What Are Common Bone Injuries After a Yuma Car Accident?
Broken bones are a relatively common injury, with more than one-million Americans suffering from a bone fracture every year. They can occur in many settings, from contact sports to slip and fall accidents. They are an especially common injury after a Yuma car accident and range in severity.
Find out everything you need to know about obtaining compensation after suffering a broken bone from the Yuma personal injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys.
Types of Broken Bones
There are several types of common bone fractures. Broken bones are first classified by whether they are displaced, non-displaced, open, or closed.
Displaced Versus Non-Displaced Fractures
When a bone breaks due to excessive force, it fractures in one of two basic ways. A displaced fracture means the bone breaks into two or more pieces and also shifts out of its proper alignment. A non-displaced fracture refers to a bone that breaks but stays in its natural alignment.
Open Versus Closed Fractures
The most common type of broken bone is a closed fracture, in which the bone does not break the surrounding skin. On the other hand, more severe breaks will often result in an open fracture, in which the bone pierces the skin and is usually visible. Open fractures present an immediate medical emergency and should be treated as soon as possible.
Types of Fracture Patterns
In addition to these basic types of broken bones, there are also several identifiable fracture patterns that help doctors determine how an injury occurred and what treatments will be most effective.
- Avulsion fractures occur when a tendon or ligament pull off a piece of bone. They are most common in children and often occur in the hip, elbow, or ankle.
- Buckled fractures, sometimes referred to as an incomplete fracture, affect only one side of the long bone of the arm or leg. They are also more common in children and are often the result of a car accident or another serious impact.
- Compression fractures are specific to the vertebral column. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can cause the vertebrae itself to collapse, after which pieces of bone can potentially press on the spinal cord or nerves and cause further damage.
- Greenstick fractures occur primarily in children due to the nature of their younger, softer bones. Instead of breaking outright, the bone will bend and crack.
- Linear fractures are breaks that run parallel to the long axis of a bone. Linear skull fractures are the most common type of skull fracture and usually only require a short time in the hospital for observation.
- Oblique fractures are slanted fractures that are usually a result of a sharp, angled impact to the bone.
- Spiral fractures occur when torsion is applied to the bone. They usually occur when the extremity is planted and the rest of the body is in motion. Spiral fractures often require surgery and physical therapy to heal.
- Transverse fractures occur when the bone breaks at a right angle to the long plane of the bone. They usually occur in long bones and are at a higher risk for displacement if not set correctly.
Can You Get Compensation for Broken Bones After a Yuma Car Accident?
Breaking a bone in a car accident is an unfortunately common occurrence. Treating these injuries may sometimes require surgery, immobilization, lengthy hospital stays, intensive physical therapy, and lead to other complications and long-term disabilities.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic accident, compensation may be available to you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Don’t try to fight the insurance companies alone. Contact a Yuma broken bone lawyer today by calling 928-222-2222, speaking with a representative using our LiveChat service, or by submitting the details of your case through our secure contact form.