Bone Fracture Lawyer

bone fracture

A fracture involves a partial or complete break in a bone. This type of injury often requires medical care for weeks, months, and even years. Fractures are considered very common by Mayo Clinic, with over 3 million cases reported per year in the United States. The severity of a fracture is generally based on the patient's condition and the force that caused the break in the bone. If excessive forces are involved, such as a motor vehicle collision, the bone may potentially shatter.

If you suffered a broken bone in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other losses. Call a skilled bone fracture lawyer at our California personal injury law firm for free, friendly case advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400.

Only a skilled attorney will have the experience and understanding of California personal injury law to build a strong case. For this reason, be sure to get the legal help you need. Schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled bone fracture attorneys today to determine what steps you should take to recover the maximum financial compensation you deserve. Our law firm has handled cases involving all types of bone trauma, including fractures and dislocations, since 1982.

What are the Symptoms of a Bone Fracture?

When an individual breaks a bone, they may experience excruciating pain that prevents them from moving the injured area. Other common symptoms of a broken bone reported by Penn Medicine include:

  • Obvious deformity, pain, or swelling in the fracture site
  • Difficulty moving or using the site of injury in a normal manner
  • Bruising, redness, or warmth in the fractured area
  • Fragments of bone breaking through the skin
  • Tingling and numbness

If you were injured in an accident and believe you suffered a broken bone, seek medical advice and attention from a healthcare provider immediately.

What are the Most Common Types of Broken Bones?

Below is a list of the most common types of bone fractures reported by Stanford Health Care (Stanford Medicine):

  • Comminuted Fracture: This involves the shattering of the bone into three or more fragments.
  • Compression: The bone has been crushed, and it has caused the broken bone to be flatter or wider in physical appearance.
  • Greenstick Fracture: This is an incomplete fracture where the bone has only cracked on one side and not completely through.
  • Oblique Fracture: This type of fracture has a sloped or curved pattern.
  • Segmental Fracture: There is a break in two places of the same bone.
  • Spiral Fracture: This involves a break spiraling around the bone and is common in twisting injuries.
  • Transverse Fracture: This involves a break in a horizontal line across the bone.
What are the Treatment Methods for a Fractured Bone?

Specific treatment options for a bone fracture are generally determined by medical professionals based on:

  • The patient's age, medical history, and overall health
  • The extent of the injured area
  • The patient's tolerance for therapies, procedures, and medications
  • Expectations for the course of rehabilitative treatment
  • The patient's preference or opinion

The goal of rehabilitation is to promote healing, restore normal use of the fractured area, control the pain, and prevent complications. Treatment for fractures may include:

  • Surgery
  • Traction
  • Prescription pain medication
  • Splints to protect the broken limb from use or motion
  • Plaster cast to immobilize the trauma site and promote healing and bone alignment

The following video provides the basics of bone fracture healing:

How is a Bone Fracture Diagnosed?

In addition to a physical exam and a complete medical history (asking the patient how the trauma occurred), diagnostic imaging procedures for a broken bone may include:

  • Computed Tomography Scan (CT Scan)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • X-Ray
What are the Most Common Causes of Broken Bones?

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the leading causes of bone fractures include:

  • Overuse: When one part of the body is used the same way repeatedly, it can put too much stress on muscles and more force on bones. Repetitive motion can result in stress fractures which are common in athletic individuals.
  • Osteoporosis: A disorder in which bones become brittle and weak, making them more likely to break.
  • Trauma: A motor vehicle collision, a fall, or sports injuries can result in broken bones.

In any situation that results in a bone fracture, an injured person has the right to recover financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. At our personal injury law firm, our broken bone attorneys can guide you on the right path to recovery.

Types of Bone Fracture Cases Our Attorneys Handle

Our injury lawyers deal with the following types of accidents involving broken bone cases:

  • Car Accidents
  • Cycling Crashes
  • Motorcycle Collisions
  • Slip and Falls
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability
  • Trucking Crashes

If you suffered a bone fracture because of someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your personal injury damages under California law. Contact an experienced bone fracture lawyer for more details.

How Much Compensation Will I Get for a Broken Bone?

The amount of economic and non-economic damages awarded in a bone fracture case will depend on the severity of the injury and losses incurred. The skilled broken bone injury lawyers from our law firm can review your case to determine the types of damages you may seek, including:

What is the Filing Deadline for a Personal Injury Claim in California?

A claimant has two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court for a broken bone. If the claimant does not file within the two-year statute of limitations or accepts an insurance settlement within that time period, they may lose the right to recover damages. This is by the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1.

A different filing deadline may apply to a personal injury suit if it involves government entity negligence. Under the California Government Code Section 911.2, a claimant has six months or 180 days to file a notice of claim from the date they suffered the bone fracture.

In action for a broken bone against a healthcare provider based upon that individual's alleged professional negligence, a case must be filed within three years from the injury date or one year after the claimant discovers the fracture, whichever occurs first. Refer to the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.5 for more details.

Consult with an experienced broken bone attorney to determine what time limits may apply in your personal injury case.

Should I Accept a Settlement Offer from the Insurance Company for a Fracture?

The insurance company representing the at-fault party may contact a claimant to offer a quick lowball settlement offer in hopes of them accepting it. This is their way of limiting financial liability for an accident caused by their insured. Unfortunately, insurers have the same approach for first-party claims filed under uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) policies.

An insurance claims adjuster may pressure an injured party to accept a personal injury settlement or convince them that it is the highest offer they can make. However, do not accept any settlement offer without speaking with a skilled injury attorney to determine whether it is full and fair in light of the bone fracture you suffered.

Why You Need an Injury Attorney for a Broken Bone Case

Insurers often do not offer the fair amount serious injury cases are worth. Insurance companies may attempt to reduce compensation or deny claims altogether. In other situations, they may shift fault on the claimant under comparative fault laws in California.

When an injured party retains an experienced broken bone attorney, they will have an advocate who will protect their best interests during insurance negotiations. A lawyer will handle the personal injury claims process while the injured party focuses on more important things, such as family and getting better.

Can I Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Bone Fracture Case?

From our law office in Sacramento, we serve clients throughout California. We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means our clients will pay no fees to our legal team unless we recover fair compensation on their behalf. We also offer free case evaluations, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us today.

Contact a Bone Fracture Attorney Today

Bone fracture claims are often challenging, but our personal injury law firm has the experience, skills, and resources to handle such cases. Our California broken bone attorneys are familiar with the defense tactics that insurance companies use to limit the compensation paid to injured parties for their fracture cases.

By reaching out to our California personal injury lawyers immediately after an accident, you have a better chance of obtaining maximum compensation for your losses. Contact our legal team today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for a free case evaluation.

Editor's Note: updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 4.14.23]

Image Credit: Pexels

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