Car accidents are, unsurprisingly, a common cause of broken bones. The speed at which accidents often occur, combined with the sheer weight of the vehicles involved, can create a massive force that the body absorbs on impact. One or more broken bones can be the painful result of these collisions. Bone fractures from car accidents require expensive medical attention and take a long time to heal. For those reasons, you need a personal injury attorney to seek compensation for your injuries.
Suppose you or a loved one have suffered bone fractures in an automobile accident in Oklahoma City. In that case, you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries and the losses they have caused. If another person’s irresponsible driving has affected you in this way, Abel Law Firm can help you pursue a claim for monetary damages against the negligent party’s insurance company. Our Oklahoma City car accident lawyers have assisted victims since 1976, and we are ready to fight for you too. Call (405) 239-7046 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Common Breaks from Collisions
Practically speaking, any bone in the body is susceptible to fractures in an automobile collision. In addition to the sheer force of the crash, the body may also encounter external objects, or the spine and limbs may experience unnatural bending or twisting. Even more dramatically, the impact can fling a person’s body from the car, or a body part may even end up crushed in the crash.
There are, however, certain bones that are more vulnerable to breaks in car crashes. These include:
- Vertebrae in the spine and neck
- The femur (thighbone)
- The clavicle (collarbone)
- The sternum (breastbone)
- Bones in the pelvis
- Bones in the skull (jawbone, cranium)
- Bones in the ankles
To heal properly after such fractures, you will often need to wear a cast. In some cases, surgery will be required. However, it doesn’t end there. Medical treatment may also include medications to manage the pain and physical therapy to help you recover your mobility and to help you return to work. And, of course, there are some cases in which complete recovery is simply impossible, and the accident victim may live out the rest of their life with a substantial impediment.
What Types of Fractures Can Car Accidents Cause?
Bone breaks and bone fractures are the same, but several types exist. Depending on the nature of the impact, car accidents can cause the following fractures:
- Hairline – A hairline fracture is a partial break resulting in a small bone crack. When a person has a hairline fracture, they may not realize it has occurred and may not seek the medical treatment they need. Without attention, a small crack may grow more prominent, leading to a weakened bone and increased pain over time.
- Buckle – This type of fracture is also known as a torus or an incomplete fracture. Buckle fractures occur when the bone starts to bend or rupture, but an actual break does not occur. Buckle fractures are most common in children whose bones have not fully developed and are more pliable than adult bones.
- Stress – Also more common in children, stress fractures are another type of partial break. Unlike buckle fractures, stress fractures involve a break in one side of the bone while the other bends.
- Transverse – In a transverse fracture, direct pressure or a direct hit snaps the bone into two pieces. This generally happens when the force comes in at a right angle, perpendicular to the bone’s long axis.
- Oblique – As with a transverse fracture, an oblique fracture happens when the bone breaks at an angle diagonal to the long axis. These kinds of breaks are uncommon, but they can happen if one bone twists over the top of another that has become trapped.
- Avulsion – An avulsion fracture occurs when the bone separates from the ligaments that join it to another bone or the tendons that join it to muscles. Avulsion fractures can lead to both severe pain and serious complications. As a result, surgery is often required.
- Comminuted – A comminuted fracture refers to an instance in which the bone breaks into three or more pieces. These kinds of fractures most commonly happen due to acute pressure or via a particularly forceful impact. They are exceptionally difficult to repair.
- Compound – Many people consider this the most harrowing type of fracture. A compound fracture is a break in which the broken bone protrudes directly through the skin. Because compound fractures entail both a broken bone and an open wound, they run a very high risk of infection.
The proper diagnosis of a fracture requires an experienced medical professional. They need to conduct X-rays and other tests as soon as possible after an accident.
Treatment and Compensation for Bone Fractures from Car Accidents
The medical expenses associated with fractured bones from automobile collisions often create a significant financial burden for the victims. You may require a cast, surgery, physical therapy, or ongoing care, and these expenses can be tremendous. However, you should not be financially responsible for medical bills for injuries that came about through no fault of your own. You should be entitled to compensation for these costs in such a situation.
Moreover, the driver who caused the crash should be held responsible for the following:
- Any wages you may have lost because of missed work due to your fracture.
- Long-term income loss if you can no longer perform the work you had before the accident or in the event that you cannot work at all. For those with physically demanding jobs, a severe fracture is potentially career-ending.
- The physical pain, mental suffering, and emotional stress that comes about due to a severe accident.
Contact Us
If you have suffered bone fractures from car accidents in Oklahoma City, and you were not at fault, Abel Law Firm is ready to fight to secure the compensation you deserve to help you through your recovery. Through our decades of experience representing the victims of accidents and injuries, we understand how stressful and challenging life can be after sustaining a fracture in a car crash. We’ll work hard to obtain a fair outcome for you while you focus on getting other aspects of your life and your health back on track.
Call us at (405) 239-7046, or contact us online today and speak to one of our experienced attorneys about your legal options.
