Toledo Fractures Attorneys

Broken bones are some of the most common injuries sustained by accident victims. Like any other injury, broken bones can range in severity, with some healing within a few weeks and others requiring surgery and physical therapy. Fortunately, whether you were injured at work or in an accident, you could be eligible for compensation to cover the cost of medical bills and lost wages. To learn more about whether you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits or could collect damages in a personal injury suit, please contact an experienced attorney who can address your concerns.

What Qualifies as a Fracture?

Human bones can withstand a surprising amount of force and pressure. However, they are not impervious to these forces and when too much pressure is placed on them, they could break or split. These breaks are referred to as fractures, of which there are a number of different kinds. Broken bones that puncture the skin, for example, are called open, or compound fractures. Stress fractures, on the other hand, are hairline cracks in the bone that usually develop as a result of repeated or prolonged trauma. Other common fractures include:

• Stable fractures – In this type of fracture, the broken ends of a bone line up and are only slightly out of place.
• Transverse fractures – These breaks occur along a horizontal fracture line.
• Oblique fractures – This describes a fracture in which a bone breaks at an angle.
• Comminuted fractures – A fracture in which the bone is shattered into three or more pieces.

The severity of a break depends in large part on the force that caused it. For instance, extreme force, such as the trauma suffered in a car crash can cause the bone to shatter, while less severe impacts may only result in a small crack.

Common Causes

Although broken bones are sustained in a variety of different accidents, most are suffered as a result of trauma caused by:

• Falls from a great height;
• Participation in a contact sport;
• Car crashes;
• Direct blows; and
• Repetitive force and overuse, such as running, which can tire the muscles while also placing more force on the bone.

Regardless of their cause, broken bones are usually extremely painful, and are accompanied by limited mobility, swelling, bruising, and numbness or tingling.

Treatment

How a broken bone is treated depends on the severity of the injury. For example, immobilizing the injured area through the use of a cast is often sufficient to treat minor breaks. In these cases, a physician repositions the bone and then applies a plaster or fiberglass cast to keep the broken ends in place while they heal. Less serious fractures may even be treated through the use of a functional cast or brace, which allows for limited movement of nearby joints. More serious breaks, however, may require surgical intervention, in which metal pins and screws are used to hold together the bone fragments. These surgeries are complex and victims are usually required to undergo physical therapy after healing.

Call Today to Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

If you sustained a broken bone in an accident that was not your fault, please contact Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC at 419-241-5500 to learn more about filing a claim against the responsible party.