Broken bones are among the most common injuries sustained in a Twin Cities car crash. Such injuries occur when hard surfaces inside the car are struck by a victim’s:
- Arms or legs
- Ankles, feet, or toes
- Wrists, hands, or fingers
- Ribs
- Pelvis
- Collar bone
- Spine
Broken bones in these areas of the body can lead to:
- Severe pain
- The need for immediate medical treatment or surgery
- Interference with your ability to work/other activities
- Permanent damage if they’re not treated promptly and correctly
Types of Fractures
Vehicle-related breaks and fractures of bones fall into a number of categories:
- Hairline. A very small crack in the bone. Without an X-ray, you might not know it’s there until the fracture worsens and weakens the bone.
- Buckle. This is a bending or straining of the bone that is most common in children.
- Stress. One side of the bone is fractured while the other is only bent. Children are particularly susceptible to these fractures as well.
- Comminuted. The bone breaks into pieces from extreme impact or pressure.
- Greenstick. The bone bends and fractures but does not separate into two pieces.
- Oblique. This is an uncommon diagonal fracture that results from internal contact between two bones during a crash.
- Compound. The broken bone breaks through the skin, increasing the risk of infection.
- Transverse. The bone is broken at a right angle into two pieces.
- Avulsion. Tendons and ligaments are pulled loose from the bone.
Many of these broken bones can be revealed only through a doctor’s exam and diagnostic tests, so you should seek medical treatment immediately after your accident. Doing so also provides documentation of your injuries, which is necessary for your insurance claim for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Don’t aggravate your injury by delaying medical treatment.
Because broken bones sometimes require difficult, expensive surgery and a long recovery followed by physical therapy and rehabilitation, your insurance company might try to dispute your claim or offer you an unfairly low settlement. In such a case, your first stop after the doctor’s office should be the office of an experienced attorney who knows how to negotiate for fair compensation.
Have You Broken Bones in a Twin Cities Car Crash in Minnesota?
Our car accident doctor can generally alleviate some of the pain associated with brokn bones, but our free referral service will find you the right local physician to treat any injuries that fall outside our scope. We’ll also locate an experienced local car accident lawyer to help you recover fair compensation for your damages. Contact us online or call 763-251-PAIN for a free consultation. Just one call puts you two steps closer to justice.
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