Broken and fractured bones occur frequently to victims of injuries in automobile accidents. A fracture takes place when the force in a crash is greater than our bones’ strength. There are many auto accident victims who often suffer a broken arm, wrist, hands and fingers due to bracing in a side impact or head-on crash. When the body comes into contact with a dashboard, windshield or one of the sides of the vehicle the impact is so powerful that it can cause a skull fracture, fractures to the chin and cheek bones, broken nose and the jaw.
Collisions which involve a great force can lead to a broken leg, a broken ankle and a broken or crushed pelvis. Pedestrians who are hit while in a cross walk by a vehicle sometimes break their knee bones, as well as breaking some of the bones in their necks and backs
Types of possible fractures are:
- simple fractures – when the bone fails to break right through a layer of skin
- compound fractures – when the bone breaks through the skin which causes an open wound
- complete fractures – when the bone breaks into more than two pieces
- incomplete fractures – when the bone becomes cracked or split but not right through the bone
Treatment options
Normally, a broken bone is immediately immobilized by the use of a cast or splint until the healing process is complete. If the break is very severe it might be necessary to undergo surgery. This could involve the doctors inserting pins or screws, and attaching plates to restore severely fractured bones. Healing may take months which will cause a major financial disruption to an income earner.
Long term effects of broken bones
After an accident involving broken bones the victim, in the future, is more susceptible to the effects of arthritis, which could affect mobility for the rest of the victim’s life. This could involve an operation or the necessity to use devices to assist with mobility problems. In addition to this, any nerve damage or injury to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and discs may take a few months to become fully restore
Overall, a victim of an auto accident who fractures or breaks a bone cannot expect immediate recovery. Returning to a normal life will take some time and involve financial disruptions, dependency on family and friends for support as well as the pain and suffering associated with the injury.
It is the legal right of any victim of a fractured or broken bone that happened as a result of someone else’s negligence in an auto accident, to claim compensation from the guilty party. This involves contacting a fracture and broken bones attorney to put forward your case and decide if you have a valid claim for compensation.
