Broken and Fractured Bones

Broken and Fractured Bones

Broken and Fractured Bones

Broken or fractured bones are often painful and could take weeks or months to heal. Treatment for broken and fractured bones might require an injured person to wear a splint or cast, which can prevent them from participating in work or other activities. If broken bones don’t heal properly, the consequences could be lifelong.

If you suffered a broken or fractured bone in a car crash, slip-and-fall accident, or another harmful incident, contact Deering Hedrick immediately. You might be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party for your medical bills, lost wages, and other injury-related losses. Deering Hedrick has represented clients in Virginia Beach, VA, and surrounding areas since 2011. Attorneys Mike Deering and Chris Todd Hedrick have the experience, knowledge, and resources to help you pursue the compensation you deserve for your injury. Contact our office today to get started with a consultation.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle

At Deering Hedrick, we represent clients in various personal injury cases involving broken and fractured bones, such as:

  • Workplace injuries
  • Car accidents
  • Medical malpractice
  • Dog bite cases
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Premises liability
  • Boat accidents
  • Construction accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Product liability and product defects
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Nursing home abuse cases
  • Bicycle accidents

Common Types of Bone Fractures

Bone fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. Fractures often result from trauma to the body from car accidents, falls, contact sports, and other violent incidents. However, repetitive forces and medical conditions can increase a person’s risk of breaking a bone.

Below are the criteria medical providers use to diagnose fractures.

Cause

Broken bones are sometimes classified by how they are caused. These include the following:

  • Avulsion fractures – An avulsion fracture occurs when a piece of bone attached to a tendon or ligament breaks away from the central part of the bone.
  • Stress fractures – A stress fracture is a tiny crack in the bone due to repetitive trauma.
  • Buckle fractures – A buckle fracture is an incomplete break, meaning it doesn’t go through the bone entirely. It is often caused by sudden pressure on the bone, pushing it out of place.

Pattern or Shape

Some fractures are classified according to pattern or shape. Fractures with a break traveling in a straight line include:

  • Transverse fractures – A transverse fracture is a break running in the opposite direction of the bone.
  • Oblique fractures – An oblique fracture is a break across the bone at an angle.
  • Longitudinal fractures – A longitudinal fracture occurs along the length of the bone.

Other fracture patterns don’t involve a single straight-line break, such as:

  • Segmental fractures – A segmental fracture involves a bone that breaks in at least two places with a segment entirely separated by the fractures.
  • Greenstick fractures – A greenstick fracture is a break or crack on one side of a long bone in the leg or arm.
  • Spiral fractures – A spiral fracture involves a break to a bone with a twisting motion.
  • Comminuted fractures – A comminuted fracture is a bone broken in at least two places. Typically, the breaks in the bone aren’t uniform.

Locations

Fractures are often diagnosed according to the affected body part. Some breaks are specific to the location, while others fall under multiple categories.

Fractures involving the arms, chest, and upper body include:

  • Ribs
  • Clavicle
  • Compression fractures, small cracks or breaks in the vertebrae
  • Elbows
  • Facial fractures
  • Shoulders
  • Humerus

Fractures affecting the wrists or hands can include:

  • Colles
  • Barton
  • Scaphoid
  • Chauffeur
  • Metacarpal
  • Smith

Broken bones in the legs and lower body can include:

  • Femur
  • Pelvic
  • Growth plate
  • Hips
  • Patella
  • Acetabular
  • Tibia and fibula

Fractures affecting bones in the ankles and feet include:

  • Jones fracture
  • Calcaneal stress fracture
  • Pilon fracture
  • Fifth metatarsal fracture
  • Talus fracture
  • Lisfranc fracture
  • Trimalleolar fracture

How to Treat a Fractured Bone

The type and severity of the break will determine the necessary treatment for a bone fracture. Recovery can take a few weeks to several months, depending on the extent of the injury and whether the doctor’s treatment recommendations are followed.

Common treatments for broken bones include:

  • Cast immobilization – Wearing a fiberglass or plaster cast keeps the bones in place, allowing them to heal correctly.
  • Functional brace or cast – A functional brace or cast limits movement of the joints near a fracture.
  • Traction – Traction involves aligning a bone or bones with a steady, gentle pulling action.
  • External fixation – With external fixation, a surgeon inserts metal screws or pins into the bone below and above the fracture site. The screws or pins connect to a metal bar outside the body to stabilize the bones as they heal.
  • Open reduction and internal fixation – An open reduction and internal fixation operation can reposition bone fragments into a normal alignment and secure the bones with metal plates or screws.

Compensation for Broken and Fractured Bones

If you suffered broken bones in a car accident, slip-and-fall accident, or another harmful incident that was not your fault, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Some of the losses you could be compensated for include the following:

  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Surgical costs, hospital stays, prescriptions, and other medical expenses
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • Damage to personal property

Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Case

In Virginia, the statute of limitations gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, including medical malpractice cases. That means you have two years from the accident date to sue the at-fault party. However, the two-year deadline might be extended if a bone fracture isn’t discoverable within two years due to concealment, intentional misrepresentation, or fraud. In that case, an injury victim would have one year from the date of discovering the injury to file a lawsuit.

Contact an Experienced Broken and Fractured Bones Attorney

You might face painful symptoms and costly medical bills if you suffer a broken bone in an accident. You don’t have to go through this challenging time alone. Deering Hedrick is prepared to advocate for your rights and aggressively pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses. Contact the experienced broken and fractured bones attorneys at Deering Hedrick today to get started with a consultation.

We will contact you to arrange a consultation at a time to suit you.

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