Breaking a bone is more than just a painful inconvenience. It can disrupt your daily life, cause financial strain, and even lead to long-term health problems.
While small fractures may heal over time, any broken bone is a serious injury that deserves medical attention.
How Do Broken Bones Happen?
Human bones are strong, but they’re not unbreakable. They crack, snap, or shatter when they take on more force than they can handle. Certain types of accidents are more likely to cause bone fractures than others.
- Vehicle Accidents: The force of a car crash can crush bones, especially ribs, arms, or legs.
- Motorcycle and Bike Accidents: Unprotected road users are even more vulnerable to broken bones in a crash.
- Slips and Falls: Older adults and young children are more likely to suffer broken wrists, arms, and hips in falls.
- Workplace Injuries: Construction workers, warehouse employees, and factory workers face heightened hazards, but any employee can suffer an on-the-job injury.
- Medical Malpractice: Babies can suffer fractures during birth; patients with undiagnosed osteoporosis might have a bone break after improper medical care.
In the chaotic moments after a fracture, getting immediate medical attention is important, but so is avoiding common mistakes. Don’t ignore a minor fracture or try to walk it off; without medical care, the injury can get worse over time. Proper stabilization, following doctor’s orders, and understanding your legal rights are all key to recovering physically and financially.
Types Of Fractures
Not all bone breaks are the same. Some are clean and heal more easily, while others are more complicated. The type of fracture plays a big role in how long it takes to recover and whether surgery is needed to repair the bone.
Common types of bone fractures include:
- Simple: The bone breaks without piercing the skin.
- Compound: The bone breaks and does pierce the skin.
- Comminuted: The bone shatters into several pieces.
- Greenstick: The bone bends and cracks on one side but doesn’t fully break (most common in children).
- Stress: Small cracks are caused by repetitive force (most common in athletes).
- Compression: Bones in the spine break and collapse.
Severe fractures that don’t heal properly can lead to chronic pain, weakness, and even permanent disability.
When Negligence Causes A Fracture
Sometimes, a broken bone is an accident that just happens. In other cases, it’s the result of another person’s careless or reckless behavior. When that’s the case, the victim has the right to go after financial compensation for their losses. Their claim can include coverage for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any future care they might need.
The emotional weight of a serious injury can be just as heavy as the physical trauma. Someone with a broken leg can struggle to get around at home, lose their independence, and even develop depression from being unable to work or socialize like they used to.
If you’ve suffered a broken bone in an accident that involves negligence, there are things you can do to improve your chances of a successful personal injury claim:
- Your health is most important, so see a doctor first, even if the pain isn’t terrible.
- Gather as much evidence as possible, such as photos, videos, witness statements, and accident reports, about where and how the injury happened.
- Keep track of all of your medical records, whether in digital or paper form.
Perhaps most importantly, don’t settle too quickly. Insurance companies like to reduce their payouts and make fast offers in the hopes that the victim won’t realize the true value of their claim. The first offer might not cover everything you’ve lost, so talk to a lawyer before accepting to ensure you understand your injury’s full financial impact.
The Road To Recovery
Healing from a bone fracture isn’t always quick or easy. Minor breaks might heal in a few weeks, but serious injuries can take months and require multiple surgeries.
A cast or brace is a common method of immobilization that lets the bone heal on its own. Surgery might be needed for severe breaks to insert pins, screws, or plates to keep the bone more stable. Physical therapy helps the patient regain strength and mobility after the fracture heals.
Beyond the physical pain, broken bones take a mental and financial toll. Being out of work, struggling with medical bills, and facing long-term mobility problems is incredibly stressful. It’s even more frustrating when a broken bone happens because of someone else’s negligence.
You Don’t Have To Face This Alone
If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC can help. Contact our experienced team today at (404) 869-8600 to learn about your rights and how we can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
