Bones offer protection, mobility, and flexibility
An adult body consists of 206 bones. Bones are strong organs that form part of the entire skeletal system. They support and protect other organs inside the human body besides helping in mobility. There are five different kinds of bones in the human body. They are:
- Long bones
- Short bones
- Irregular bones
- Sesamoid bones
- Flat bones
Bones take their own time to heal and require rest and immobilization for complete binding and healing. A slip & fall accident can dislocate a shoulder bone. An auto accident can injure and fracture the hip bone. Depending on the nature of the fracture, an orthopedic surgeon may recommend different kinds of treatments including surgery.
Types of bone fractures
Simple fracture – Simple fracture is one where the bone breaks and loss or damage to tissue is less. There is localized deformity and swelling in the affected area. There is no external skin rupture or laceration. But the patient experiences pain and trauma even when there is little movement of the affected part. Simple fractures include:
- Stress fracture – A hairline fracture is usually known as a stress fracture
- Greenstick fracture – Children suffer from a greenstick fracture wherein the bone bends but there is no breakage of bone
- Transverse fracture – There is a breakage in the bone at right angle to the bone’s axis
- Oblique fracture – The bone snaps at an angle neither parallel nor perpendicular to the main axis
- Comminuted fracture – The bone breaks into many pieces
- Impacted fracture – The broken bone pierces itself into the other piece under extreme pressure
- Pathological fracture – Age or disease causes pathological fracture
- Spiral fracture – Extreme torsional force snaps a bone at one end leading to spiral fracture.
Compound fracture – The bone breaks and a broken piece pushes itself out to the skin surface under extreme pressure and stress.
Fixing the broken bone
The orthopedic surgeon examines the broken bone through an x-ray or CT Scan that reveals the extent of the fracture as well as concomitant tissue damage. If it is a simple fracture, an immobilization cast will realign the bones and allow them to heal. It usually takes 4-6 weeks for the bone fracture to heal, but recovery depends upon various factors such as age, pre-existing diseases and intensity of the fracture. Certain fractures can be of serious nature and may require:
- Multiple surgeries
- Extensive monitoring to avoid complications
- Treatment to prevent / cure nerve damages and / or blood vessel damages
- Treatment to prevent / cure bone infections [Osteomyelitis]
- Treatment to prevent / cure tissue damage
In case of fractures of serious and complicated nature, the surgeon may use foreign objects such as screws, metal plates, and pins to align and fix the bones. Some of the screws and pins may be removed later or left permanently in the body.
A law firm that knows how to win
You are entitled for compensation and relief if your bone fracture and trauma were caused by third party negligence. You can seek reparation for physical injuries, mental trauma besides recovering loss of earnings due to the accident. The bone fracture attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff (RMFW) of New York can help you recover a settlement that is right for your case. Call now at 212-344-1000 and there will be someone pleasant to speak to on the other side.
RMFW are not paid until you are paid. They know a winning case when they see one. You can be one of the many clients they have won money for if you call them.
