Whether you broke your wrist from gripping the steering wheel, cracked your nose on the windshield, or suffered broken vertebrae from the impact, the painful aftermath is awful.
Even a simple broken bone takes more than a month to heal, and car crashes often result in multiple fractures or injuries.
Treatment of a broken bone depends on the type of break:
- Hairline fracture: The bone has a crack but is still mostly intact.
- Complete fracture: There is a complete break in the bone.
- Comminuted fracture: Refers to a bone that is broken in more than one place.
- Open fracture: Part of the bone actually breaks through the skin.
At minimum, a simple broken bone will require expensive x-rays and four to six weeks in an uncomfortable, immobilizing cast.
More serious fractures may require surgery to repair the bone, often with the aid of metal screws, pins, or plates to hold the bone in place. You may also need to undergo months of physical therapy to regain proper movement.
Depending on what bone was injured and your occupation, you may need to take a leave of absence from work while your body is healing. This loss of income coupled with your unexpected medical bills may leave you wondering how to pay the bills.
Most broken bones heal completely, allowing the injured person to return to a normal life within months. However, there are never any guarantees.
Sometimes, broken bones simply do not heal. This is particularly true of a serious injury where the blood vessels, nerve endings or joints near the bone may also be injured.
Infection, swelling, and other complications can lead to arthritis, limited mobility, or other long-term injury resulting from your fracture.
If you or a family member has a broken bone resulting from a Maryland truck crash or car accident, call the experienced injury lawyers of Nickelsporn and Lundin at 1-800-875-9700.