Ouch, that hurts! For any of you who have experienced what it feels like when experiencing a bone fracture, you know that the pain is instantaneously severe and sharp! Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. I remember very well when I was trying to get to court in Brooklyn, NY when I slipped and fell down subway stairs and wound up with a complex break of my tibia. I called my wife from the ambulance and told her what she still remembers very clearly to this day. "Tracy, I slipped and fell down the subway stairs, I'm in the ambulance on my way to the hospital, I can see the bone sticking out of my leg. Please get here as soon as possible. I need you." Accidents are scary, especially when the injury or injuries involved are serious. Personally, I wound up requiring surgery with hardware I still have in my leg to this day fourteen years later. I was diagnosed with an open reduction/internal fixation leg fracture. When our kids were younger, I would have to remind them to take care of that leg. They did not always remember. What can you expect if you find yourself in a similar situation? There are all types of bone fractures so the type of fracture or injury sustained by you will make a difference.
You might find it interesting to know that bones can actually accommodate some level of force before fracturing or breaking. I did. This is because bones do have some give against force. However, if the force is too great then the bone will succumb to the force and break due to it.
There are different types of fractures. My fracture was an "open fracture" since the bone penetrated through my skin. In that situation, in the hospital the physicians in the Emergency Room will probably assess your wound and treat it to prevent an infection issue. It's possible the broken bone will be reduced somewhat as a temporary measure if orthopedic surgery then and it is not possible. In my case, I did not have surgery right then and there. I was treated in the Emergency Room and had a few days to research and select an orthopedic surgeon of my own choosing. My wife Tracy recalls this very well that the surgery took longer than anticipated and the surgeon told her my leg bones were nearly pulverized. My surgery thankfully was a success. I still get pain to this day and am limited sometimes in activity. There are however lesser orthopedic fractures which we can review here.
If you have a "stable fracture" the ends of the bone by the break line up and are barely out of place. Consider yourself lucky. X-rays provide clinicians with ideal imaging of bone and its likely your fracture will be diagnosed with the aid of x-rays. Other types of fractures are characterized by how the break or fracture appears. In an "oblique fracture" for example there is an angled pattern to the break. On the other hand, with a "transverse fracture" the break is horizontal in appearance. A "comminuted fracture" (which I had to some extent, in addition to the open part) means there is a shattering of bone involved.
Fractures can be caused by tripping and falling, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, bicycle accidents, osteoporosis and overuse (a/k/a "stress fracture").
If someone else was responsible for your fracture injury or injuries - we are here to provide all of your legal needs. Because accidents happen.
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