Different Types of Bone Fractures

Fractures—or broken bones—are painful and frightening, but they are also one of the most common serious injuries. Depending on the type of bone fracture, the break may heal easily with proper treatment from an orthopedic specialist, but some fractures are complex, resulting in long, painful recovery periods.

Even simple fractures cause the loss of function of an extremity or body part, at least temporarily. If the broken bone resulted from someone else’s actions or negligence, the injury victim shouldn’t have to be left responsible for the economic consequences as well as dealing with the physical ones which is why it is so important to contact a personal injury lawyer in New Haven.

Call us at (203) 888-8888 today to speak with a legal professional at Weber & Rubano.

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What are the Different Types of Bone Fractures?

About 6.8 million people are treated for fractures each year in the U.S. In fact, the average person can anticipate experiencing two fractures over their lifetime. Bones are the body’s critical support system. A bone fracture occurs from a hard impact that causes the bone to break under the force. Types of fractures include the following:

• Simple fractures: this is when a bone snaps in a single clean break that doesn’t pierce the skin
• Compound fractures: in this type of fracture, the broken end of the bone pierces through the skin
• Comminuted fractures: a bone that shatters or breaks in three or more places
• Segmental fracture: a bone fractures in two places, leaving a piece of bone completely separated from its parts on both sides or “floating”
• Compression fracture: two bones are forced together under pressure, crushing where they meet (most commonly occurring in the vertebrae or backbones)
• Stress fractures (hairline fractures): a thin break line or crack in bones after repeated impact, such as in the shins from running a marathon
• Greenstick fracture: when a bone bends and cracks, most common in children due to their more flexible bones
• Bow fracture: when a bone bends into a bow shape but doesn’t snap—also most common in children
• Spiral fracture: part of the bone twists while breaking
• Longitudinal fracture: a bone breaks along its length instead of across
• Pathological fracture: this type of fracture occurs as a result of a disease that weakens the bones, most commonly from osteoporosis or bone cancer

When the continuity of bone tissue is disrupted by a break, treatment is typically a cast or splint to hold the broken bones in place while the bone material “knits” itself back together and heals. More complicated breaks may require surgery, pins, or other medical devices placed inside to hold bones together during healing.

Common Causes of Fractures

Fractures occur from a forceful impact or blow. The most common causes of fractures include the following:

• Car accidents: Auto crashes can be deadly — contact a New Haven car accident lawyer to pursue justice.
• Sports injuries
• Falls
• Workplace injuries
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Commercial truck accidents
• Direct hits or kicks from another person or animal, such as a horse or goat

Sometimes no one is to blame for an accidental fracture, but if the broken bone occurs in a car accident, workplace injury, slip-and-fall accident, or in any other preventable accident caused by someone else’s negligent, reckless, or wrongful action, the injury victim may recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering — if any of these resulted in a fatality, contact a wrongful death lawyer in New Haven.

Complications From Fractures

Fortunately, most fractures heal without incident; however, there are complications that sometimes occur. Elderly victims of serious fractures such as hip or pelvic fractures are at the greatest risk of complications due to immobility. However, individuals of any age may experience complications such as shock embolisms, infection, compartment syndrome (severe swelling that cuts off oxygen flow in the area), or difficulty healing.

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney In Connecticut Help?

Broken bones are not only painful, they are expensive to treat and may interfere with the ability to return to work at your previous capacity, or at all, depending on the type and severity of the fracture. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Weber & Rubano for experienced legal counsel to help you recover compensation from the at-fault party.