Broken Arm Injury Claims and Compensation

A broken arm is one of the most common bone injuries in the U.S. There are approximately 1.1 million such breaks each year, or on average, nearly 3,000 each day. That not only means that doctors are well versed in their treatment, but that legal personnel are capable of pinpointing if there is legal liability in a broken arm injury and whether or not the victim has grounds to file a claim.

Broken Arm Injury Causes

The majority of all broken arm injuries are due to two general causes, with many specific reasons within each:

Falls
Trauma to the arm, either through traffic accidents or other kinds of physical trauma, such as being hit with a heavy object

Falls can often be caused by the negligence of a property owner who does not maintain their property correctly. If there are loose or cracked sidewalks, uneven pavement or flooring, loose or torn carpeting, improper lighting, faulty stairs or handrails, or cluttered or wet aisles, a visitor can easily slip and fall, resulting in a broken arm. The owner of such improperly maintained property has broken arm liability under premises liability law, and victims may have the right to file claims for compensation.

Workers can fall victim to such accidents, as well. In those cases, there is strict liability under worker’s compensation laws, requiring the employer to provide compensation. However, those who rely only on their employer’s worker’s compensation, especially if it is a serious injury, may have difficulty collecting all the compensation they are due unless they have the assistance of an accident attorney, as well.

Types of Broken Bones

There can be a wide variety of broken bones, ranging from minor to debilitating, with short and long rehabilitation periods:

Greenstick fractures, which are incomplete fractures where the bone is partially broken and bent, but not broken through
Transverse fractures, at right angles to the bone’s axis
Oblique fractures, with curving or sloping patterns
Comminuted fractures, with several fragments or pieces
Impact fracture, with the ends of the fracture driven into each other
Pathologic fracture, caused by disease

In most cases, doctors x-ray and diagnose the injury, reposition and splint the arm, and put it into a cast or sling to keep it stationary while it heals. In some cases, more serious breaks require surgery.

However, there can be complications that patients should consider:

Nerve damage
Uneven growth in children
Arthritis
Bone infection
Frozen shoulder, from immobilization

Help from an Accident Attorney

It is important that victims seek experienced legal advice to determine if, and how much, compensation for broken arms to which they are entitled. If someone else has broken arm liability and there are possible complications, it may be wise to give the doctor enough time to determine those possibilities, as well. An experienced accident attorney can guide patients through this process to ensure they pursue the proper type of suit and that they receive the appropriate amount of compensation.

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