Car accidents are physically and mentally traumatic for all the individuals involved.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, 2,740,000 people were injured in car accidents. A car accident can cause many injuries, varying in severity, including broken bones.
Broken bones from a car accident can take a great deal of time to heal. Depending on the severity, you may need a cast or surgery.
Additionally, due to the trauma of a car accident, people often suffer multiple broken bones and other injuries. This traumatic incident can bury you in medical bills and put you out of work while recovering from your injuries.
If you have sustained a broken bone from a car accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible to help you understand and evaluate your case. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Common Car Accident Broken Bones
When more force is exerted on your body than it can endure, you can break or fracture a bone. Car accidents exert a great deal of stress on your body. Thus, a broken bone is a common injury from a car accident.
Commonly broken bones caused by a car accident may include:
- Clavicle or collarbone;
- Wrists and arms;
- Legs, feet, knees, ankles, and toes;
- Ribs;
- Hip and pelvis; and
- Skull.
It is possible to sustain leg injuries in car accidents if your vehicle is struck from the front end. You can also sustain a broken arm from a car accident by colliding with the dashboard when the car jolts from impact. No matter how you suffered the broken bone, you should seek treatment immediately to begin the recovery process.
Types of Broken Bones from a Car Accident
When you are in a car accident, the surge of adrenaline from the incident may mask your injuries, including broken bones. Then, the next day, you may wake up in pain, wondering if the car accident caused a broken leg or another broken bone.
Some symptoms of a broken or fractured bone include:
- Inability to put weight on the affected area;
- Swelling around the suspected bone;
- A visible deformity;
- A protruding bone; or
- Inability to touch or move the affected area without pain.
For example, a symptom of a car accident leg break could be that you cannot put any weight on your leg.
If you suspect that you may have broken bones from a car accident, see a doctor immediately. The doctor will likely send you for x-rays or an MRI to determine the extent of your injuries.
Treatment for Car Accident Broken Bones
Once you have been diagnosed with a broken or fractured bone, your doctor will set a course of treatment. Treatments for broken bones may include:
- Setting the bone back into place;
- Putting the broken area in a cast or splint; or
- Performing surgery on more complex or severe breaks.
Broken bones typically take about six to eight weeks to heal. If the fracture is severe, however, it may take longer.
Compensation for Broken Bones After a Car Accident
If you or a loved one is in a car accident, you may suffer a great deal of loss. You may have property damage and medical bills to pay. You may also be out of work because of your injuries, which means lost income.
You should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your car accident-related injury. Insurance companies may minimize your injuries, so they do not have to pay out as much as you need. An attorney can negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies involved in the car accident.
If the insurance company doesn’t cover your losses, you can file a lawsuit. A court may award you damages for:
- Lost wages,
- Medical bills and expenses,
- Property damage,
- Pain and suffering, and
- Loss of earning potential.
Depending on the specifics of your case, you may be able to recover additional types of damages. For example, a court can also award punitive damages if the person who caused the accident behaved particularly badly.
It is important to talk to a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer if you sustained a broken bone in a car accident.
Contact Wells Call Injury Lawyers If You Have Broken Bones from a Car Accident
If you have been injured in a car accident, you should focus on treating your injuries rather than fighting with insurance companies. You need attorneys who will fight on your behalf while you recover. We can help fight for you in this difficult time.
Our award-winning attorneys at Wells Call Injury Lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients like you. Contact us today for a free case review.