Broken Bones in Car Accidents
A car accident can change your life in an instant. You may be feeling fine one second and then suddenly in a bunch of pain after a major crash.
One of the most common injuries in a car accident is a broken bone. Any type of extreme force during a collision can cause someone to break, or fracture, a bone. Some examples include:
- Being ejected from a vehicle while not wearing a seatbelt.
- Hitting the pavement when ejected from a motorcycle.
- Crushing forces such as collision with a large truck or the weight of a motorcycle on top of the body.
- Being hit by the air bag or loose items in the car.
- Slamming forward into the steering wheel or dashboard.
While any bone can be broken in a car accident, the most common ones are the following:
- Spinal vertebrae of the back or neck. It is common for them to break during rear-end or head-on collisions. A fracture can be fatal.
- The clavicle is the most fragile bone in the human body. Because it is so thin, it is often fractured in car accidents.
- Pelvic bone. The pelvic bone is thought to be the most commonly broken bone in car accidents. It is more likely to break in a motorcycle accident, but it can also happen in a severe car crash.
- Fibula (lower leg) and femur (upper leg). While leg bones are typically very strong, broken legs are surprisingly common. The force of a crash can crush the car into the leg with great force.
- Cranial fractures are caused by the victim hitting their head on the dashboard, window, or steering wheel. These fractures are often undetected, as there might be no visible sign of damage. However, the victim may exhibit stroke-like symptoms that require treatment.
- Facial bones. The strike of an airbag or hitting a dashboard or steering wheel commonly causes broken noses, jaws, cheekbones, and orbital bones (around the eyes).
- Breastbone and ribs. These bones take up a lot of space in your midsection. These bones protect your heart and lungs. While sturdy, these bones can be broken by lurching forward into your seat belt.
How do you know if you have a broken bone? You may be able to tell by the following symptoms:
- Bone poking through the skin
- Swelling and inflammation
- Extreme pain
- Bruising
- Deformed appearance
Doctors can diagnose broken bones by taking X-rays. These images can tell doctors what’s going on inside your body. A CT scan may also be ordered.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Car accidents can cause a variety of injuries, including broken bones. Broken bones can be painful and require a lot of costly treatment.
If you have been injured in a crash, seek legal help from a Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC. We can help you if you have suffered significant losses. Schedule a consultation today by filling out the online form or calling 281-347-3247.
Source:
sterlingmedgroup.com/broken-bones-car-accident/
