the preferred imaging test for an acute meniscus tear.

But an MRI does not answer every question. This becomes particularly important in a personal injury case because an MRI often cannot tell you with certainty exactly when a meniscus tear occurred. The films have to be considered together with the patient’s age, prior knee history, symptoms after the accident, physical examination, and mechanism of injury.

An arthroscope is a diagnostic medical instrument with a very small light and a camera that can be inserted into the knee to allow doctors to visually examine bones and cartilage. A very small incision is made in the knee through which the arthroscope is inserted. Arthroscopy can be used not only to diagnose knee issues but also to repair damage inside the knee. In some cases, an arthroscopy will be used to diagnose and treat a torn meniscus.

Physical Examination Tests for a Torn Meniscus

Doctors use a number of physical examination maneuvers to look for evidence of a meniscus tear. No single test is perfect. The examination, symptoms, history, and imaging all have to be considered together.

McMurray Test: The McMurray test is a specific set of rotations and maneuvers of the knee that doctors use during a physical examination to identify a torn meniscus. If the maneuvers produce pain, clicking, or other symptoms, it can be evidence of a meniscus tear. The click is sometimes referred to as McMurray’s Sign.

Thessaly Test: The Thessaly Test is another type of physical examination process used to diagnose a meniscus tear. The patient stands on one leg with the knee slightly flexed and rotates the knee and body. Pain or discomfort during the test can indicate a torn meniscus.

Apley Test: The Apley test for diagnosing meniscus tears has the patient lay in a prone position while the doctor holds down the thigh, bends the knee to 90 degrees and maneuvers it laterally. Pain or discomfort at certain points during the Apley test can indicate a torn meniscus.

What Are Treatment Options for a Torn Meniscus?

Treatment plans for a torn meniscus will vary depending on the type and severity of the tear and resulting cartilage damage. Meniscus tears that result from arthritis or other degenerative conditions tend to be treated more conservatively.

By contrast, a torn meniscus resulting from car accidents or other acute trauma can be much more severe. A severely torn meniscus from a car accident may require more advanced forms of treatment. There are essentially 3 levels of treatment for a torn meniscus: (1) conservative; (2) therapy; and (3) surgery.

Conservative Treatment

The most basic and conservative level of treatment for a torn meniscus usually consists of rest, ice packs, and anti inflammatory medications.

Some meniscus tears can improve without surgery. Location matters because the outside portion of the meniscus has a better blood supply and therefore a better opportunity to heal. Other tears, particularly those in areas with poor blood supply, may have much less ability to heal naturally.

Rehabilitative Therapy

Physical therapy offers another level of treatment for a torn meniscus. The object of physical therapy is to help strengthen the muscles around the knee and leg to increase stability and support for the injured knee.

Surgery

If physical therapy and other treatment efforts are not successful a torn meniscus can be treated with surgery. If the patient is relatively young, surgery can be successfully used to actually repair the damaged meniscus cartilage.

When the meniscus cannot actually be repaired, it can be surgically trimmed to alleviate pain and increase mobility. In some cases, a procedure called a meniscectomy is used to surgically remove part of the damaged meniscus.

Surgery wise, there are two main types of surgery for meniscus tears: partial meniscectomy and meniscus repair. A partial meniscectomy involves removing the damaged part of the meniscus. A meniscus repair involves suturing the torn edges of the meniscus.

Today, surgeons generally try to preserve as much functional meniscus as possible when surgery is necessary. The reason is simple. The meniscus has an important job in protecting the knee, and removing meniscal tissue can increase the patient’s risk of developing arthritis later.

Years ago, surgery was more frequently an early option. Today, conservative treatment is often tried first when it is medically appropriate. That is not an absolute rule. Some displaced or repairable traumatic tears may benefit from earlier surgery.

Can a Meniscus Tear Heal on Its Own?

Sometimes. The answer depends heavily on where the tear is located.

The outer portion of the meniscus has a better blood supply, so some tears in this area can heal. Tears deeper inside the meniscus have a much poorer blood supply and are less likely to heal on their own.

This is why two people who both have a “torn meniscus” can have completely different treatment plans and completely different outcomes.

 

How Much Is the Settlement Value of a Torn Meniscus Lawsuit?

The average settlement value of a torn meniscus in a personal injury lawsuit is often discussed in the range of $25,000 to $50,000. But that is a very rough range and it should not be confused with a real average based on every torn meniscus settlement in the country. There is no database that gives us that number.

The primary factors that impact value in these cases are the severity of the tear and the level and extent of medical treatment required.

Some cases are worth less than $25,000. We have also settled many six figure meniscus tear cases. So if you are asking how much a meniscus tear settlement is worth, you have to look at the details of the individual case.

A minor tear treated conservatively is one thing. A traumatic torn meniscus from a car accident that requires surgery and leaves permanent symptoms is something else entirely.

Other important factors include the plaintiff’s age, prior knee problems, the amount of property damage, lost wages, whether surgery was required, future medical treatment, the risk of arthritis, and whether the insurance company can credibly argue that the tear was degenerative rather than caused by the accident.

Average Settlement for a Torn Meniscus

People looking for the average settlement for a torn meniscus understandably want a number they can use to value their own case. Unfortunately, averages can be particularly misleading with this injury.

One big reason is causation. If everyone agrees the accident caused a traumatic tear and the plaintiff needs surgery, the case may have significant value. If the insurance company believes the MRI merely shows an old degenerative tear that was already there before the accident, the offer may be a fraction of that amount.

This is why you see torn meniscus verdicts and settlements that are all over the place.

Torn Meniscus Surgery Settlement Value

Surgery usually changes the settlement value of a torn meniscus case. It does not give you a magic number, but it matters.

A plaintiff who has arthroscopic knee surgery has an easier time showing a jury that this was not a minor injury that disappeared after a few weeks. Surgery also means more medical expenses, more pain, more time away from work, a recovery period, and sometimes permanent changes to the knee.

But surgery does not guarantee a large settlement. Look at the Gabriel v. Asmerom verdict below. The plaintiff claimed a torn meniscus requiring surgery and more than $34,000 in medical expenses. The jury awarded only $7,500 because the real fight was whether the accident actually caused the knee injury.

So when people search for arthroscopic knee surgery settlements after a car accident, the surgery is important. But causation still comes first.

Compensation for Torn Meniscus Caused by Car Accident

The knees of drivers and passengers are put under considerable force during any car accident. For this reason, car accident knee injuries are a common result in significant automobile collisions. Of all the various types of knee injuries that typically occur in car accidents, a torn meniscus is probably the most common.

One big factor in settlement compensation payouts in tort meniscus cases is age. Why? Younger people are more likely to have a traumatic as opposed to a degenerative tear because their meniscus tissue has not had decades to break down. Older patients are more likely to have degenerative changes and can have a relatively minor type of injury or an existing tear that later becomes symptomatic.

When our law firm cannot settle a torn meniscus case without filing a lawsuit, the sticking point is often a disagreement about when the tear occurred. This is because, unlike an ACL tear, an MRI often will not conclusively confirm whether the meniscus tear is an acute injury from the accident or a degenerative tear that existed before the crash.

This is why the medical history is so important. Did the plaintiff have knee pain before the accident? Was there prior treatment? Did the plaintiff complain of knee pain immediately after the crash? Was there swelling or locking? When was the first orthopedic visit? What does the treating doctor say caused the injury?

Insurance companies love degenerative findings because they give the adjuster an argument. But degeneration is not the same thing as symptoms. You can have torn cartilage and not know it, which is exactly the point we made above with the cavity analogy.

So besides the age of the victim, the extent of the property damages will also be a driving force in the settlement value of a meniscus claim because the more significant the impact the more likely the possibility of an acute tear.

There is one more thing we want to make clear. Our lawyers are focusing on this page on personal injury claims, mostly car crash cases. Workers’ compensation cases in Maryland almost invariably will be less because the compensation system is very different.

How Much Is a Torn Meniscus Worth?

There is no honest answer to this question without knowing more about the case.

How much compensation do you get for a torn meniscus? Start with these questions:

• Did the accident clearly cause the tear?
• Was there any prior knee treatment?
• How old is the plaintiff?
• What type of meniscus tear does the MRI show?
• Was the plaintiff having symptoms before the accident?
• Was surgery required?
• Was the meniscus repaired or was part of it removed?
• Does the plaintiff still have pain, weakness, swelling, or locking?
• Is there an increased risk of future arthritis?
• Did the injury cause lost wages or interfere with the plaintiff’s work?

Those questions will tell you far more about the value of a torn meniscus case than an online settlement calculator.

Why Age Is So Important in Meniscus Tear Car Accident Settlements

Age cuts both ways in these cases.

A younger victim has a stronger argument that a meniscus tear is traumatic because there is generally less preexisting degeneration. But a younger plaintiff may also recover better from surgery.

An older plaintiff gives the defense a better degenerative tear argument. But if that person had no knee pain before the crash and suddenly has significant pain, swelling, and locking afterward, that fact can be extremely powerful.

The defense lawyer may say, “Look at the MRI. This knee was degenerating before the crash.”

Fine. The next question is whether the plaintiff had any symptoms before the crash.

That is often where the case turns.

What Are the Meniscus Tear IC- 10-CM Codes?

The old ICD-9-CM codes for a medial meniscus tear were 717.3 and 717.4 for certain meniscus conditions. Those codes have been replaced in current billing by ICD-10-CM.

Traumatic tears of the meniscus generally fall within the S83.2 family of ICD-10-CM codes, with more specific codes depending on the type of tear, the knee involved, and the encounter.

These codes do not matter for trial. But car accident lawyers need to keep an eye out for these codes in the medical records for the settlement demand. For whatever reason, these codes are also sometimes written incorrectly which, for reasons that escape our attorneys, can have a chilling impact on the settlement offer.

Torn Meniscus Settlements and Verdicts

Below are summaries of recent settlements and verdicts in cases where the primary injury was a torn meniscus. The value of these cases is typically driven by the severity of the meniscus tear and whether there were any additional injuries involved. These cases are for informational purposes only. The cases below are from both Maryland and neighboring states, along with several cases from other jurisdictions that help show the range of values.

You should not put a lot of stock in these verdicts. They are extremely low in some cases and extremely high in others. We have settled many six-figure meniscus tear lawsuits in Maryland in recent years.

• Anonymous v. Anonymous (2026 Georgia) $300,000 Settlement: A woman crashed into a work truck pulling an excavator that turned left in front of her. She suffered multiple rib fractures, chest contusions, and a right knee meniscus tear requiring arthroscopic surgery. The police report initially blamed her for the crash, and the insurer offered $155,000. After suit was filed, the insurance company nearly doubled its offer, and the case settled for $300,000.
• Lorenzo-Noda v. Kazak (2025 New Jersey) $75,657 Verdict: A 62-year-old dump truck driver claimed a number of injuries after a collision, but the court found that the accident caused his torn medial meniscus of the left knee while rejecting several of his other claimed injuries. He underwent knee surgery. The court awarded $32,009.39 for treatment related to the meniscus injury, $23,648 in other medical expenses, and $20,000 for pain and suffering, for total damages of $75,657.39. Because the plaintiff was found 15 percent at fault, the final judgment was reduced to $64,308.78. This is a particularly useful case for understanding settlement amounts because the court separated the meniscus injury from the injuries it did not believe were caused by the accident.
• Gabriel v. Asmerom (2024 Maryland) $7,500 Verdict: The plaintiff was stopped at a traffic light when he was rear-ended by the defendant at relatively low speed. The plaintiff claimed to suffer neck strain, back strain, and a torn meniscus in the right knee, requiring surgery. The plaintiff’s alleged medical expenses were $34,735. Liability was admitted, but the case went to trial on the issue of whether the torn meniscus was actually related to the accident. The jury in Montgomery County apparently did not believe that the knee injury was caused by the accident because they only awarded $7,500.
• Lang v. Smith Paving (2024 Pennsylvania) $71,000 Verdict: The plaintiff suffered facial nerve damage, a jaw fracture, fractured teeth, concussion, cervical and lumbar strain, and torn meniscus in the right knee when her eastbound vehicle was struck on the left rear quarter panel by a large paving truck.
• Vitale v. Greenwood (2023 New Jersey) $875,000 Verdict: The plaintiff allegedly sustained a head injury leading to cognitive deficit, a left tibia fracture with torn meniscus of the left knee, and cervical and lumbar disc bulging, when she was struck as a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The jury awarded $875,000 in pain and suffering, disability, and loss of enjoyment of life damages, with the court awarding prejudgment interest, for a total recovery of $997,667.38.
• Butler v. Knapp (2022 California) $648,000 Verdict: The plaintiff was driving her vehicle when the defendant ran a stop sign and struck her from the side. The impact caused her car to spin around and strike a light pole. The plaintiff suffered a torn meniscus in her left knee requiring surgery to repair. She also claimed injuries to her neck and wrist. The award included over $100,000 in medical expenses.
• Peterson v. Fleming (2021 Washington) $150,000 Settlement: The plaintiff was riding his bicycle in Spokane, Washington when he was struck by the defendant’s vehicle. The plaintiff suffered a torn meniscus requiring arthroscopic surgery and probable knee replacement in the future. He also claimed that he suffered a cervical facet injury causing neck pain and cervicogenic headaches along with other soft tissue injuries.
• Walter v. Spree West Construction (2020 Washington) $4,500,000 Verdict: A 30-year-old pipe layer was working inside a trench box and was pinched between the spreader bar and excavator bucket. He had a small meniscus tear requiring arthroscopic surgery. The defense lawyer asked the jury to award no more than $75,000, advice they obviously did not heed.
• Plaintiff v. Defendant (2019 Maryland) $190,000 Settlement: A welder suffered multiple injuries after a head-on collision in Montgomery County. An ambulance took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a sternum fracture, a meniscus tear, and contusions to his heart and lungs. He was hospitalized for two days. He underwent physical therapy courses on his knee for eight weeks. He was out of work for several months and sought orthopedic treatment during that period. His knee injury lawyer filed suit, claiming the man never underwent surgery for his knee injury because he could not afford to pay or miss more work to recover from the procedure. The case led to a settlement compensation payout of $190,000.
• Buechler v. Tessler (2018 New Jersey) $30,000 Settlement: Both cars were totaled in the crash. The defendant conceded liability. Plaintiff’s wife suffered more severe injuries and was awarded $120,000 in damages. Plaintiff’s primary injury was a torn medial and lateral meniscus for which the jury in Morris County awarded $30,000.
• McCellen v. Cruz (2016 Maryland) $2,000 Verdict: Plaintiff’s lawsuit alleged a torn medial meniscus resulted when Defendant backed into his car in a parking lot. A Howard County jury awarded just $2,000, which, as you can imagine, was much less than what Plaintiff was seeking.
• Dagher v. Murillo (2016 Maryland) $28,000 Verdict: Plaintiff’s primary injury in this intersection collision case was a torn meniscus. The meniscus tear was particularly severe in this case requiring full meniscectomy surgery. A jury in P.G. County awarded $28,000 in medical expense damages but no noneconomic damages.

Contact the Maryland Knee Injury Lawyers at Miller & Zois

If you suffered a torn meniscus or other knee injury in a car accident in the Baltimore Washington area caused by another driver’s negligence, the Maryland personal injury lawyers at Miller & Zois can help get you financial compensation. Call us at 800-553-8082 or get a free consultation and evaluation of your potential knee injury lawsuit.

Meniscus Tear Literature

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Isolated Meniscal Pathology (2024). Current recommendations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of acute isolated meniscus tears.
• Ahmed, I., et al. Meniscal tears are more common than previously identified, however, less than a quarter of people with a tear undergo arthroscopy. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc (2021). Meniscal tears occur more frequently than was historically recognized. Despite the high incidence, less than a quarter of those diagnosed with a tear receive arthroscopic surgery.
• Chirichella, PS, et al.: Treatment of Knee Meniscus Pathology: Rehabilitation, Surgery, and Orthobiologics. PM R. 2019 Mar;11(3):292 to 308. Explores the various treatment strategies for knee meniscus pathology, emphasizing rehabilitation, surgical options, and the use of orthobiologics to enhance recovery.
• Howell, R, et al.: Degenerative Meniscus: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options. World J Orthop. 2014 Nov 18;5(5):597 to 602. Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and various treatment options for degenerative meniscus, providing a comprehensive overview of this common knee injury.
• Makris, EA, et al.: The Knee Meniscus: Structure Function, Pathophysiology, Current Repair Techniques, and Prospects for Regeneration. Biomaterials. 2011 Oct;32(30):7411 to 7431. Review of the knee meniscus, covering its structure and function, pathophysiology, current repair techniques, and the potential for regeneration through advances in biomaterials.
• DeHaven KE, Meniscus Repair. Am J Sports Med. 1999 Mar Apr;27(2):242 to 250. Discusses the indications for choosing to repair the meniscus, the surgical methods available at the time, and the recovery outcomes expected from these procedures. The study emphasizes the importance of preserving the meniscus to maintain knee joint health and functionality, and compares the long-term benefits of repair over removal in suitable cases.