What to Do About a Broken Bone
Literally millions of Americans seek medical treatment every year for a broken bone (or fracture). This kind of injury is so common and covers so many causes and results that it’s difficult to say how many people are even affected: Estimates range from at least 6 million to well over 12 million in the United States.
There are also many possible causes of broken bones, including falls, sports injuries, car accidents, assault or abuse, and work-related injuries. Any person who experiences a fracture should receive medical treatment, but when the injury has been caused by the recklessness or negligence of another, it’s important that the victim also be able to recover damages for his or her injuries from whoever caused them.
Trivial to Life-Threatening
Just as broken bones can be caused by many different events, the type and severity of a fracture can vary tremendously. The human body has more than 200 bones, each of which can break in multiple ways. Different kinds of fractures need to be treated differently, and different fractures will heal in different ways and at different speeds. A minor fracture to a finger might require minimal treatment and not even slow a person down; on the other hand, a broken leg could put someone out of action for months, while a skull fracture could have potentially fatal consequences if not treated immediately.
Open fractures (in which there is an external wound and the bone is exposed) need special attention because they can become infected, but even closed fractures occasionally become infected and lead to additional complications. In some people, especially the elderly, having some types of fractures can even lead to increased mortality.
Hold Them Accountable
There’s no doubt that many injuries, including broken bones, are caused in whole or in part by the person who experiences them. But many other injuries are caused either by the negligence or the outright recklessness of others: Landlords leave unsafe conditions on their property, unmopped spills and uncleared snow lead to customers slipping and falling, drivers and passengers in cars are hurt when someone crashes into them. The examples are endless (including the recent case of a Brooklyn child who suffered two broken arms at school).
Whatever the specific cause, fractures can come with a high cost. Victims face medical treatment and rehabilitation costs and also lose mobility, which can mean lost wages and income. It’s important to hold accountable the individual or organization that caused the injury and have them reimburse the victim for all expenses.
New York Broken Bone Lawyer
When you or someone close to you has suffered a broken bone and needs to recover, contact the team at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP. Whether the injury happened in car crash, a preventable fall at work, or was the result of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, our attorneys have experience with broken bone cases and can help. Give us a call at 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or contact us online through the form below to learn more or to schedule a free consultation to discuss your specific claim.