Some car crash injuries are catastrophic. They cause permanent medical issues and massive financial setbacks. Spinal cord injuries, for example, tend to cause lifelong functional limitations and long-term financial hardship.
Compared with a spinal cord injury, a broken bone doesn’t seem particularly serious. Fractures are often easy to diagnose and treat. Doctors use imaging technology to pinpoint the location of the fracture. They set the bone and apply a cast to immobilize the affected body part while the bone heals. After the cast comes off, the injured person may need to attend physical therapy to improve their strength and range of motion after weeks of inactivity.
Occasionally, fractures require more invasive medical treatment. People may need to undergo surgery. The costs associated with care are higher, and the recovery timeline is substantially longer. When do people with broken bones typically require surgical procedures to heal?
When the bone breaks in many places
Comminuted fractures are among the worst traumatic injuries possible. Crush injuries and twisting force can cause comminuted fractures. The bone breaks into many pieces, so doctors must operate to set the bone.
In many cases, they need to use artificial materials to support the bone as it heals and even afterward. Spiral fractures and other common unit fractures typically require surgery and have a much longer recovery time than simple fractures involving a single break in the bone.
When the bone damages other tissue
Fractured bones can be sharp and dangerous. In a high-force situation, like a car crash, broken bones can tear through surrounding tissue and skin. Open or compound fractures occur when the bone pierces the skin.
Typically, compound fractures require surgical treatment. Doctors need to operate to set the bone, treat the surrounding tissue and reduce the risk of severe infection. Open fractures create a variety of medical complications, including dangerous levels of blood loss.
Realizing that broken bones and other serious car crash injuries may require surgical care and a long-term leave of absence from work can help people plan. Those pursuing compensation after a crash need to understand the extent of their injuries to better hold the other party accountable.