What to Do if You Have Broken Bones After a Car Accident

You may feel lucky if your injuries only amount to broken bones when you get into a major car accident, motorcycle accident, or motor vehicle collision, whether with another passenger vehicle or a commercial truck. Common car accident injuries from these sorts of events can include traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries that can change your level of mobility, your personality, and your life. In comparison, a broken bone probably seems like a minor issue that is readily treatable.

For most people who suffer broken bones, that is true. After receiving trauma care, x-rays, and having the bone set, patients typically heal over time. Once the cast is removed, physical therapy can help improve strength and range of motion to levels similar to those before the fracture for most common fractures. For some people, however, broken bones can end up causing a serious, permanent condition that can leave them in pain and unable to work. These types of fractures that lead to serious injuries can impact your whole life. What seemed like an innocuous bone fracture from your car crash can lead to disability and constant pain and require lifelong medical care, even if you were wearing your seatbelt or your car had airbags.

Broken Bone Injuries After an Auto Accident 

When we think of broken bones after a car accident, we can conjure visions of extremely graphic serious injuries with broken bones being exposed and protruding from the skin, but that is not always the case. Even if we’re not able to see the bone itself, medical care is still required to ensure all stress fractures and serious injuries are accounted for and addressed with proper medical care.

There are varying levels of bone breaks that accident victims may suffer after a car crash, depending on the severity of the crash and type (rear-end fender bender versus head-on collisions). From hairline fractures, where the bone may not break apart but have a crack, to compound fractures, where the bones protrude from the skin, breaking through soft tissue and exposed to open air, or comminuted fractures, where the bone has broken into three or more pieces.

Some of the most common broken bone injuries from car accidents that require medical treatment and x-rays are:

• Clavicle – the clavicle is one of the most vulnerable bones in the body and can be among the types of broken bones in major car wrecks
• Femur – upper leg bone, normally femurs are quite strong, but the force of a wreck can cause the femur to fracture
• Fibula – lower leg or what is commonly referred to as a broken leg – broken legs are among the more common bone fractures
• Tibia – shinbone, which is the hard part of the lower leg
• Pelvic bone – at the center of the body, connecting the legs to the upper torso
• Collarbone – this is a very common upper body bone break and is often caused by the seatbelt acting against the collarbone
• Wrist fractures – these bone breaks can be problematic as many small bones make up the wrist and its abilities
• Arm fractures & Elbows – a common broken bone is an arm or elbow
• Avulsion fracture – this is where a small part of the bone, which is attached to a tendon, is pulled away from the main bone portion and is most common in knees and elbows
• Knees – having damaged knees can lead to mobility problems for an extended period, where small cracks in the bones can take physical therapy or other medical treatments to get back on your feet
• Hip fractures – hip fractures are more common among the elderly and those with low bone density and have varying degrees of recovery time and treatment options
• Ankles – these bones connect the foundation of our stance to our lower extremities and provide a basis for movement. Ankles can be one of the most common broken bones, along with the wrists, in car accidents
• Skull fractures – often due to hitting the head on the steering wheel, skull fractures can come in many forms, from closed-brain to open-brain injuries, and concussions that occur due to a car accident are very common and will require medical attention to look for more serious conditions that can occur from potential traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Facial bones – our facial bones provide the structure for our facial features and how we look in the world. These facial bones may be injured alongside injuries such as skull fractures or clavicle bones, and the areas near the face may have been impacted during the car wreck.
• Oblique fracture is the type of fracture that happens when the bone is broken at an angle, typically caused by sudden forces acting on the leg, such as those in a fall or from head-on collisions or other auto accidents.
• Transverse fractures – in this type of fracture, the bone is broken straight across the width of the bone. These fractures typically occur on the bones with greater length and again require a lot of sudden force, such as those from a fall or serious auto accident.
• Hairline fractures – fractures that can happen to any bone where enough force was applied to cause a small hairline fracture but not completely separate the bone

Ligaments and soft tissue are often damaged when a bone breaks, making bone fractures much more important to seek medical attention after a car accident.

Recovery time will vary depending on the types of broken bones, treatment options are chosen, if surgical intervention is needed, and more.

How to Know if You Need a Personal Injury or Car Accident Lawyer 

Whether you were in a head-on collision, high-speed car accident, or ran off the road, causing a motorcycle accident, if you were the victim of a car accident, then please seek legal advice immediately for your injury claim. You should not have to deal with the insurance companies, medical bills and other medical expenses, and all of the stresses that come with being injured on your own. 

Victims of a car crash may not understand their legal options, what kind of compensation they may be due from the car crash, and what happened after the wreck.

Our personal injury attorneys from our law firm have been offering accident victims legal advice for many years and have fought for the maximum compensation possible. We offer a free consultation with a car accident attorney to review your case.