Broken bones, or fractures, often occur in car, truck, bicycle, and motorcycle crashes, as well as in falls, assaults, and workplace accidents. When a force from outside the body is applied to a bone, it can “give” or bend, only very slightly. With too strong a force, it will break. If you are a victim of a serious injury caused by these factors, our Dallas broken bone attorneys are here to help.
A fracture is a painful and disabling injury that can put you out of commission for at least several weeks, but often much longer, depending on your age, general health, and the type of fracture. Depending on your occupation, you may be out of work for quite a while, and if you are over the age of sixty-five, there is an increased chance that a fracture will cause a permanent disability.
A fracture will often cause pain, bruising, and swelling near the injury, and a broken limb may appear displaced or deformed. Sometimes you can see bone sticking out through the skin.
If you’ve broken a bone in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by another driver, or in a fall on someone else’s premises that occurred because of a hazardous condition or lack of security on the property, you are entitled to make a claim against the responsible party to recover money as compensation for your damages. This is usually done with the help of an experienced
Dallas personal injury lawyer.
Why Get Help From a Lawyer?
A broken bone is a serious injury that could impact your life for weeks, months or even for life. Instead of accepting what an insurance company believes your case is worth, work with a professional who has your best interests in mind. A lawyer will not let you settle a bone fracture claim for less than it is worth. Your lawyer may be able to negotiate a higher settlement from the insurance company than you could get alone. If not, that may not mean the end of your case. If you have hired an attorney, he or she may be able to take the at-fault party to court for a better award amount.
A broken bone lawyer can be there for you and your family during this difficult time. Your attorney will listen to your story, get to know your family and explain to you what to expect from the claims process. You will never feel in the dark about your claim. You can ask questions and receive honest, dependable answers from a legal professional. Your attorney will give you updates about your claim’s status as it moves through each phase of the legal process. You will have an advocate protecting your rights in the fight for fair compensation.
Do not risk losing your claim because you believe you cannot afford a broken bone attorney. At our law firm, we accept most personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You will only pay for your lawyer if he or she obtains you an award. If your lawyer loses the case, you will owe us nothing. If he or she wins, you will pay attorney’s fees directly from the settlement or judgment award, not out of pocket.
What Kind of Lawyer Will I Need?
If you have broken a bone in an accident, you will need a lawyer who represents victims of your accident type. If you sustained the fracture at work, for example, you should hire a workplace accident attorney for tailored knowledge in this practice area. Since almost all personal injury lawyers take cases involving broken bones, you will need to get more specific with the type of accident that caused your injury. Look for a lawyer in Dallas that lists your accident type as one of his or her practice areas.
Finding a lawyer that specifically takes cases involving your type of accident can ensure you receive attention from legal professionals with the right experience, skill and knowledge. Your lawyer will need to understand the specific laws surrounding your accident type. A defective product claim, for example, may have a different burden of proof than a car accident claim. Find out if our lawyers accept your type of accident during a
free consultation.
What Damages Could I Be Compensated For?
With help from an attorney, you may be able to secure compensation for your broken bone injury and many related damages. The at-fault party may owe you a financial award for negligently or intentionally causing your bone fracture. A successful personal injury claim against one or more parties could lead to a settlement or jury verdict in your favor, along with award amounts for different damages. A positive case outcome could involve a compensation award to recover many economic and noneconomic damages.
- All related medical expenses, including surgeries and rehabilitation
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Disabilities related to the broken bones
- Lost income from missed time at work
- Physical pain and suffering
- Past and future emotional distress
- Lost quality of life
- Property damage
The courts in Texas allow injured parties to file claims for both tangible and intangible losses. These compensatory damages aim to make up for all the physical, emotional and financial losses the victim endured because of someone else’s negligence. In cases involving gross negligence or malicious crimes, a judge may also award additional punitive damages. A punitive damage award punishes the defendant for serious wrongdoings.
Common Fractures that Occur in Motor Vehicle Accidents and Falls
- Fractured vertebrae of “back fracture;”
- Fracture of the skull, which may cause a brain injury;
- Facial bone fractures, which can be disfiguring and may result in damage to the eyes or nose, causing problems with breathing or vision;
- Jaw fracture, which can impair a nerve and cause pain and chronic severe headaches;
- Fracture of leg—tibia and/or fibula in the lower leg, or femur in the upper leg, impairing mobility. A broken femur may result in a shortening of the affected leg;
- Rib fracture, which usually causes pain with every breath and when laughing;
- Hip fracture—an extremely serious fracture that may not heal readily and often shortens the life of an elderly victim;
- Pelvic fracture—a break in one or more of the three bones, the ilium, ischium, and pubis that form the pelvis, usually a result of a high-energy force, especially common in motorcycle and car accidents. A pelvic fracture can damage the vital organs within the pelvic area and can be life threatening;
- Distal radius or wrist fracture, which may permanently limit the range of motion in their wrist;
- Clavicle or collarbone fracture, which may severely limit the use of the arm and shoulder for a substantial length of time;
- Humerus fracture—a broken upper arm or elbow, which can cause nerve damage.
Some Classifications of Bone Fractures
- Simple fracture or closed fracture—a bone fracture that does not pierce the skin
- Compound or open fracture—one in which the broken bone breaks through the skin, creating a high risk of infection and complications, usually requiring surgery
- Comminuted fracture—a fracture which a bone is splintered into multiple pieces
- Avulsion fracture— a fracture in which a tightened ligament causes a fragment of bone to be forced out of the main bone during a strain or intense muscle contraction
- Greenstick or buckle fracture—a fracture seen only in children in which one side of the bone is bent while the other side is broken
- Stress or hairline fracture—a crack in a bone, leaving the shape of the bone intact, from repetitive stress car accident, or fall. May go undiagnosed at first.
- Transverse fracture—a horizontal fracture of the bone
- Oblique fracture—a fracture that crosses a bone at an angle
Medical Treatment of Fractures
For a broken bone to heal properly, the pieces must be held together in their proper place so they can knit together. Depending on how severely the bone is broken and the location of the fracture, a cast or brace may be used; however, the most serious fractures require surgery, which usually involves inserting plates and/or pins to hold the bone fragments in place. Ice and anti-inflammatory medications may help with pain and swelling immediately after the break occurs.
Getting the Help from a Dallas Broken Bone Lawyer
In the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, when you’ve broken a bone due to someone else’s negligence or other wrongdoing, you will find the legal advocacy that you are looking for by contacting the law firm of Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Aaron Herbert. Aaron has fourteen years of experience recovering money for injured clients and, in addition to being a board certified personal injury specialist, he has received the highest possible rating from AVVO (10 out of 10) and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Your first consultation is always free, and you pay nothing out of pocket. You will incur no attorney fees, court, or legal expenses unless you recover.
