When people hear the term “broken bone” after a car accident, they often think of a relatively simple injury: a cast for a few weeks, some physical therapy, and then back to normal. While this can be true for a simple, clean fracture, the reality is that many accident-related fractures are far more complex and can have a profound and lasting impact on a victim’s life.
A severe fracture is not just a temporary inconvenience; it can be a catastrophic event leading to chronic pain, permanent disability, and a future filled with medical complications.
If you or a loved one has suffered a broken bone injury in a Wisconsin accident caused by someone else’s negligence, it is crucial to understand the potential long-term consequences. Insurance companies will try to treat it like a simple, short-term injury. An experienced personal injury attorney knows the truth and will fight for the compensation you need to deal with a lifetime of challenges.
More Than Just a Simple Break
The severity of a fracture depends on the type and location of the break. While a simple fracture involves a clean break of the bone, accidents often cause more severe types of fractures:
- Comminuted Fracture: The bone is shattered into three or more pieces.
- Compound (or Open) Fracture: The broken bone pierces the skin, creating a high risk of infection.
- Intra-articular Fracture: The break extends into a joint, which can lead to long-term arthritis.
These severe fractures often require extensive medical intervention, including one or more surgeries to implant plates, screws, rods, or other hardware to hold the bone together.
The Long-Term Medical Consequences
The initial treatment is often just the beginning of a long and painful medical journey. The long-term impacts of a severe fracture can include:
1. Chronic Pain and Arthritis
Even after the bone has healed, many victims are left with chronic pain, stiffness, and weakness in the affected area. When a fracture involves a joint (like the knee, hip, shoulder, or ankle), the risk of developing post-traumatic arthritis is extremely high. This is a degenerative condition that can cause debilitating pain and may eventually require a full joint replacement.
2. Nerve Damage and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
The force of an impact that is strong enough to break a bone can also cause significant damage to the surrounding nerves. This can lead to permanent numbness, weakness, or a painful condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that causes severe, burning pain.
3. Infection and Healing Complications
An open fracture carries a high risk of infection, which can lead to a condition called osteomyelitis (a bone infection). This is a serious complication that can require long-term antibiotic treatment and even additional surgeries. In some cases, a severe fracture may fail to heal properly, a condition known as a “non-union.” This can necessitate bone grafts or other complex surgical procedures.
4. Amputation
In the most catastrophic cases, a severely crushed or infected limb may not be salvageable, leading to a traumatic amputation. This is a life-altering event with profound physical and psychological consequences.
The Financial and Emotional Toll
The long-term medical complications of a severe fracture lead to a lifetime of financial and emotional burdens. You may be facing:
- Massive Medical Debt: The cost of multiple surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, and pain management can be astronomical.
- Loss of Income: A severe fracture can make it impossible to return to your previous job, especially if it was physically demanding. You may be facing a future of unemployment or a significantly reduced earning capacity.
- Loss of Independence: Chronic pain and physical limitations can rob you of your independence and your ability to enjoy the hobbies and activities you once loved.
- Emotional Trauma: Living with chronic pain and disability can lead to depression, anxiety, and other psychological conditions.
Why You Need an Aggressive Personal injury Attorney
An insurance company will try to offer you a quick settlement that covers your initial medical bills and a few weeks of lost wages. They will not account for the lifetime of pain, the risk of future surgeries, or the devastating impact the injury will have on your ability to earn a living.
An experienced Wisconsin personal injury lawyer will fight to ensure you are compensated for the full, long-term cost of your injury. We will work with your doctors and other medical and financial experts to build a case that demonstrates the true value of your claim. We will demand compensation for:
- All past and future medical expenses.
- All past and future lost wages.
- The cost of vocational rehabilitation if you need to be retrained for a new career.
- The immense pain, suffering, and loss of quality of life you have endured.
Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)
Q: The doctor said my bone has healed. Why am I still in so much pain?
A: The healing of the bone is just one part of the recovery process. You may still be dealing with nerve damage, muscle atrophy, scar tissue, or the early stages of arthritis, all of which can cause significant and chronic pain.
Q: How can you prove I will need a future surgery, like a knee replacement?
A: We work with your orthopedic surgeon and other medical experts who can provide a professional opinion, based on a reasonable degree of medical certainty, about the future medical care you will likely require as a result of your injury.
Q: What if the accident aggravated a pre-existing condition?
A: Under Wisconsin law, a negligent party is responsible for the full extent of the harm they cause, even if the victim had a pre-existing condition that made them more susceptible to injury. This is known as the “eggshell plaintiff” rule.
Don’t Let Them Undervalue Your Future
A broken bone can break your spirit and your financial future if you let the insurance company have its way. Don’t let that happen. The dedicated and experienced attorneys at Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler understand the devastating long-term impact of severe fractures, and we are ready to fight for the compensation you need to live your life with dignity and security.
We invite you to visit our homepage to learn more about our firm. Then, contact us at 608-784-4370 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us help you piece your life back together.