Searing pain shoots through your hip with every movement. Walking from bed to bathroom feels impossible. This is life after a severe pelvic or hip fracture from an Omaha car accident—and it's just the beginning.
At the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop, we understand the lifelong impact of hip and pelvic fractures. Our skilled Omaha car accident lawyer has guided countless crash victims through this agonizing journey. Let us lift the legal burden so you can focus on healing.
Understanding Pelvic Anatomy and Fracture Patterns
The pelvis is a ring-like structure of bones that connects the spine to the legs. It cradles and protects vital organs like the bladder, intestines, and reproductive organs. A complex network of ligaments and muscles holds the pelvis together. The pelvic bones include:
- Sacrum. A large triangular bone at the base of the spine)
- Coccyx. Also known as the tailbone
- Hip bones. Comprised of the ilium, ischium, pubis, and acetabulum (hip socket)
High-impact collisions can fracture the pelvic ring in a single place, in multiple areas, or even shatter it completely. The severity and location of pelvic fractures determine the long-term consequences for the victim.
Types of Pelvic Fractures
Pelvic fractures are categorized based on the stability of the pelvic ring and the direction of the break. Some common types include:
- Stable pelvic fractures. The pelvic ring is intact and not deformed. These fractures are painful but usually heal well with rest and limited weight-bearing.
- Unstable pelvic fractures. The pelvic ring is broken in two or more places, allowing the bones to shift out of alignment. These serious injuries require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
- Open book fractures. The pubic bones separate at the front of the pelvis, like an open book. This destabilizes the entire pelvis and often injures the sacroiliac joints at the back.
- Hip fractures. Breaks in the upper part of the thigh bone (femur) or the socket it fits into (acetabulum). The pelvic ring may or may not remain intact.
In the most severe pelvic fractures, bony fragments can pierce internal organs and cause life-threatening bleeding. Prompt trauma surgery is critical to reconstruct the pelvic anatomy and prevent permanent disability or death.
How Pelvic and Hip Fractures Change Your Life
A shattered pelvis from a high-impact car wreck affects every aspect of daily function. Mobility loss and unrelenting pain become constant companions. Even after surgery and rehabilitation, many pelvic fracture sufferers never walk normally again. Their homes typically need to be remodeled, and their careers often come to an end.
Hip fractures unleash similar devastation. The ball-and-socket joint absorbs massive force in a collision, splintering the femur head or shattering the socket itself. Artificial hip replacements help, but they can't restore the effortless motion most of us take for granted.
Treatments for Severe Pelvic Fractures
In the weeks and months after a catastrophic crash, pelvic and hip fracture patients face a battery of invasive treatments:
- Emergency trauma surgery. Placing screws and plates to reconstruct the shattered bones
- Physical therapy. Relearning to sit, stand, and walk despite excruciating pain
- Home modifications. Installing grab bars, widening doorways, and adding ramps for wheelchairs and walkers
- Assistive devices. Using canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and toilet risers for the rest of their lives
This exhausting recovery requires every ounce of the victim's energy and resilience. Meanwhile, the medical bills continue to mount—even as their income dwindles.
Securing Compensation for Pelvic Fracture Recovery
At the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop, we understand the overwhelming financial pressure pelvic and hip fracture survivors face. Securing full and fair compensation is critical to rebuilding your life. That's why we dig deep to calculate and justify every dollar you'll need—now and for decades to come:
- Maximum medical coverage. For surgeries, rehabilitation, medication, and future care related to your injury.
- Disability income. To replace the earnings you'll lose if your fracture prevents you from working.
- Home renovation costs. To make your house accessible and safe with your new physical limitations.
- Assistive technology and mobility aids. So insurance, not your savings, pays for wheelchairs, walkers, and other necessary equipment.
- Pain and suffering damages. To acknowledge the anguish of chronic pain and lost independence.
You never imagined a simple drive could derail your entire future. Now, as you stare down a lifetime of disability, you shouldn't have to battle for the compensation you need to survive. A skilled car accident attorney can bring forth a personal injury claim and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Before your crash, walking without pain was a given. Now, every step is a victory. Your pelvic or hip fracture rewrote your life story without your consent. As you grieve that loss and forge a new path forward, you need a legal team as devoted to your recovery as you are.
At the Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop, we've helped hundreds of fracture survivors after a devastating wreck. We take on the insurance company so you can take back your life. You didn't choose this struggle, but you can choose fearless advocates to weather it with you.