Raleigh Bone Fracture Lawyers | Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A.

Settlement Compensation for a Broken Bone Injury

If you’ve suffered a bone break or a fracture due to someone else’s negligence in North Carolina, the compensation that you can recover will depend on the extent of your injuries and the circumstances of your accident. Generally speaking, if someone else’s negligence caused your injury, you may be eligible to claim compensation for:

Medical bills

Lost wages

Treatment and recovery

Damage to personal property

Other expenses

Pain and suffering

If your bone fracture occurred in an accident while you were on the job, you may be entitled to paid medical care and other benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Most employers in North Carolina are required to have workers’ compensation insurance to cover injuries to full and part-time employees. If your employer’s insurance administrator is disputing your right to workers’ comp benefits, let our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys review the details of your accident and discuss your legal options.

Because each injury accident is different, it is important to speak with an experienced broken bone lawyer to get an accurate assessment of what you may expect to recover from your injury claim.

Types of Accidents that Lead to Broken Bones and Fractures

Many types of accidents may cause bone fractures. These injuries happen when there is enough external force applied to the body that the bone becomes fractured or crushed. The severity of the break typically depends on the force of the impact. Some accidents that commonly cause bone fractures include:

Types of Bone Fractures and Associated Health Risks

Broken bones are categorized by the pattern of the break. A bone may break completely or partially. It can break into a wide array of patterns such as crosswise, lengthwise, or in multiple pieces.

A broken bone is considered an open or compound fracture if the bone has punctured the skin, or if a very deep wound has exposed the bone through the skin. An open fracture presents the risk of infection since the bone has broken through the skin and come into contact with dirt and debris. A closed fracture refers to a bone that is broken, but the skin remains intact.

There are also several different varieties of fractures that a physician may refer to when talking to you about your broken bone. Some fractures are relatively easy to treat, while others are more severe and can result in intensive surgery and physical therapy down the road. Here are a few of the common types of fractures:

Greenstick– This refers to a fracture that is not a complete break. There is a part of the bone that is cracked that then causes the other side of the bone to start bending. This type of fracture is more common in children and is typically seen in the arm. It may occur after a slip and fall accident when someone throws out their arms to catch the fall.

Transverse– This is a fracture that breaks the bone in a straight line across the shaft of the bone.

Oblique– An oblique fracture is a break that occurs diagonally across the bone.

Spiral- As the name suggests, a spiral fracture is a break encircling the bone in a spiral pattern. It is usually seen as a result of a twisting or jerking motion.

Compression– A compression fracture refers to a break or crushed bone in the vertebrae of the neck and back. Compression fractures are often seen in car, truck, and workplace accidents. These fractures may cause a vertebra to collapse. They can also cause pieces of the bone to compress the spinal cord.

Comminuted- This is a serious break that means the bone has been broken into 3 or more pieces. Repairing this type of fracture typically requires surgery. A considerable amount of force is needed to break a bone this severely. Motor vehicle accidents or bicycle crashes are often the cause of comminuted fractures.

Segmental- A segmental fracture refers to a bone that has been broken in 2 different places so that there is a piece of bone “floating” or not attached. This is another very serious type of fracture that results from a high-impact accident. A segmental fracture carries with it many different medical complications.

Broken Bone Injury Recovery

Broken bones take several weeks to several months to heal, depending on the severity of the break. Simple or incomplete fractures can heal relatively quickly. A person can reasonably expect to fully recover and regain mobility and function. The more serious breaks like comminuted fractures may require extensive surgical intervention, lengthy recovery, and physical therapy.

Even with immediate medical treatment, there can be long-term complications, mobility issues, and loss of function.

Any type of broken bone must be treated by a medical professional. If you have been injured in an accident and you suspect a bone has been fractured, seek medical help immediately.

Types of Treatment for Your Broken Bone Injury

The type of treatment that you could receive for a broken bone depends on the circumstances of your accident and the type of break you sustained. It also depends on which bone was broken and where the fracture is located on the bone.

For example, a closed and simple break of the radius, a bone in the arm, may only require a splint or cast. A physician can set the bone in place and then use a cast to keep the bone immobile while it heals. After a few weeks, the break is healed, and the cast can be removed by your doctor.

However, a transverse fracture of the femur, the long bone in the leg, is not as simple to treat. To break the strongest bone in the human body takes an incredible amount of force. A severe car accident, motorcycle accident, or 18-wheeler accident can exert enough force to do tremendous damage.

A victim suffering a femur fracture may be placed in a special traction splint on the scene by emergency personnel before being transported to a hospital. A traction splint will stabilize the bone and keep it from rubbing against itself until a medical professional can treat the injury.

Fractures that break or shatter the bone in multiple places require extensive surgical intervention. Depending on the break, devices such as metal rods or pins may be used to fix and stabilize the bone so that it can begin to heal in the proper alignment. The rods and pins may be used internally, but they can also be used externally as well. A second surgery may be required to remove the rods or pins.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons lays out the different types of implants that can be used to correctly hold and position broken bones. Such severe fractures can be very complicated to repair.

Overcoming the initial accident and subsequent treatment is only half the battle. Severely broken bones can require months of extensive and expensive physical therapy and rehabilitation. As the bone is immobilized, your muscles may become weak from lack of use. You may need to rebuild muscle strength and relearn simple activities you once took for granted such as walking or climbing stairs. Some fractures in joints can limit your mobility in an arm or leg.

Contact Our Experienced Broken Bone Fracture Lawyers

When you choose our personal injury lawyers at Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A. to represent you, you are choosing attorneys who care about the outcome of your injury and your welfare. We know that dealing with an injury and the associated costs can be challenging and stressful. We’re here to make things easier for you. With our broken bones attorneys working on your behalf, you can focus on recovering from your injuries. You can be confident that we’ll be working to seek full compensation on your behalf.

Fill out a contact form, chat with us live, or call (800) 811-9495 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Let us take the time to get to know you and your case so we can give you the legal options possible for your situation.

Broken Bones Lawyer in Raleigh, NC