Broken Bones Are A Common Motorcycle Accident Injury
Even motorcycle accidents that qualify as being relatively minor involve a lot of force for the motorcyclist, who isn’t protected in the same ways as other vehicle occupants. Unfortunately, this means that motorcyclists are more likely to sustain certain kinds of injuries, including broken bones. These injuries require diagnosis, treatment, time to heal, and rehabilitation, which can be expensive for those who may be unable to work due to the severity of their injuries. It is, however, possible for injured motorcyclists to recover compensation for their medical expenses when they can provide proof that someone else was responsible for their accident.
Types of Broken Bones
Because of the significant force of collisions between motorcycles and vehicles, motorcyclists are more prone to blunt force impact injuries, like broken bones. The most common types include:
- Simple fractures, in which the bone breaks, but that bone doesn’t pierce the skin;
- Partial fractures, which occur when a bone doesn’t break completely;
- Complete fractures, where a bone actually breaks into two pieces;
- Comminuted fractures, where a bone shatters into multiple small pieces;
- Open, or compound fractures, which occur when a piece of the broken bone pierces the skin;
- Stable fractures, which occur when the ends of the broken bone align; and
- Displaced fractures, which occur when there is a gap between the ends of the broken bone.
The type and severity of any broken bones that a motorcycle accident suffers will be dictated by the amount of force involved in the crash, the angle of impact, the part of the body that was struck, and the age and health of the victim. The kind of broken bone a person sustains will, in turn, affect how that injury is treated. Simple fractures, for instance, often only require rest and the use of a brace, while compound fractures usually necessitate surgical intervention to provide stability and promote healing through the placement of screws and rods in the bone itself.
Commonly Broken Bones
Any of a person’s bones can break if the force is significant enough. Certain bones, however, tend to break more easily than others in motorcycle accidents. These include:
- The tibia and fibula, with these breaks accounting for around 95 percent of all motorcycle accident-related leg injuries;
- The bones in the thighs and knees;
- The skull;
- The vertebrae;
- The ribs, which can also pierce internal organs; and
- The collarbone.
Fracturing a bone can be dangerous, as, besides the pain and lack of mobility that accompanies it, accident victims are also at risk of complications, such as infections, compartment syndrome, nerve damage, and even arthritis. A timely diagnosis and treatment are critical to an accident victim’s ability to recover without any lasting damage.
Call Our Atlanta Motorcycle Accident Legal Team
If you or a loved one suffered a broken bone or other injury in a motorcycle accident for which you were not at fault, call the dedicated Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers at Shiver Hamilton Campbell for an assessment of your recovery options. You can reach us at 404-593-0020 or via online message.
Sources:
medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000001.htm
google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwia2fCgh4r0AhU5lGoFHbtPBqYQFnoECAMQAw&url=https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/810982&usg=AOvVaw3fSJFFI2NZDr6-esLL_3Hb
