It may be a long, painful process to recover from a bone fracture after a fall or trip

Breaking a bone during a slip and fall accident is one of the serious but common injuries that victims suffer. Sustaining a broken bone, or fracture, is generally more complicated than it sounds, and a fair recovery often requires the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Different Bones May Break

How you fell and how you landed will influence what bone—or bones—you broke. Some common types of bones that are broken in a slip and fall include…

  • Hip bones. Broken hip bones can be painful, they can take a long time to heal, and in some cases they can be dangerous. Older people are at particular risk of suffering a complicated hip bone fracture or break.
  • Tailbones. Something as simple as sitting can be difficult after a tailbone break. This type of break can make moving and doing every day activities difficult.
  • Arms, elbows, and wrists. Any bone in the arm, elbow or wrist can break in a fall and make work and other activities challenging.
  • Legs, knees, and ankles. It may be difficult to walk, drive, or even stand after a break in the leg, knee, or ankle.

Symptoms of a broken bone may include:

  • Pain. The area where the bone is broken will cause the victim to experience pain. The pain will get worse when the area is moved or pressure is applied to it.
  • Swelling. The broken bone will cause the area surrounding the break to become swollen. This is usually accompanied with bruising over the broken bone.
  • Loss of function. The area affected by the broken bone will have a loss of function. For example, if the wrist is broken, the victim will have a difficult time trying to move the wrist.
  • Deformity. The broken bone will cause a deformity in the shape of the area. This is most common with breaks in the arm or leg.

However, not all breaks are the same.

Different Types of Breaks May Occur

Many people are not aware that there are different types of breaks. A broken bone that is caused by a fall may be a…

  • Greenstick fracture. This fracture occurs mostly in children. It is an incomplete fracture in which the bone is bent.
  • Transverse fracture. A transverse fracture is a fracture at a right angle to the bone’s axis.
  • Oblique fracture. When the break has a sloped pattern or is curved, it is considered to be an oblique fracture.
  • Comminuted fracture. This is a fracture in which the bone fragments into several pieces.
  • Impacted fracture. An impacted fracture is one in which the ends of the break are driven into each other. This often occurs in children who suffer from arm fractures. It is also known as a buckle fracture.
  • Compound fracture. A compound fracture is on in which the fractured bone pierces through the skin. This puts the victim at risk of an infection.

Treatment for your broken bone will depend on the specific bone that was fractured and the type of fracture you suffered. It could include immobilization, surgery, and medication.

What to Do If You Break a Bone in a Slip and Fall

Medical attention is necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of your broken bone. However, medical attention will not help you with your legal and financial recovery. After your immediate medical needs have been attended to, it is time to contact a slip and fall lawyer for more information about protecting your recovery of damages. Your recovery could include compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost income, out-of-pocket costs, pain and suffering after a slip and fall injury. For more information, please start a live chat with us now and schedule your own free case evaluation.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.