Bone Injury

Bone injuries and fractures often occur in accidents. A bone fracture, in medical terms, means the same thing as a broken bone. Bone fractures most often occur in severe automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, and falls. However, bone fractures can occur in many other situations.

No matter the situation in which it occurs, bone fractures require serious medical attention. Accidents serious enough to cause bone fractures also have the potential to cause damage to soft tissue, nerves, organs and muscle tissue.

There are several types of bone injuries varying in seriousness.

• A complete fracture is one that cracks the bone into two distinct, separate pieces.
• A single fracture is one in which the bone is cracked in only one place.
• A compound fracture or open fracture refers to a broken bone that breaks the skin
• Bone injuries can also be described as open/closed, or simple/multi-fragmentary.

Bone injuries can occur anywhere in the body, but are most dangerous when involving the neck or back bones. Sometimes these injuries can be treated with a cast or a sling. Other times these injuries require surgery. The most commonly seen bone injuries are:

• Damaged vertebrae
• Broken pelvis or hip fissure
• Fragmented leg, ankle, or foot fracture
• Hand, wrist or arm fractures
• Chest and shoulder fractures including ribs, sternum, and collarbone
• Facial bones or skull fissures
• Broken jaw or other dental damage
• Rips to tendons, ligaments and cartilage

Bone injuries take a huge amount of pressure and force to take place. A trip to the doctor with a suspected bone injury is never simple. Accompanying injuries are often unseen by the naked eye or completely internal. X-rays, MRI’s, CAT scans and other medical procedures will be required.

When necessary, a doctor may perform open reduction and internal fixation surgery. This is sometimes referred to as "ORIF." In this type of surgery the doctor must open the fracture site, realign the bones, and use screws and a metal plate to hold everything in the correct position. This will be clearly seen on an x-ray taken after the surgery. Recovery time will be months. Sometimes the patient continues to suffer from the injury years after the surgery.

Not only do these injuries cost money now but later as well. Elderly patients can have an extenuated healing time. Children can develop problems healing when specific growth plates are involved. These are all factors that must be figured into the settlement offer.

In California, the law imposes a statute of limitations, which sets a maximum amount of time that legal proceedings can occur after the date the incident. Each year at our Law Office, people call me to ask me for help that have legitimate cases, only to find their statute of limitations has run out. It is one of the most difficult things for me to tell them I can’t help because they waited too long.

It is important to be aware of the statute of limitations and adhere to it in order to maximize your reimbursement settlement. A mishap of just a few days can mean the difference in thousands of dollars. The timely consultation with a personal injury lawyer can ensure the statute of limitations does not run out.

There have been several cases where large settlements have been awarded for bone injuries. In other cases like, Nicks VS Pacific Coast Youth Football and Cheerleading Conference Inc., a settlement is arranged between the plaintiff and the defendant and an agreed upon amount is paid. This case appeared in the Superior Court in the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.

There are a variety of ways a bone fracture or injury can occur. Motor vehicle accidents slip and fall accidents and medical malpractice are some of the most prevalent. In cases like these, fault is often found in a negligent party and a settlement reached. A settlement can also be reached if there was intentional misconduct that leads to injury.

This is important for a number of reasons. Not many of today’s citizens are able to encounter an accident and come out unscathed without seeking reimbursement for their medical expenses and loss of wages.

Hospital bills and lost wages add up at an alarming speed. It is hard to truly realize just how financially devastating a broken bone can be until the time happens. Recovering from these financial, emotional and physical tragedies can only be done by a qualified personal injury attorney with proven experience in the field.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a bone injury, you will need a lawyer with experience. Call Moseley Collins at (916) 444-4444. Moseley is a personal injury attorney serving those badly hurt throughout California. There is no fee to discuss your case and there is no fee unless we win.

Moseley Collins
980 9th St, 16th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 444-4444

http://www.moseleycollins.com/