Among the vast variety of injuries a person can experience in an accident, broken bones are perhaps some of the most common ones. Regardless of whether you were in a major car accident or slipped on a wet floor, breaking a bone can leave a lasting impact on your life.
If you’ve suffered a broken bone because of someone else’s negligent behavior, you have a right to file for compensation. Read on to learn the legal implications of your injury and what steps to take afterward.
The Impact of Broken Bones On Your Life
Because of the way the body is built, broken bones can easily disrupt your daily activities and involve several long-term consequences as well, such as major nerve damage, chronic pain, and mobility issues.
There are several kinds of broken bone injuries one can face, which are as follows:
- Simple Fractures: The bone is broken but doesn’t break the skin
- Compound Fractures: More severe, where the broken bone also pierces the skin and increases the risk of infection
- Comminuted Fractures: The bone shatters into several pieces and often needs surgical correction
- Stress Fractures: Tiny cracks in the bone that develop over time, often seen in athletes
Depending on the severity of the break, you might need surgery, physical therapy, and extended time away from work to recover fully.
Common Causes of Broken Bones
Some of the more common causes of broken bones include the following:
- Car/Truck Accidents: High-speed crashes often lead to severe fractures, especially in the arms, legs, ribs, and collarbone
- Slip and Fall Incidents: Wet pavement, uneven surfaces, and bad lighting in both public and private places can cause people to lose their balance or trip and break a bone
- Workplace Accidents: Construction sites, factories, and warehouses are high-risk environments for workers, especially if safety rules aren’t followed
- Sports Injuries: Contact sports like football and basketball can lead to the players getting broken bones
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents: A lack of designated lanes or reckless driving can injure pedestrians and bike riders badly enough to suffer several broken bones
Accidents happen, but when they’re the result of someone else’s careless or reckless behavior, the situation can be particularly problematic. If someone else caused your broken bone, you could be reimbursed for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among other things.
What To Do After An Injury
If you experience a bone injury, your actions (or inaction) in the aftermath of the inciting incident can have a major impact on your legal case.
Take Pictures
If you’re able to, take pictures and videos of the accident scene, as well as your injuries and any contributing factors like wet floors or damaged equipment. These will preserve the scene as it is and back up your version of the events that transpired.
Report the Incident
You must also report the incident to the proper people. In the event of an accident, that almost always includes the police, but you may need to let others know, too. Notice of a workplace injury needs to be passed on to the employer or manager, for instance. And in public places, property owners should be informed that someone was hurt on the premises.
Get Medical Attention
Even if your injury seems minor, it’s important to have a doctor look at it as quickly as possible. Delaying medical treatment could not only make the break worse, but it could also damage your case. By going to the hospital, you not only ensure proper care and attention but also create a paper trail of what happened to you and how it has affected your life.
Listen to your doctor and follow their recommended treatment plan. Not only will you improve your chances of recovering fully, but doing this also proves the severity of your injury and your commitment to taking care of yourself. Failing to follow doctor’s orders can give insurance companies excuses to deny your claim.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer
Once things have settled down, get in touch with a personal injury lawyer. The legal system is complicated for anyone unfamiliar with it, so it is not wise to attempt to file a lawsuit on your own. An attorney can help you understand your rights and walk you through the process so nothing jeopardizes your claim.
They’ll also make sure your paperwork is filed properly, and you don’t miss any deadlines. Personal injury claims generally need to be filed within two years of the accident (though there are exceptions), and missing that date could get your case thrown out.
Compensation for Broken Bone Injuries
In Texas, compensation for broken bones can cover a range of costs. Every case is unique, though, so the specific payout type and amount will depend on the details of your situation.
Still, most claims tend to cover the following aspects:
- Medical Costs: Current and future emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, rehab, etc.
- Lost Wages: Compensation for lost income as well as future earnings if you can’t return to work
- Pain and Suffering: Harder to quantify; covers both physical pain and emotional distress
- Property Damage: Reimbursement for the costs to fix or replace personal belongings
It’s important to keep detailed records of all your expenses related to your injury. It would also help to journal how the broken bone has affected your life, both physically and psychologically. That kind of personal documentation will help you build a stronger claim.
Proving Negligence
In any personal injury case, the key to success is the ability to prove the other party’s negligence.
Typically, that means you need to provide evidence that backs up the following points:
- Duty of Care: The responsible party had a duty to ensure your safety (a property owner is legally obligated to keep a safe premises)
- Breach of Duty: The responsible party didn’t meet that duty of care (they did not clean a spill)
- Causation: The breach of duty directly caused your injury
- Damages: You suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm as a result
It is here where all of the evidence you’ve collected comes into play. It will back up your version of events and prove negligence, increasing your chances of obtaining proper compensation.
Take Charge of Your Recovery
If you or a loved one has suffered a broken bone injury in an accident, The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd is here to assist. Reach out today at 281-992-8633 to schedule a free consultation, and let us take the legal burden off your shoulders so you can focus on your recovery.
