Broken Bones & Fracture in Motor Vehicle Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, one in every 150 automobile accidents involve a fracture. While that may not sound like a very high number, consider that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calculates that there were 30,057 fatal accidents in the United States in 2013.

Broken Bones and Fractures in car accidents

Surprisingly, the majority of vehicle crashes were single-vehicle crashes, leading to numerous injuries to the driver including fracture. While fractures were among those injuries, the types of fractures varied among drivers. More than 40 percent suffered fractures to their arms or legs, which most often was due to the impact of the crash occurring on the driver’s side of the vehicle. In other accidents, the IIHS estimated that lack of seatbelt use accounted for as many as 73 percent of fractures among drivers and passengers.

However, of all types of fractures sustained in vehicle and car accidents in Rhode Island and across the United States, pelvic fractures proved to be the most common as well as the most serious. According to data from the NHTSA, pelvic fractures were associated with other serious injuries as well. For example, 51 percent of victims who suffered closed head injuries also suffered pelvic fractures, while those who sustained a peripheral nerve injury also sustained pelvic fractures in 26 percent of accidents. Other injuries associated with pelvic fractures included injuries to the spleen, bladder, kidney, and liver. Spleen and bladder injuries happened in more than 10 percent of pelvic fracture victims, while liver and kidney injuries happened in more than seven percent of victims.

Broken bones or fractures can occur as a result of a car accident due to the significant force and impact involved. These injuries can vary in severity, depending on the nature of the accident, the location of the impact, and the speed at which the collision occurred. Common types of broken bones and fractures resulting from car accidents include:

1. Long Bone Fractures: These are fractures that occur in long bones such as the femur, tibia, and humerus. They are often the result of high-impact accidents.
2. Rib Fractures: The chest can be injured in a car accident, leading to rib fractures. These can be painful and may require supportive treatment, but they are typically not as severe as some other fractures.
3. Pelvic Fractures: Car accidents can cause pelvic fractures, which can be very painful and may require surgical intervention.
4. Spinal Fractures: The force of a car accident can result in spinal fractures. These can vary in severity, and severe spinal fractures can lead to paralysis.
5. Skull Fractures: Head injuries are common in car accidents, and they can result in skull fractures. These can be life-threatening and often require immediate medical attention.
6. Facial Fractures: The face can also be injured in car accidents, leading to fractures of the facial bones, such as the nose or jaw.
7. Clavicle (Collarbone) Fractures: These are common in car accidents and can cause pain and discomfort.
8. Arm and Leg Fractures: Various bones in the arms and legs, such as the radius, ulna, and fibula, can be fractured as a result of a car accident.

It’s essential to seek prompt medical attention if you suspect a broken bone or fracture after a car accident. Treatment may involve immobilization with casts or splints, surgery for severe fractures, and physical therapy to aid in the recovery process. The specific treatment will depend on the type and location of the fracture.

Additionally, it’s crucial to document the accident, gather witness information, and contact law enforcement and your insurance company for legal and financial purposes, especially if the accident was caused by another party’s negligence.

Many accident victims sustained fractures due to high-speed deceleration

This in turn led to extremely hard impacts on victims, and also resulted in some cases from victims being restrained by seatbelts that were later found to be too tight. In additional findings, drivers and passengers who were age 55 or older were twice as likely to sustain fractures as were those drivers and passengers who were between the ages of 20-35.

While it may seem inevitable that serious injuries such as fractures will occur in many vehicle accidents, it by no means guarantees a victim will be entitled to financial compensation. Victims must remember that to have a case ever get to trial, it must first involve consulting with a RI car accident  lawyer and then having that Rhode Island personal injury attorney or Providence personal injury lawyers accept the case. For those who have been involved in an  automobile accident in RI or MA and sustained fractures, meeting with an negligence attorney in East Providence is a smart decision.

“Fractures, broken bones–you can call it what you wish, it means the same thing–are among the most common orthopedic problems, about 6.8 million come to medical attention each year in the United States. The average citizen in a developed country can expect to sustain two fractures over the course of their lifetime. • The most common fracture prior to age 75 is a wrist fracture. In those over age 75, hip fractures become the most common broken bone. • Fractures account for 16% of all musculoskeletal injuries in the U.S. annually. • More than 40% of fractures occur at home (22.5% inside and 19.1% outside). • Approximately 6.3 million fractures occur each year in the U.S. ”  Fractures/Broken Bones Data  Minnesota Broken Bone Injury Attorneys / Lawyers  Schwebel, Geotz and Sieben

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Legal Notice per Rules of Professional Responsibility: The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers and attorneys in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. While this firm maintains joint responsibility, most cases of this type are referred to other attorneys for principle responsibility.