Can I Recover Compensation for the Broken Bones I Sustained in a Car Crash?

Although there are a number of different types of injuries from which car accident victims can suffer, there are a few that tend to crop up again and again in vehicle collisions. Of these injuries, which include lacerations and concussions, broken bones are amongst the most common and painful that a person can sustain. Fortunately, those who suffer broken or fractured bones in car accidents can often seek damages from the at-fault party who caused the crash, compensating them for related expenses, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Types of Fractures

Although bones are rigid, they are somewhat flexible and so can bend when forced to absorb outside force. If, however, that force becomes too great, a bone will no longer be able to remain rigid, but will break, or fracture. Generally, the severity of a person’s fracture depends on the amount of force that caused the break. If, for instance, a bone’s breaking point was only slightly exceeded, then the bone could crack rather than break all the way through. The force of impact in car accidents tends to be extreme, so it is not uncommon for vehicle occupants to suffer complete or partial fractures as a result. These fractures almost always fall under one of the following categories:

• Stable fractures, in which the broken ends of a bone are only slightly out of place
• Transverse fractures, which involve horizontal breaks
• Oblique fractures, which have an angled break pattern
• Comminuted fractures, in which the bone actually shatters into multiple pieces
• Open, or compound fractures, which occur when the pieces of a broken bone pierce the skin

Of these fractures, compound fractures are considered to be the most severe, as they involve not only extreme breaks, but also an increased risk of infection due to the presence of an open wound.

Common Forms of Treatment

The treatment of fractures depends on the type of break in question, which is determined through a physical examination and an x-ray. Once the exact location for the break has been determined, an injured party will usually be fitted with a rigid plaster or fiberglass cast, or a functional brace. In serious cases, patients may require surgical intervention where metal pins and screws are placed above and below the fracture site and then connected to a metal bar outside of the skin. Known as external fixation, this method ensures that there is no movement of the broken bone during the healing process and is often utilized with compound fractures. Alternatively, an injured party could undergo internal fixation, which involves repositioning the bone fragments in their normal alignment and then holding those pieces together with metal plates and screws.

Why a Fracture’s Impact Doesn’t End When the Cast Comes Off

Whatever the form of treatment, an injured party suffering from a broken bone can expect to experience significant pain and be saddled with potentially expensive medical bills, but it’s worth understanding that a fracture claim doesn’t end the day a doctor declares the bone healed. Fractures involving a joint, in particular, can leave lingering stiffness, reduced range of motion, or a heightened risk of arthritis years down the road. Hardware placed during surgery — the plates, screws, or external fixators mentioned above — sometimes needs to be removed or adjusted later, which is a real future medical cost that should be accounted for, not overlooked, when a claim is being valued.

This matters especially for people in physically demanding lines of work, which describes a great many folks throughout the counties we serve. A fracture that heals “well” by a doctor’s standards can still keep someone from doing the same job they did before the crash, and that reduced earning capacity deserves to be part of the conversation about what your car accident claim is actually worth.

What Insurance Adjusters Sometimes Get Wrong

Insurance adjusters reviewing a fracture claim will often focus heavily on the initial treatment costs — the emergency room visit, the cast, maybe a single follow-up appointment — while giving far less weight to the physical therapy, lost work time, and ongoing limitations that come afterward. A thorough claim accounts for the whole picture: what the injury cost you in the moment, and what it’s still costing you months or years later.

Call a Dedicated Central Virginia Car Accident Lawyer

Whatever the form of treatment, an injured party suffering from a broken bone can expect to experience significant pain and be saddled with potentially expensive medical bills. To learn more about seeking compensation for these costs from the at-fault party who caused your own crash, please contact dedicated Central Virginia car accident attorney Herbert E. Maxey, Jr. at 434-969-4873 today. We’ve helped folks throughout Central Virginia, from Halifax to Charlottesville, recover from serious fractures for nearly fifty years, and we know what it takes to build a claim that reflects the injury’s full, real impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my broken bone fully heal after a car accident?

Many fractures heal fully with proper treatment, but complex fractures — especially those involving a joint — can result in permanent stiffness, reduced range of motion, or early arthritis even after the bone itself has healed.

What is a compound fracture?

A compound, or open, fracture is one where the broken bone penetrates the skin. These carry an increased risk of infection due to the presence of an open wound and typically require more extensive surgical treatment.

What’s the difference between internal and external fixation?

External fixation uses metal pins and screws connected to a bar outside the skin to stabilize the bone, while internal fixation repositions bone fragments and holds them together with plates and screws placed during surgery.

Can I have a valid claim if my fracture heals without complications?

Yes. Even a fracture that heals well can support a claim for the medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering you experienced during your recovery.

What if I need surgical hardware removed or adjusted later?

Future hardware removal or replacement should be accounted for when valuing your claim if your treating physician anticipates that possibility.

How is the severity of a fracture determined?

Severity generally depends on the amount of force involved and how the bone broke, ranging from stable fractures with minimal displacement to comminuted fractures where the bone shatters into multiple pieces.

Can a fracture affect my ability to work even after it’s technically healed?

Yes, particularly for physically demanding jobs. Lingering stiffness, reduced range of motion, or discomfort can limit what a person is able to do even once a doctor considers the bone fully healed.

What evidence helps support a fracture claim?

X-rays and imaging, treatment and surgical records, physical therapy notes, and documentation of how the injury has affected your work and daily activities all strengthen a claim.

Does a fracture claim account for future arthritis risk?

When a treating physician identifies an elevated risk of future arthritis or joint problems tied to the fracture, that should be factored into how the claim is valued.

How much does it cost to hire Herbert E. Maxey, Jr. for a broken bone claim?

Nothing upfront. We handle fracture and joint injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning there’s no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you, and your first consultation is free.