The term “broken bone” refers to an array of injuries, from a hairline fracture to an injury that leaves a bone shattered. The consequences of such an injury cause a great deal of pain and can range from temporary annoyance to lifetime disability. If your quality of life, or your ability to earn a living, has been seriously affected by a broken bone and you believe that your injury was caused by persons or forces beyond your control, you may be able to pursue financial restitution for your harms and losses.
Broken bones are extremely common injuries. It has been said that, on average, a person experiences two broken bones in their lifetime. Broken bones are caused by the amount of pressure on the bone surpassing the amount of pressure the bone can withstand.
Broken bones happen most commonly in car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and workplace accidents. Fractures are the most common type of bone breaks but broken bones can be classified in a number of ways, including:
Clean Breaks: Often, the easiest to treat by medical professionals as the bone breaks into two simple pieces, limiting the damage to the surrounding area.
Bone Fractures: Fractures are the most common of the broken bones classifications and is when a bone either breaks and shifts in alignment, or partially breaks.
Bone chips: When a piece of bone or cartilage is chipped off. Most commonly occurs when a ligament tears away from a bone or joint.
Bone shatters: Bone shatters occur when a bone breaks into 3 or more pieces, often as a result of being crushed by a heavy object.