Broken bones and fractures are among the most painful injuries people experience. Some broken bones heal quickly, but other broken bones require a painful and long-lasting healing process. Car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and construction accidents can all cause broken bones. Depending on the type of bone fracture involved, a patient may require surgery to set the bone or place screws and plates around the break. Additionally, many patients require extensive physical therapy to heal from broken bones.
If you or your loved one has experienced a broken bone caused by someone else’s negligence, Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC can help. Our Virginia broken bone lawyers have decades of experience successfully representing clients in broken bone lawsuits. Recovering from a serious broken bone injury is difficult enough, but it’s particularly challenging when you’re facing significant medical bills. We will review your case and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Broken Bones
Nearly any type of serious accident can cause broken bones. Any type of motor vehicle accident, sports accident, or workplace accident can cause broken bones. We have represented clients who’ve experienced broken bones caused by the following types of accidents:
- Workplace accidents
- Slip and fall accidents at the ground level
- Fall accidents from great heights
- Explosions
- Blunt force trauma to the bone
- Dangerously defective products
- Workplace injuries
- Accidents involving heavy machinery
- Dropped objects
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
Types of Bone Fractures
There are various categories of broken bones. The prognosis and recovery time depends on the severity and type of the broken bone involved. Typically, the more force put on the bone, the more serious the break. The condition of the victim before the broken bone will also affect the recovery time. For example, elderly individuals typically have more brittle bones, and the recovery time can take longer. When an extreme force causes a broken bone, such as a gunshot wound or a car accident, the bone could shatter completely. Doctors diagnose broken bone injuries using the following categories:
- Stable fracture: The bone tips are only slightly out of place
- Transverse fracture: fractures with a horizontal fracture line
- Oblique fracture: fractures with an angled pattern
- Comminuted fracture: the bone shatters into three or more pieces
- Open, compound fracture: the bone pieces the skin
Open, Compound Fracture Injury Lawyer
Open, compound fractures are usually the most severe and dangerous type of fracture. In an open fracture, the broken bone pierces through the skin. As a result, the patient becomes exposed to bacteria. Anytime a wound is exposed to bacteria, the risk of infection increases dramatically. Infections can become dangerous and can cause additional damage or even death. Many people who experience compound fractures have multiple injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries.
Compound fractures almost always require surgery. After stopping hemorrhaging with direct pressure, medical professionals will typically order an X-ray and conduct a clinical evaluation of the open, compound fracture. Most doctors will want to perform surgery as soon as possible. In the operating room, the surgeon will irrigate the fracture and remove any debris from the wound. The surgeon may need to use screws, plates, or rods to hold the bone in place.
The victim might need bone grafting if he or she lost a significant amount of bone. Similarly, if the skin has been damaged severely around the open fracture, the victim may need a skin graft. In some cases, surgeons need to amputate the limb, especially if there is irreparable vascular damage or warm ischemia more than eight hours after the injury. Even when amputation isn’t necessary, the victim may need to undergo multiple surgeries to repair the limb. Victims often suffer ongoing pain for a long period.
Bone Fractures Can Cause Life-Long Complications
Many people assume that bone fractures are not serious and only require a cast. On the contrary, serious bone fractures can be devastating and cause a lifetime of pain and medical expenses. When a severe open, compound fracture leads to limb amputation, the patient may not be able to return to work and may suffer significant ongoing pain or phantom limb syndrome.
Even when surgeons can repair bone fractures, victims may need to undergo significant physical and occupational therapy. Those with bone fractures may never regain the full mobility they once enjoyed and lose the ability to work or participate in the activities they once enjoyed.
Obtaining compensation for Broken Bones
If you are experiencing any of the complications mentioned above, it’s worth speaking to a personal injury lawyer. You may have the option to pursue compensation for your broken bone through a personal injury lawsuit.
Successful plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits are entitled to a wide range of damages for their bone fracture injury. Specifically, plaintiffs are entitled to economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include compensation for your lost wages due to missed work, your current and future medical expenses, and your loss of future earning capacity.
Additionally, successful plaintiffs are entitled to non-economic damages for the pain and suffering they’ve endured due to their bone fracture injury. Plaintiffs can also request compensation for becoming permanently impaired, disabled, or disfigured.
Contact a Fairfax County Broken Bone Lawyer
At Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC, our personal injury lawyers believe that negligent individuals or companies that cause broken bones should be held accountable. We will evaluate your case and help you determine who was at fault for your broken bone injury. In the case of a car accident, another driver may be at fault for your injury. If a defective product causes your bone fracture, the manufacturer or retailer may be liable for your injuries. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with one of our experienced bone fracture lawyers.