Understanding Broken Bone Injuries

Fractures, or broken bone injuries, can result from a wide range of accidents in the Richmond area. There are also many different kinds of fractures that a person can sustain, and they can range widely in severity. Depending upon the specific type of fracture, where it occurs in the body, and other factors specific to the injured person, broken bone injuries can be debilitating and even fatal in certain circumstances.

If another party’s negligence or careless behavior resulted in your broken bone injury or a loved one’s fracture, it is important to find out more about filing a claim for compensation and holding the at-fault party accountable. An experienced Richmond personal injury attorney at our firm can help. In the meantime, we can provide you with more information about broken bone injuries, their common causes, and steps you should take to begin the process of seeking compensation.

Different Types of Bone Fractures 

The term “broken bone” is another way of saying “fracture,” which is “a crack or a break” in the bone, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). According to the AAOS, “a bone may be completely fractured or partially fractured in any number of ways (crosswise, lengthwise, in multiple pieces).” The AAOS emphasizes that the severity of a broken bone injury usually depends upon “the force that caused the break,” but other factors can also impact the severity of the injury. The AAOS identifies the following as common types of fractures sustained in accidents and as a result in intentional acts of violence:

• Stable fractures: these fractures are those where the “broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place”;
• Compound fractures: also known as open fractures, this is a type of broken bone injury where “the skin may be pierced by the bone or by a blow that breaks the skin at the time of the fracture,” and sometimes the bone itself is visible;
• Transverse fractures: these types of fractures can be stable or compound fractures, and they are characterized by a fracture line that is horizontal;
• Oblique fractures: these types of fractures can be stable or compound fractures, and they are characterized by an angled fracture pattern; and
• Comminuted fractures: these types of fractures can be stable or compound fractures, and they are characterized by the bone shattering into at least three (and sometimes more) pieces.

Common Causes of Broken Bone Injuries in Virginia 

What causes most broken bone injuries? In addition to stress fractures caused by overuse and by osteoporosis, accidents and intentional acts of violence — in short, traumatic fractures — are the most common reasons that people sustain broken bone injuries. Common causes within this category include but are not limited to:

• Motor vehicle crashes;
• Sports-related and recreational injuries;
• Falls, including both slips and falls and falls from heights; and
• Gunshot wounds.

Contact Our Richmond Broken Bone Injury Lawyers for Help 

Were you injured in an accident and diagnosed with a bone fracture? You may be able to file a claim for financial compensation. One of the experienced Richmond broken bone injury attorneys at Latham & Martin, P.C. can speak with you today about your case. We can provide you with more information about your options for seeking financial compensation, and we can represent you as you seek compensation for the various losses you have incurred as a result of your broken bone injury. Contact us today to get started on your claim.

Source:

orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/fractures-broken-bones/