Broken Bones in Accidents in Wichita Falls are Serious Injuries
Many accident victims in Wichita Falls or elsewhere in Texas and Oklahoma sustain broken bones or fractures. Although broken bones don’t necessarily appear to be as serious as brain injuries or back and spinal cord injuries, these bone fractures are still very significant and need to be treated as such.
Broken bones from car accidents or any other kind of accident can take many months to heal, requiring extensive treatment such as physical therapy and rehabilitation and sometimes these injuries require surgery. Because of the nature of these injuries, they usually result in extended time periods of pain and discomfort. On top of the pain and discomfort, you may be inconvenienced by your inability to perform basic household duties such as laundry and dishes. To add to that, you may not be able to do hobbies you enjoy such as swimming or gardening. And to put the cherry on top, you may be forced to miss work, resulting in a loss of income.
Some of the more severe fractures can result in temporary or even permanent impairment, but any fracture increases the likelihood of arthritis as you get older. Because of these factors, broken bones are certainly not minor injuries and it is important for you to have a solid understanding of these injuries, and your legal rights after a car accident, or any other accident that was the cause of your broken bones.
Why Broken Bones Happen in Accidents in Wichita Falls
Broken bones usually result in motor vehicle accidents such as car accidents, truck accidents, or motorcycle accidents, because of the extremely powerful force which is generated from one vehicle colliding with another or any other stationary object such as a concrete barrier or streetlight. When a vehicle is traveling at high speeds and is suddenly stopped, your body continues to travel at that rate of speed until it impacts something such as an interior surface of the vehicle. Depending on how the crash happens and how you are thrown about within the vehicle, different parts of your body will bear the brunt of the impact, which could result in a broken bone.
Fractures can also occur when you are involved in a bicycle crash or a pedestrian accident. The force from being hit by a high moving vehicle and being thrust onto the hard pavement can result in broken bones. Additionally, a slip and fall accident may result in a fracture.
Common Broken Bones in Accidents in Wichita Falls
Any bone is susceptible to a break, although some are more susceptible than others. But any time there is a force exerted on your bone from a high impact such as a car accident, your bone is at risk of breaking. Our broken bone lawyer in Wichita Falls, Texas has worked with clients who have had all types of broken bones, including:
- Arm fractures
- Hand fractures
- Wrist fractures
- Spinal fractures
- Shoulder fractures
- Collarbone fractures
- Leg fractures
- Tibia and fibula fractures
- Femur fractures
- Ankle fractures
- Sternum (breastbone) fractures
- Clavicular (collarbone) fractures
- Rib fractures
- Head (skull) fractures
- Facial bone fractures
- Nasal fractures (broken nose)
Although all broken bones are serious injuries, the most serious fractures are those in one’s neck or back as the force that causes these fractures may damage nerves in the spinal cord and could result in paralysis and potentially even death.
Types of Fractures
How bad the broken bone is can usually be correlated to the type of fracture you sustained. For example, “hairline” fractures refer to small and/or partial breaks that usually just require minimal medical treatment. Other type of fractures include:
- Compound fractures – when the bone pierces through the skin.
- Transverse fractures – when a bone is completely broken into two pieces.
- Comminuted fractures – when a bone shatters into many pieces.
- Displaced fractures – when a bone breaks and no longer aligns.
- Avulsion fractures – when a ligament or other tissue detaches from the bone.
All broken bones are serious injuries, but the seriousness and the length of recovery time is largely dependent not only on the types of breaks and what bone was broken, but also the individual who sustained the fracture’s age and overall health. Younger, healthier individuals tend to rebound much quicker and easier after a car accident or other accident in which they sustained a broken bone than does an elderly person with more fragile health. Broken bones can be debilitating for the elderly or for someone with poor health. In some cases, these fractures can result in life-threatening complications.
How Are Broken Bones Treated in Wichita Falls?
If you are experiencing any symptoms of broken bones after a car accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, slip and fall accident, or any other type of accident, you should get it looked at immediately. The longer your bones go untreated, the more likely your bones will not heal properly. A physician will examine your injuries and conduct tests such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to identify where the break is and how severe it is.
Getting the right medical treatment is essential to ensure the fracture heals properly. If you have waited and your bones are misaligned, you may require a surgical procedure and implantation of hardware such as plates and screws to realign your bones so they will heal correctly. Once your break is corrected, you will be instructed to restrict movement, which will be ensured through a cast or brace that often has to be worn for at least a month.
Throughout the process of healing, you will have to follow up with doctor’s visits for further tests and examinations to ensure your bones are healing properly. Once you are out of the cast or brace, you may have to go through physical therapy, which involved a variety of stretches and exercises to regain your strength and flexibility that you lost by not using that part of your body for so long. During all this, you may be on strict orders to not work, or to minimize your activity.
For some accident victims with broken bones, their fractures can lead to other medical conditions and complications. One of the most common is an infection of a broken bone, which may cause the break not to heal correctly and could result in immobility and deformity. Additionally, you may experience joint and/or muscle pain, or develop arthritis much earlier than you would have otherwise.
What Kind of Damages Can You Recover for Broken Bones in Wichita Falls?
If you or someone you know has suffered with broken bones from a car accident or any other type of accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence in Wichita Falls or elsewhere in Texas and Oklahoma, you may be entitled to recover damages, including:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future wages
- Past and future pain and suffering
Get Assistance from an Experienced Broken Bone Lawyer in Wichita Falls
At our personal injury law firm in Wichita Falls, we recognize that broken bones are serious injuries that need to be handled with care. These injuries can lead to serious complications, permanent impairments, and costly medical bills. Our firm can assist you in maximizing your compensation and helping you make the best decision for your case.
For more information, call us today at 940-569-4000 or fill out our contact form to set up a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.