How Serious Are Bone Fracture Injuries?
by King Law
The severity of bone fractures in personal injury cases ranges widely. Some types of bone fractures may not even require a cast, while others may require extensive and multiple surgeries without ever healing fully or completely. Depending upon a person’s age and condition, the severity of a bone fracture can also be experienced differently. For example, a hip fracture from a fall in an elderly person can have life-altering consequences, while a younger person may be able to heal more rapidly. Our Rochester personal injury lawyers want to discuss the seriousness of various types of bone fractures and to provide you with more information about how and where these injuries occur.
Different Types of Bone Fractures
Fractures, or broken bones, can also be described as cracks or breaks, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). As the AAOS explains, bone fractures can be classified as stable fractures or open fractures (which are sometimes known as compound fractures). Stable fractures refer to bone breaks in which the “broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place,” while open or compound fractures refer to breaks that may pierce the skin when the fracture occurs. Within these categories, bone breaks can be described based on the pattern of the fracture, including:
- Transverse fractures, where the fracture is a horizontal bone break;
- Oblifractures, where the fracture is angled; and
- Comminuted fractures, where the bone has shattered into three or more pieces.
Bone fractures can result from trauma (such as in an accident) or as a result of osteoporosis or overuse. In general, a bone fracture resulting from an accident will typically cause swelling in the area where the bone has broken, as well as tenderness and bruising. In some cases, particularly in severe fractures, the limb or area with the broken bone may appear deformed.
How Do Broken Bones Happen in Accidents?
Many different types of accidents can result in bone fractures, or broken bones. Common types of accidents that lead to broken bones include but are not limited to:
- Car accidents;
- Truck accidents;
- Bicycle accidents;
- Motorcycle accidents;
- Pedestrian accidents;
- Boating accidents;
- Construction accidents;
- Dog bite attacks;
- Hazing incidents;
- Assaults due to negligent security; and
- Slips and falls.
Some areas of the body are more susceptible to bone fractures than others in common accidents like motor vehicle collisions or slip and fall accidents. According to Sterling Medical Group, the following are among the most commonly fractured bones in some of the accidents and circumstances described above:
- Clavicle fracture;
- Sternum fracture;
- Cranial or skull fracture;
- Spinal vertebrae fracture, include a fracture in the back or neck;
- Facial bone breaks, especially in car accidents where airbags deploy;
- Fibula fractures in the lower leg; and
- Femur fractures in the upper leg.
Contact Our Rochester Personal Injury Attorneys for Assistance
Whether your bone fracture is relatively minor or more severe, and whether the injury occurred in a motor vehicle crash or another type of accident, an experienced Rochester personal injury attorney can help you to seek financial compensation. Under New York law, most claim types of personal injuries involving broken bones will need to be filed within three years from the date of the accident. Contact King Law today to learn more about how our firm can help you.
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