While personal injuries can result from various types of incidents, automobile accidents are often the leading cause. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 2 million people in the U.S. are treated in an emergency room for injuries sustained from a car accident each year. Unfortunately, bone fractures are frequent injuries in a vehicular accident due to the forceful impact that the collision can have on the human body.
Why Do Car Accidents Cause Different Types of Fractures?
The impact that a car accident has on a person’s body comes down to physics: if the force of the collision is greater than what a certain bone in the body can absorb, then that bone may be susceptible to fractures or breaks. Even seemingly small factors—such as tension in your joints or the ability to brace for impact—can contribute to the degree of injury in the face of high speeds and heavy impacts. Following the initial impact, additional fractures might be sustained from being thrown around in an unnatural way or even being thrown from the vehicle.
Five Common Bone Fractures
Fractures can occur to any bone in the body, and they can be classified as either “simple” or “compound” fractures. While simple fractures remain underneath the skin, compound fractures occur when the bone is made visible through a rip or tear in the skin. Though there are many types of fractures, here are five common fractures occurring from an accident:
- Hairline fractures, which are classified as small cracks or extreme bruising within a bone
- Comminuted fractures, which break the bone into three or more pieces
- Transverse fractures, which are breaks that happen perpendicular to the bone shaft
- Avulsion fractures, which occur when the tendon or ligament breaks off with a piece of the bone
- Buckle fractures, which are incomplete fractures in which the bone breaks on only one side and buckles or bends on the other
Contact Leav & Steinberg Today
Minor bone fractures might seem insignificant, but they can incur both high financial costs and physical suffering until they are properly healed. If you have sustained personal injuries from an auto accident that wasn’t your fault, an experienced attorney can help you receive possible compensation. Our team of professional attorneys at Leav & Steinberg LLP has helped clients achieve successful results in a variety of personal injury and accident cases. Request a free consultation today by calling 212-766-5222.
