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Fracture Injuries After an Accident

Typically, when a healthy person suffers a fracture or broken bone, it is because they have been the victim of a serious accident that resulted in a heavy impact. In accidents severe enough to break a bone, a fracture is not the only injury that is experienced, but it is frequently the most severe and painful. Recovery from a fracture can involve months of healing time and often means that the victim must wear a cast and suffer major mobility impairment during recovery. In many cases, there may be the need for ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation. If you want to learn more about your legal rights and options when a broken bone results from the negligent acts or omissions of another, contact Joseph, Hollander & Craft’s Wichita broken bone injury lawyers.

Common Causes of Fracture Injuries

A bone usually does not break unless a considerable amount of force is exerted upon it. This is the case except for situations where the fracture victim has a medical condition or disease that makes the bone fragile, such as osteoporosis or certain forms of cancer. Some common causes of bone fractures are:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slip-and-fall accidents

JHC’s Wichita personal injury attorneys handle cases resulting from these types of accidents day in and day out. We know how to recover for all types of resulting injuries, including broken bones.

Different Bone Fracture Types

Bone fractures can differ in severity and intensity. Some types of fractures require surgical intervention and take longer to heal than others. The main types of fractures are as follows:

• Simple fracture: The broken bone does not puncture the skin and usually involves only a single break in the bone. These types of fractures are commonly known as “closed” fractures.
• Compound fracture: A compound fracture involves a situation when the bone does break through the skin. These types of fractures are more traumatic and present a medical emergency. In addition to the severe damage to the bone and skin. There is also a high risk of infection with a compound fracture, including sepsis and infection in the bone, both of which have the potential of being life-threatening.
• Displaced fracture: When a bone breaks into multiple pieces that shift away from one another, it is referred to as a displaced fracture. These usually result from a heavy impact and are typically more severe than a simple fracture.
• Non-displaced fracture. When a bone is broken into several pieces but the bone fragments remain in place, it is a non-displaced fracture. These types of bone breaks are easier to repair.
• Comminuted fracture: A fractured bone that involves multiple small fragments of bone is known as a comminuted fracture.
• Hairline fracture: A thin break in the bone that does not split the bone into two or more pieces is considered to be a hairline fracture.
• Impacted fracture: Impacted fractures happen when one piece of the broken bone is forced into another.
• Spiral fracture: In this type of fracture, the bone is twisted and a spiral shaped break forms.
• Oblique fracture: A break is considered an oblique fracture if the break in the bone has a sloped or curving shape.

The treatment for each type of fracture can differ and affect your personal injury claim.

Compensation for Costs and Expenses Arising from Fractured Bone Injuries

A bone fracture is a serious injury and can result in several costs and expenses that need to be compensated by the person at fault for the injury. Common forms of costs and expenses after bone fracture injury include:

• Medical expenses: The full costs of treatment for a broken bone can run high, even when the victim has health insurance. Some types of medical expenses include emergency medical transport, hospital bills, doctor bills, surgery expenses, and rehabilitative therapy. A personal injury attorney can file a lawsuit to help victims collect the full amount owed after a fracture injury.
• Lost wages or earning capacity: Some fractures can be so severe that the victim is forced to miss work after the injury for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and loss of function. If the victim relied on using his/her body for work, a broken bone can permanently affect his/her capacity to earn a living. Victims can seek lost pay—both past and future—through a legal claim.
• Pain and suffering: Victims of a traumatic accident that caused a broken bone may have a right to seek compensation for the pain and suffering they endured.

JHC’s Wichita personal injury lawyers can help you recover monetary damages to address these consequences of your broken bone, as well as the consequences of any other injury you may have suffered in your traumatic accident.

Common Questions About Bone Fracture Injuries

How are pain and suffering damages determined?

If your case goes to trial, a jury will listen to your testimony about the accident and how your injuries have affected you to date or will affect you in the future. During settlement discussions with an insurance company, we will address what a jury would be likely to award. Neither situation is an exact science, but some juries will determine pain and suffering by multiplying economic damages according to certain factors in accordance with the severity of the injury.

How can Joseph, Hollander & Craft help me?

The experienced personal injury attorneys at JHC can help you pursue damages against those parties responsible for your injuries. We will conduct interviews and collect evidence, establish liability, consult with experts, and communicate with the insurance company. If necessary, we will file a lawsuit and represent your interests in court. Our attorneys are here to help you through every step of your physical and emotional recovery and will help you pursue compensation for your injuries.