Broken Bones From a Car Accident

When a car crash happens, broken bones are one of the most common serious injuries. The sudden impact can fracture different bones throughout your body, leading to severe pain and a lengthy recovery process. While seat belts help prevent many injuries, broken bones can still occur.

The Common Types of Fractures Caused by a Car Accident

Though they are spoken about as different injuries, bone fractures and breaks are the same. Motor vehicle crashes can cause several fracture types, but these are the most common broken bones from auto accidents:

• Spinal fractures: Spinal fractures cause symptoms such as pain, numbness or tingling, weakness, muscle spasms, and/or loss of urinary or bowel control. Spine fractures are serious injuries that sometimes require surgery to repair.
• Clavicle fractures: Fractures to the clavicle, or collar bone, may cause swelling and pain. A broken collarbone will also likely be visible under the skin.
• Pelvic fractures: Pelvis fractures may cause pain, increased pain with movement, numbness, pain in the abdomen, difficulty urinating, and/or difficulty walking.
• Tibia, fibula, and femur fractures: The tibia and fibula in the lower leg and the femur in the upper leg can also be broken in a car accident. When your leg bones are broken, you will typically experience pain and swelling and see a noticeable difference in the appearance of your leg.
• Cranial fractures: Skull fractures may cause swelling, bruising, change of appearance to the affected area, clear fluid leakages from the nose and/or ears, and blood leakage from the nose, ear, and/or location of the fracture.
• Facial fractures: Symptoms of facial fractures include bruising, swelling, pain, numbness, and/or deformity around the fractured facial bones. The general category of facial fractures encompasses injuries like broken noses.
• Sternum fractures: Sternum fractures cause symptoms like pain, tenderness, bruising, and difficulty breathing.

There are also several different kinds of fractures you can sustain, and those listed below are only a few:

• Transverse fractures: Transverse fractures are fractures that go entirely through the bone. In other words, these are clean breaks.
• Comminuted fractures: Comminuted fractures are when a bone is broken into two or more pieces.
• Compound fractures: These types of fractures are open fractures, as opposed to closed fractures, in which a broken bone breaks through the skin.
• Compression fractures: These fractures cause the vertebrae in your back to become compressed.

Other types of fractures, like stress fractures and hairline fractures, are usually due to overuse over time.

Does a Broken Bone Count as a Serious Injury?

Broken bones are serious injuries. In some cases, they may require surgical intervention to repair the damaged bones, and recovery may take a long time. Sometimes, patients may even require physical therapy as part of their recovery process.

Your injuries may be more or less severe depending on the type of fracture you have and the fracture location; however, broken bones are generally considered to be serious injuries.

Diagnosing Broken Bones After Car Accidents

When you have a broken bone, you may be able to see a visible difference in the appearance of the area where the break is. However, a healthcare professional may still perform diagnostic imaging like X-rays to determine the type of fracture you have and the level of its severity.

Medical Treatment Options for Car Accident Fractures

The treatment options for car accident fractures depend on the types of broken bones you have and how severe those breaks are. Some standard treatment options for bone fractures include, but are not limited to:

• Splints may be used to hold a fracture still so it can heal. This is often done with minor fractures.
• Reductions/realignments are when your doctor manipulates your body to realign the broken bones so that they are in the correct position for your doctor to place a splint and heal. You will usually be given anesthesia of some kind to prevent you from experiencing pain during a reduction/realignment.
• Surgery, an orthopedic surgeon may use metal plates, metal rods, or other devices on the outside of your body to do a surgical repair of your bones and hold them in place while they heal. Your injuries depend on whether you have these plates and/or rods permanently.

Recovery time will depend on the types of breaks you have and their severity.

What Complications Can You Have for a Fracture?

As with any kind of injury, bone fractures have the potential to come with complications. Some complications include infection; malunion or nonunion, which is when your bones do not realign correctly or do not realign at all; compartment syndrome; and other damage to the soft tissue in the area of the break.

Compensation for Broken Bones in a Car Accident

If you have or had fractured bones from a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. There are different types of compensation you may be entitled to:

Medical expenses: A significant area for which you may be able to receive compensation is your medical care. When you require medical attention after a car accident, you should keep track of your medical bills, records, and treatment plans since you may be able to receive compensation for the costs associated with your car accident injuries.

Lost income/wages: You may be eligible to receive compensation for lost income and/or wages. If your bone breaks are severe enough, you may need to miss some time at work during your recovery process. If this is the case, you can receive compensation for the income you lost as a result of missing work due to your injuries.

Pain and suffering: You can also receive compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced due to a motor vehicle accident. Pain and suffering includes not only the physical pain you endured from your accident but also the emotional and psychological pain you experienced.

A personal injury attorney can help you determine what damages you sustained and may be entitled to compensation for and will help you file a personal injury lawsuit.

How Can Munley Law Help with My Car Accident Injuries?

If you’ve suffered broken bones or other serious injuries in a car accident, don’t face the challenging recovery process and legal system alone. At Munley Law, our experienced car accident attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll that bone fractures and other severe injuries can take on you and your family.

We have a proven track record of helping accident victims receive the compensation they deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Don’t wait to get the legal representation you need—contact Munley Law today for a free consultation. Our dedicated team is available 24/7 to discuss your case and help you understand your legal rights and options.