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When a bone breaks it can be one of the most painful injuries a person can experience. The human body has over 200 bones of various sizes, strengths, and functions. Some can be as small as the bones on the smallest toe, while others are large and strong, such as hip bones.
No matter the size or location, each bone in the body can break at one time or another and the victim will usually require medical treatment.
However, what happens when the actions or negligence of another causes one to suffer broken bone injuries? It doesn't seem fair for the victim to have to shoulder the medical bills and other damages on their own. There is also the pain and suffering caused by broken bone injuries to consider.
If one has suffered a broken bone injury or even a minor bone fracture, according to the law in Ohio, they deserve compensation from the at-fault party or their insurance company.
However, a broken bone insurance claim does not always go as planned. This is mainly because insurance companies are notorious for trying as much as they can to avoid compensating accident victims. They may also try to avoid traumatic brain injury recovery compensation.
It usually requires a personal injury lawsuit for one to get the compensation they deserve. When this happens, it’s better to have a strong and highly experienced attorney in one's corner.
Over the years, Larrimer and Larrimer have built a reputation of being the go-to attorneys for any personal injury claim in Columbus, Ohio, including those for broken bone injuries. This highly recommended legal team can be reached at (614) 820-1855 for a free consultation.
What Causes a Broken Bone Injury?
It is often very surprising how even a relatively minor incident can lead to broken bones. While elderly people and very young children have a higher risk of suffering a broken bone injury, even adults can end up with a hairline fracture from a small knock.
The following are some of the main causes of broken bone injuries:
Bicycle Accidents
Defective Airbags
Car Accidents
Defective Products
Dog Bites
Workplace Accidents
Lyft Accidents
Sexual Assault
Pedestrian Accidents
Uber Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Slip and Fall Accidents
Negligent Security
Types of Bone Fractures
While most people are content to just use the term "broken bone" to describe all kinds of bone fractures, the reality is that there are many different ways that a bone bends or breaks.
Usually, it is not important to know the exact type of bone fracture one has suffered but for the purposes of personal injury cases, it helps to be very specific.
This is because the extent of broken bone injuries is one of the most important factors in determining the amount of compensation victims will receive.
Most minor incidents result in the victim suffering a simple fracture, which is the best-case scenario when it comes to the amount of pain and suffering they will experience. It is also one of the easiest bone fractures to mend so the medical expenses are usually manageable.
It is also possible to suffer a partial broken bone injury, in which the fracture is not severe enough to cause the bones to separate entirely. In its simplest form, it is classified as a hairline fracture, which is really nothing more than a crack in the bone. It is, nonetheless, still quite a painful injury!
The following are some of the common types of bone fractures or broken bones injuries that one should know in preparation for a personal injury lawsuit:
Comminuted Fracture
As far as broken bones go, some of the most serious injuries are comminuted fractures. These types of bone fractures occur when the bone is crushed or shattered into three or more pieces. Older adults whose bones have become brittle are more prone to this kind of injury.
A comminuted fracture is usually the result of a high-impact fall accident or other serious accident. Such broken bones can take a long time to heal and some kind of rehabilitation may be needed.
It is also not uncommon for the patient to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder due to the extreme pain and suffering caused by comminuted fractures.
Compound Fracture
A compound fracture is a full bone fracture that results in the complete separation of the two pieces of bone which is then further complicated by the piercing of the skin. Such broken bones are particularly serious and, in most cases, surgery will be required.
However, in the worst-case scenario, a compound fracture will result in an infection of the wound. Since the bone marrow will be exposed, if the infection penetrates the inside of the bone, the victim's life will be at risk and medication should be sought immediately.
Transverse Fracture
Transverse fractures occur when the bone break runs straight across the bone. This type of broken bone injury is usually free of any major complications and once the bone is set and supported it will be simply a matter of waiting for it to heal.
In children and healthy adults, a transverse fracture will usually heal quickly without racking up any high medical bills.
Oblique Fracture
Sometimes, the angle of the fall or impact is such that the bone fracture is not quite perpendicular to the bone. If the bone breaks diagonally to the bone's axis this is called an oblique fracture.
It should not be confused with a spiral fracture which is a similar injury in terms of the angle. However, a spiral fracture occurs when the bone bends or twists without out necessarily breaking and it usually happens in long bones in the legs or arms.
Greenstick Fracture
When the bone bends but does not break all the way through, this is referred to as a greenstick fracture. The name comes from the similarity of the fracture to the way a green stick looks when it is partially broken.
Other Types of Bone Fractures
Besides these common types of broken bone injuries, there are other fractures that can occur, such as:
Displaced fracture
Non-displaced fracture
Hip fractures
Compression fracture
Segmental fracture
Stress fractures
Avulsion fracture
Skull fracture
Open fracture and closed fracture
Linear fracture
Damages Awarded for Broken Bone Injuries
The main purpose of submitting a broken bone claim is to recover damages for any losses that have occurred as a result of the broken bone injury.
Without the help of workers comp lawyers, it is not easy for victims to determine how much compensation they should seek.
There is also the issue of determining who will pay for those damages. If, for example, the broken bone injury occurred at work, it is usually the employer's workers' compensation insurance company that will have to pay.
Damages awarded to victims of broken bones in Columbus, OH can be separated into three categories, namely:
Economic damages
Non-economic damages
Punitive damages
Victims who have suffered a broken bone injury should contact Larrimer and Larrimer and request a free consultation to help identify the damages they can recover.
Economic Damages
In Ohio, economic damages are by far the easiest to calculate and usually account for the bulk of the compensation that is awarded to victims that have suffered from broken bones.
These damages are monetary payments that victims receive to cover the expenses they have been forced to pay for because of someone's negligence. The following are the common types of economic damages:
Medical bills
While in many cases, broken bones can be easily mended without costing too much in the way of medical bills, severe fractures, such as compound fractures, require surgery, antibiotics, and sometimes the use of surgical pins to hold the bones in place.
When such severe injuries are treated, the medical expenses will quickly pile up and the victim will need to be compensated by the at-fault party or their insurance company.
Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy
Some broken bone cases result in the victim taking many months to recover. This is usually the case in older people whose bones can no longer heal quickly. Such as lengthy recovery process will be very hard in terms of medical expenses because of the need for rehabilitation, physical therapy, and after-care.
Lost Wages
Lost wages are another area that needs to be compensated fully because of the ripple effects that will be felt by the victim's dependents in terms of the quality of their lives. Lost wages can be divided into two categories, which are:
Past lost wages refer to the income that the victim has already lost due to being in hospital or recovering at home without being able to work. This is simply calculated using the number of days the victim missed work and their hourly wages
Future lost wages refer to either the victim not being able to go back to work which translates to lost earning capacity or even if they do manage to go back to work, it may not be in the same role as before
Property Damage
While property damage is usually not directly related to the broken bones injuries, it could be part of the overall compensation claim. If, for example, the victim suffered a broken bone injury during a car accident, the damage to their vehicle will be covered under property damage.
Lifetime Disability
In very severe cases, broken bones can result in permanent injury or lifetime disability. This is common in situations where the victim has suffered a skull fracture or a broken back that has damaged the spinal cord. In such cases, the victim will be entitled to a lot of compensation because they will no longer be able to support themselves in the way they used to. One may also be entitled to amputation recovery compensation if the injuries are that extreme.
Non-economic Damages
Some damages are difficult to quantify and will be left to the discretion of the judge. Such is the case when dealing with non-economic damages that cover things like pain and suffering and emotional distress that the victim has had to endure.
Recovering compensation, in this case, will require a skilled personal injury attorney to argue on behalf of their client and show that the severity of the injuries warrants some extra compensation.
One of the things that will work in the victim's favor in such situations is a comprehensive doctor's report detailing the nature of the injuries, and any witness statements from people who were present and can attest to the amount of suffering the victim experienced.
Punitive Damages
In some cases, the courts may decide that the actions of the negligent party were so malicious or showed complete disregard for the welfare of others that punitive damages must be imposed. The value of these damages will be determined by the judge.
A Broken Bone Injury Lawyer Can Help
When a broken bone injury lawsuit comes before an Ohio magistrate, it usually becomes a dogfight between the victims and the insurance companies which are trying to avoid paying the damages.
In such cases, insurance companies usually have a team of lawyers fighting in their corner and the victims should get legal help too if they are to stand any chance of winning damages.
The following are just a few of the many ways the talented and determined lawyers at Larrimer and Larrimer can help:
Free Consultation
Soon after suffering broken bone injuries, victims need to call (614) 820-1855 for a free consultation. This is where the merits of the claim as well as the severity of the broken bones will be assessed.
Victims can also take the time to ask various questions about their case, such as how long it will take, what kind of evidence is required, and the number of damages they hope to be awarded.
Determine the Severity of Injuries
The amount of compensation is highly dependent on the nature of the injuries. A lawyer has to be able to prove not only that their client suffered severely during this ordeal but also show the evidence of medical expenses to the courts in the form of hospital receipts.
If this part is handled poorly, it is quite possible to win the case but walk away with very little compensation which may not even be enough to cover the victim's medical expenses.
Determine Who Is at Fault
In most personal injury lawsuits, the insurance companies will try to point the finger at the victims by claiming that they are the ones to blame for the accidents that led to their injuries.
This is when one would need a good lawyer to fight for their legal rights. Most injured workers who suffer broken bones while conducting their duties have gone through this.
However, at Larrimer and Larrimer, there is no trick in the book that the legal team has not successfully dealt with in the past.
Fight to Recover Compensation Victims Deserve
When all is said and done, winning is not enough if the victim does not walk away with the compensation that is rightfully theirs.
A quick look at the amazing track record of Larrimer and Larrimer will show that the law firm has an impressive history of winning millions in damages for their clients.
It takes more than just having the evidence to prove a case for a victim to walk away with damages. The Ohio justice system is very complicated meaning personal injury lawyers will have a lot of work to do before they reach their targets.
Partial Fault
One of the things that complicate personal injury cases is putting partial blame for the accident on the victim with the broken bone injuries.
This is usually the case when the victim was involved in some kind of activity that is deemed to be partially responsible for the accident.
In such cases, the victim will only receive compensation if their perceived fault in the incident is less than 50%. Anything more than 50% and the case will get thrown out of court and the victim will not receive anything.
This further emphasizes the need to have experienced lawyers representing the victim. It usually comes down to who can argue better for their client's rights.
When the case is finally settled, it will be up to the judge to decide what percentage of compensation to award after considering the partial responsibility of the victim.
Larrimer and Larrimer Can Help Broken Bone Victims
In Columbus, Ohio, the severity of the broken bones has no bearing on one's right to seek compensation. This means even when the only injury is a broken toe bone, victims should still seek compensation for whatever damages they endured.
At Larrimer and Larrimer, victims can rest assured that their claim is in good hands, With many years of experience, a stellar team of lawyers, and a glittering track record of massive wins throughout Ohio, Larrimer and Larrimer offers victims their best chance of walking away with a heft compensation.
If one has been injured in Columbus or surrounding areas, Larrimer and Larrimer are here to help. One of the most highly recommended and experienced law firms in Ohio is just one call away.