The fallout from a serious accident can feel endless. Not only do you have to worry about potentially fatal injuries to your organs and nervous system, but you may also swiftly lose much of your independence due to arm and leg injuries. While arm and leg injuries are rarely life-threatening or lifelong, they can have serious implications for victims. A broken arm or leg could leave a working adult without income for months, and even a dislocated joint could prohibit lifting and leave parents unable to care for their children.
If you have suffered arm and leg injuries after a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation. Find out now by calling Russell & Lazarus APC at (949) 851-0222.
Arm and leg injuries often fall into several main types. Below are some of the most common injuries after an accident.
A broken leg or arm is a common consequence of a car accident. Many types of fractures exist, each with its own likely outcome, recovery period, and treatment options.
Avulsion fractures result when muscles or ligaments pull on bones and separate them. Although the bones themselves are not broken, their displacement is identified as a fracture.
A comminuted fracture is a bone that breaks into many pieces. Some fractures can be set without surgery; however, many comminuted fractures require surgery, such as open reduction internal fixation, in which a plate and screws hold the pieces together as the bone mends.
When a bone collapses due to acute trauma or trauma superimposed on an already degenerated bone, this type of fracture is identified as a compression fracture.
Dislocation fractures occur when one bone of a joint is separated from another bone in a joint. Many dislocations can be reduced by using closed reduction methods.
Hairline fractures result from a partial fracture of a bone and are sometimes difficult to detect on routine X-rays. They may be easier to identify with CT scans or MRIs.
An intraarticular fracture is identified when a bone is broken at the surface of a joint.
A longitudinal fracture occurs when a bone breaks along its length.
An oblique fracture is one in which the bone breaks diagonally in relation to the bone’s long axis.
Bones that have twisted and broken are identified as spiral fractures.
Overall, those with the best outcomes have clean, stable fractures. A clean break produces two pieces of bone that have broken off evenly, without any shattered or crushed bits. These breaks often require a cast, rest, and time. However, many car accident victims suffer more complicated fractures. For example, oblique fractures occur when a bone breaks at an angle. Setting this type of fracture is much more challenging. Comminuted fractures, which happen when a bone breaks into multiple pieces, often require extensive surgery. In any of these cases, a previously healthy individual could be left recovering for months, unable to work or contribute to their household’s daily tasks.
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Dislocated joints, while often extremely painful, are one of the least severe injuries you can suffer after an accident. A dislocation occurs when two bones connected by a joint separate. Bones must be put back into place manually, an excruciating procedure that typically must be done under general anesthesia. While victims may be able to return to daily life fairly quickly, they will still have no shortage of medical bills from their treatment.
Your rotator cuffs keep your arms anchored in their respective shoulder sockets. Rotator cuff injuries are relatively common after car accidents, due to the amount of pressure placed on joints during crashes. A rotator cuff injury typically requires extensive surgery to repair, and during recovery, patients cannot move the affected arm at all. As a result, individuals often need to pay for in-home care for help with cleaning, cooking, and simple tasks like getting dressed. Even after the initial four- to six-week immobilization period, many individuals cannot return to work without physical therapy and rebuilding lost muscle.
The arms and legs contain nerves that control each limb. Damage sustained during an accident can lead to an inability to use that part of the body. People with nerve damage often experience numbness, weakness, tingling, pain, or burning in the affected area. Depending on the nerves damaged and the extent of the injury, individuals may be unable to grip items, walk evenly, hold themselves up in a standing position, or raise their arm over their head. In some cases, nerve damage is permanent and cannot be reversed. Treatment options don’t guarantee success and often take months or years to restore full limb function.
An amputation is one of the worst arm and leg injuries you can sustain in an accident. Being crushed between vehicles, being thrown from a vehicle, or getting stuck on a sharp piece of machinery can cause amputation. The effects of this are obviously lifelong. People often have to change their line of work to fit their new reality, and those who can get prosthetics may need substantial occupational therapy to learn how to use them properly. For some, lifelong phantom pain in the amputated limb is their new normal.
The ulna in the forearm houses the ulnar nerve. When this nerve gets pinched in an accident, the fingers don’t get the communication they need to perform fine motor movements. To relieve pressure on the nerve and restore full function, doctors must perform surgery.
Vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of arm and leg injuries. In many cases, victims suffer multiple injuries from a single crash. This means multiple rounds of surgery, accepting the risks of anesthesia multiple times, and going through long treatment periods.
Many other accidents can also lead to these unfortunate outcomes. Sports accidents, slip and fall accidents, assault, and faulty products can also lead to arm and leg injuries.
If someone else’s negligence directly caused your injuries, consider pursuing compensation through a personal injury claim. Riverside injury lawyers can help you get the care you need, build a case, and fight for your right to compensation.
To protect your right to seek damages, don’t talk to the other party’s insurance company before speaking to a lawyer. Insurance adjusters are skilled at downplaying a victim’s injuries, turning their words against them, or even pinning the blame on them. Anything you tell them can be used against you, so it’s best to leave these matters to your attorney.
You should also preserve all the evidence you have, from photographs and video recordings of crash scenes to medical documents and medical bills. You may also want to keep a daily log of your pain level and physical limitations, which may help you get compensation for pain and suffering.
Choosing the right Long Beach car accident lawyer is a crucial task in this process. If you choose the wrong attorney, you could become nothing more than a case number. You’ll be left in the dark about your claim and have no proof that your attorney is working aggressively to get a fair settlement.
If you choose correctly, you’ll have a personal injury lawyer who understands the trauma you’ve gone through and is dedicated to getting you every penny of compensation you deserve. Instead of chasing them down for answers, you’ll get regular updates and prompt answers to your questions. This is how we operate at Russell & Lazarus in Orange County. We only take a case when we know we can give it our full energy and the attention it needs. We believe getting the best outcome for each client matters more than getting mediocre outcomes for as many clients as possible.
Looking for help with your arm and leg injury case? Find out how Russell & Lazarus can help you during this difficult time. To schedule your free case evaluation, call us at (877) 789-4878 or get in touch online.