Broken bones are painful injuries that can limit your movement and impact your daily life. Repairing them is also a costly process that could take weeks or months, preventing you from working or enjoying your favorite activities.
If another party’s misconduct led to your broken bone, it’s important to consider beginning a personal injury claim to recover your losses. Learn about the types of broken bones you can suffer, the most common causes, and potential legal steps you can take.
There are a few types of bone fractures. One way doctors tend to categorize them is by whether the break is straight or uneven.
Straight breaks include oblique fractures, which involve a break at an angle, and transverse fractures, which run horizontally. Because the break is a straight line, they are typically easier to heal from.
Fractures with an uneven break line include greenstick breaks. These involve the bone bending enough to crack, but without it splintering into many pieces.
It’s also possible to suffer comminuted fractures, which involve a bone that has broken in at least two places, or a segmental fracture, in which a bone breaks in at least two places and leaves a segment of it separated from the rest of the bone.
One of the most complex types of broken bones is the spiral fracture. It occurs when a twisting motion fractures a bone, causing the fracture line to resemble a corkscrew.
Your provider may also classify the break as either an open or closed fracture. An open fracture is one in which the bone breaks through your skin, while in a closed fracture, it does not.
Bone fractures typically occur as a result of trauma. Collisions, like motorcycle accidents or car crashes, are one of the most common causes of these injuries. Sports accidents can also cause breaks, especially in contact sports like football. It’s also possible to suffer broken bones in assaults.
Slip and fall incidents or falls from heights can also lead to broken bones. Elderly people have a higher risk of sustaining fractures from falls.
Broken bones can occur even without experiencing trauma. Repetitive forces, like the ones you exert on certain bones while running or jumping, can put significant pressure on your bones. Over time, this repetitive movement can cause breaks.
Immobilizing the bone is an important step in helping it heal. Your medical provider will usually do this by using a splint or cast. The type of fracture will determine how long the bone needs to be immobilized.
For more severe fractures, it may be necessary to undergo a closed reduction or surgery. In these instances, you may need rods or screws to hold the bone together.
If you have significant damage in one of the joints of a bone, you could also require a joint replacement. In instances when the bone doesn’t heal correctly or if the fracture is significantly displaced, you may need a bone graft. This procedure typically uses donor tissue to help the bone heal.
To address the various losses you’ve experienced if you suffered a bone fracture, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. These are civil actions that allow you to receive compensation in the form of damages.
If another party’s conduct resulted in the broken bone, you may be entitled to begin a claim. You will have to demonstrate that the other party was negligent or wrongful, and that their behavior directly resulted in losses for which you can be compensated.
To have a chance to recover your losses, you will likely need assistance from experienced attorneys. They will know what evidence to gather to demonstrate that the injury was someone else’s fault and that you deserve compensation.
One of the most challenging aspects of these cases is negotiating with insurance companies. They will do everything they can to minimize your claim and might attempt to place the blame on you. Your attorney can aggressively negotiate with these companies on your behalf to protect your claim.
If you suffered a broken bone because of another party’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you may be entitled to compensation. Pursuing these claims is not easy, however, so it is important to have legal support.
At McMinn Personal Injury Lawyers, we can guide you in your best next steps. Our attorneys have decades of experience helping people through even the most complex cases. With our assistance, you can hold the liable parties responsible for what you’ve suffered. Contact our Austin personal injury lawyers today at (512) 474-0222 to schedule a free consultation.