By Dan Noll on October 20th, 2023 in Car Accident
Were You Diagnosed with a Bone Fracture? Car Accident Lawyers Explain Compensation for Broken Bones in a Car Accident in Springfield
One of the most common causes of broken bones is a motor vehicle accident. In fact, 33% of all broken bones are caused by accidents including car crashes or truck wrecks. This is a significant figure considering that there are roughly 6.8 million broken bones each year in the United States. Unfortunately, the car accident lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office know that many of the broken bones caused by motor vehicle accidents are entirely preventable and avoidable. However, far too many people drive recklessly and cause serious personal injuries to innocent people. When this happens, victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for broken bones in a car accident in Springfield.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident in Illinois, especially a car accident resulting in broken bones, call the experienced car accident lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office for help at (217) 414-8889. Their compassionate and skilled legal team is the fifth-generation of lawyers to represent this community, dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and their families in some of the most complicated and devastating accident cases. Unlike other bodily injury law firms, their knowledgeable team handles cases in-house, where clients are not another file number but become part of their family and are treated as such. After an accident in Illinois, call their family to learn more about how they can help you during a FREE consultation.
What is a Broken Bone or a Fractured Bone?
A fracture or broken bone is a common type of personal injury in an accident. Fractured bones are defined as any crack, split, or break in the bone. It does not matter how large or how small that break is, as any break in the bone is considered a fracture. The type of fracture depends on the type of crack and its location, pattern, and number of fracture points. In contrast, a bone bruise is similar to a broken bone, however, it does not result in a crack or break but damage to the bone which results in trauma such as bleeding inside of the bone.
Common Types of Broken Bones in a Car Accident in Springfield
When it comes to broken bones, there are actually many different types. Some victims of a car accident may actually have multiple different types, especially in high-speed or violent t-bone crashes. The experienced legal team at the Noll Law Office can handle nearly any type of catastrophic personal injury cases, including broken bone cases which result in extreme pain and suffering, require surgery, or which never properly heal.
Generally, there are two types of broken bones which all types are classified. The first is called a “closed fracture” or a “simple fracture, which is when the broken bone occurs within the body. The second is called an “open fracture” or a “compound fracture,” which is when the broken bone is visible outside of the body (i.e., it breaks through the skin).
Some of the most common types of broken bones that could occur in a car accident in Springfield include the following:
- Transverse –straight line fracture
- Segmental – broken in two separate places
- Comminuted – broken into 3 or more pieces
- Compression – when the bone is crushed into itself
- Oblique – diagonal break
- Spiral – corkscrew-like fracture
- Avulsion – when part of the bone breaks away from the main bone
- Wedge – a type of compression fracture that breaks in a wedge or pie-shape (usually blown out)
- Linear fracture – when the break is parallel
- Buckled fracture – ends of the bone break into each other and bend, and
- Many other types of serious broken bones that the experienced car accident lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office can handle for you.
Compensation for Broken Bones in Illinois
Victims who suffer a broken bone in Illinois may be entitled to compensation. Sometimes an insurance adjuster will try to offer compensation right after an accident to victims and their families to get them to accept a quick settlement. This might sound fair to you; however, oftentimes, victims are entitled to much more than the insurance adjuster is offering.
Pain and Suffering
For example, most victims of a car accident are entitled to damages for pain and suffering. The term pain and suffering is the physical and emotional agony caused by injuries. It is measured in two ways. The first is from the date of the accident until payment, which is known as past pain and suffering. The second is a little trickier because it is measured from the date of payment for the rest of the victim’s estimated life. In a car accident case, this is often the most common and significant form of compensation.
Wage Losses
Another common type of compensation for a broken bone is lost wages or lost earnings. This type of compensation is related to employment and wage losses. Lost wages are those wages lost due to the accident from being physically hurt and unable to work, as well as having to take time off of work for doctor appointments or procedures (such as surgery). Lost earnings occur when a victim has been seriously injured in a manner that prohibits him or her from being able to go back to work in the same capacity and must take less compensation. The difference between the higher pre-accident salary and the lower post-accident salary, multiplied by the number of working years left, is what becomes the lost earnings calculation.
Medical Expenses
Importantly, there is also compensation for medical bills. This is not just old medical bills, but also medical bills for the treatment that is reasonably anticipated to occur in the future. That means that victims may be entitled to compensation for future surgeries, medical devices, mobility assistance devices, nursing care and treatment, doctor visits, and other medical expenses related to a car accident in Springfield.
Other Damages
Finally, with the help of an experienced car accident lawyer like one of those at the Noll Law Office, victims may also be entitled to compensation for other types of damages. This includes property damage, punitive damages, and other harm caused by the negligence of a defendant.
Need Help Getting Fair Compensation for Broken Bones in a Car Accident in Springfield? Call the Noll Law Office
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in any type of serious of catastrophic motor vehicle accident in Illinois, call the Noll Law Office for help. This is particularly true for getting just and fair compensation for broken bones in a car accident in Springfield. Victims and their families are often entitled to more than the insurance company is offering, and should never accept any check from the insurance company until after speaking with an experienced car accident lawyer in Springfield such as one of those at the Noll Law Office. To learn more about your rights to compensation, contact the Noll Law Office today to schedule a FREE case evaluation.