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A fracture is a break in
a bone and is commonly referred to as a broken bone. Fractures are common;
most people have at least one during their life. They occur when the
physical force exerted on the bone is stronger than the bone itself. Your
risk of fracture depends, in part, on your age. An estimated 10%-15% of
all childhood injuries are broken bones, though children's fractures are
generally less complicated than fractures in adults. Older people, whose
bones are more brittle, are more likely to suffer fractures from falls
that would not affect younger people.
There are many types of fractures, but the main categories are complete,
incomplete, compound, and simple. Complete and incomplete fractures refer
to the way the bone breaks: In a complete fracture, the bone snaps into
two or more parts; in an incomplete fracture, the bone cracks but does not
break all the way through. In a compound fracture, also called an open
fracture, the bone breaks through the skin; it may then recede back into
the wound and not be visible through the skin. In a simple fracture, also
called a closed fracture, the bone breaks but there is no open wound in
the skin.
Simple fractures include:
- Greenstick fracture: an incomplete fracture in which
the bone is bent. This type occurs most often in children.
- Transverse fracture: a fracture at a right angle to
the bone's axis.
- Oblique fracture: a fracture in which the break
slopes.
- Comminuted fracture: a fracture in which the bone
fragments into several pieces.
- An impacted fracture is one whose ends are driven
into each other. This is commonly seen in arm fractures in
children and is sometimes known as a buckle fracture. Other types of
fracture are pathologic fracture, caused
by a disease that weakens the bones, and stress fracture, a hairline
crack.
The severity of a fracture depends upon its location and the damage done
to the bone and tissue near it. Serious fractures can have dangerous
complications if not treated promptly; possible complications include
damage to blood vessels or nerves and infection of the bone
(osteomyelitis) or surrounding tissue. Recuperation time varies depending
on the age and health of the patient and the type of fracture. A minor
fracture in a child may heal within a few weeks; a serious fracture in an
older person may take months to heal.
If your fractured, broken bone or other serious injury was sustained in an
accident that was someone else's fault, or the result of an on-the-job
accident, you could be entitled to substantial monetary compensation. Our
nationwide network of experienced bone fracture lawyers can help level the
playing field by providing you with information regarding the practical
and legal aspects of the personal injury laws in your state.
More Information
Types of fractures
Diagnosis of fractures
Treatment of fractures
Complications from
fractures
No lawyer can tell you at the beginning of your claim how much your case
is worth until he or she has all the medical records, bills and wage loss
analysis in hand. However, by calling
800-437-2571 anytime and
explaining the specific circumstances of your accident and injuries, one
of our experienced personal injury attorneys, may be able to give you a
“ball park figure,” or if you prefer, may also use our convenient
Free Case Evaluation
submission form.
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