Motorcycle accidents often have a significant amount of force, which leads to the potential of broken bones. This, along with other motorcycle injuries, often requires significant medical attention, healing, and rehabilitation.
Types of Breaks and Fractures
Numerous types of breaks and fractures can occur after a motorcycle accident. Some types of fractures commonly found in these accidents include:
- Closed or simple fractures. These do not break through the skin to create wounds.
- Incomplete fractures. This is a break in the bone that doesn’t fracture it in half, often creating more serious risks.
- Comminuted fractures. Fractures like these typically result in the shattering of the bone into small pieces.
- Open or compound fractures. These penetrate through the skin, creating wounds that increase the risk of infection.
- Compact fractures. In this case, the broken bones are driven into each other.
Common Bones Broken in Motorcycle Accidents
Which bones break during an accident depends on the angle, force of impact, location, and many other factors. Any bones of the body can be broken in a motorcycle accident. Some commonly broken bones include:
- Legs and arms. Most often, these injuries heal with casting and surgery. Many require rehabilitation and can take a long time to heal—limiting a person’s ability to work and increasing their need for care.
- Skull. These can cause internal bleeding in the brain, leading to complex surgery and potential brain damage. They may create long-term cognitive function problems.
- Vertebrae. These fractures can cause paralysis if there is nerve damage, as well as painful and chronic conditions. This is often referred to as “breaking a back.”
- Ribs. The impact of an accident can cause broken ribs. The ribs can also pierce internal organs—creating significant risks and long-term damage.
- Collarbone. A broken collarbone is painful, but it can also mean long-term healing and physical therapy.
Potential Broken Bone Treatments
Treatment of broken bones after a motorcycle accident often requires setting the fracture, when possible, and casting. There are many instances where surgery becomes necessary to set the bones. This may include the use of pins to hold two parts of the bone together. In some situations, where the damage is significant, broken bone injuries can result in the need for artificial limbs or replacement joints.
Potential Broken Bone Complications
In any injury, there is a risk of complications. The most common of these is pain. Most often, the pain will improve over time, but some people suffer from chronic pain. Others have poor or delayed healing, which means they may not be able to get back to their previous health or abilities quickly.
Other potential risks include:
- Infections at surgical or wound sights
- Arthritis
- Compartment syndrome
- Nerve damage
- Blood vessel damage
- Bone infections
- Limited function of the limb
What You May Recover in Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
If someone else caused your injuries, you may deserve compensation for what’s happened to you, including the short- and long-term rehabilitation after broken bones. You may be able to file a claim for the losses you suffer as a result of the motorcycle accident. This may include:
- Emergency room visits
- Surgical procedures
- Short- and long-term rehab
- Pain medications and treatments
- Support at home for recovery
- Costs related to complications
- Pain and suffering
Each situation is different, which is why documenting your injuries as well as any type of treatment or therapy you receive is so important when filing a claim. You’ll need to be able to verify any care you claim relates specifically to your accident’s losses.
Working with a motorcycle accident attorney in Nebraska helps ensure all of your losses are represented in your claim. Our team works with you from day one to ensure we fully understand your losses and how to provide you with the compensation owed to you. Call for a consultation.