Some of the most common injuries you can sustain in an accident are broken bones. These can be painful, debilitating injuries that could prevent you from working or pursuing your favorite activities while also resulting in significant medical expenses.
If you have suffered a broken bone because of another party’s misconduct, it’s important to know your legal options. Learn more about broken bones, their treatment, and whether you may be entitled to begin a personal injury claim if you sustain one.
The Most Common Types of Broken Bones
Any bone in your body can sustain a fracture, and there are numerous types of breaks, with some being simpler to address than others.
First, it’s vital to understand alignment classification. A displaced break is one in which the bone pieces move out of alignment, leaving a gap. Nondisplaced fractures, on the other hand, result in the bone breaking, but the pieces remain lined up in their normal position.
Some of the most common bone fractures are:
- Transverse: A transverse break is a horizontal break that goes directly across the bone
- Oblique: An oblique fracture involves a diagonal break across the bone
- Greenstick: Greenstick fractures involve bones bending and cracking only on one side, most commonly seen in children
- Comminuted: A comminuted fracture occurs when a bone breaks into three or more pieces
- Stress: Stress fractures are hairline cracks that result from repetitive overuse
What causes bone breaks? Traumatic incidents are the most frequent cause of these injuries. Slip and fall accidents, car or motorcycle accidents, and animal attacks (including dog bites) can all result in broken bones of varying severity.
Treating Broken Bones
Addressing broken bones takes time because it requires stabilizing the pieces and immobilizing them so that natural healing can occur. Immobilization is usually done with a cast or splint. For people who experienced a non-displaced injury, this may be the only treatment necessary. Splinting takes between three and five weeks, while casts will need to be in place from six to eight weeks.
For more severe breaks, a closed reduction to realign or set the bone pieces may be necessary. It’s not a surgical procedure but instead relies on your provider pulling and pushing your body to align the pieces.
Some fractures require surgery. Most of the time, your surgeon will perform an open reduction and apply internal fixation, such as screws, to either side of your bone. You may need to rely on these fixations for the rest of your life or may be able to have them removed once the bone heals.
Joint replacements are needed if the break has significantly impacted the bones in one of your joints. This can be done partially or fully, with the surgeon adding artificial replacement parts.
If there has been a severe enough break to cause displaced bones or the break has not healed correctly, you may need a bone graft. This requires that a surgeon insert donor bone tissue to assist in the process of rejoining the bones.
Can You File a Personal Injury Claim After Suffering Broken Bones?
A personal injury claim will require demonstrating that the other party was negligent or wrongful in their conduct and that their behavior led directly to your injuries and you suffered damages.
You may need to obtain significant amounts of evidence, including:
- Medical bills
- Doctors’ notes
- Medical records
- Photos or videos of the incident
- Eyewitness accounts
- Expert witness testimony
Keep in mind that you or your legal team will have to negotiate aggressively with insurance companies. These businesses are looking for any way to minimize your claim. They could even attempt to pin the blame on you so that you can’t recover fully for your losses.
For all of these reasons, hiring an attorney can be the most important step you take. They have experience with all types of broken bone cases, making it easier for you to focus on healing instead of legal paperwork.
Often, people worry about hiring an attorney for fear of the costs involved. Personal injury lawyers often work on contingency. This means they do not charge any fees up front but, instead, get paid a percentage of your settlement or award.
Contact the Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers at AJ Law, PLC for a Free Consultation
If you have suffered a broken bone and are considering filing a personal injury claim, you need experienced attorneys by your side. With a team of lawyers, you can present a strong case and improve your chances of winning a fair settlement or verdict.
At AJ Law, PLC, we offer the ongoing support you need as you navigate the personal injury claim process. We have been able to obtain significant winnings for our clients and can help you pursue compensation as well. Contact us at (602) 671-2363 to schedule a free consultation with a dedicated Phoenix personal injury lawyer to learn more about your legal options.
