The femur, or thighbone, does not usually break unless one is in a particularly serious car crash. Car accidents are the leading cause of femur fractures according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. If you fractured your femur in a crash in California, the following information may already be familiar to you.
The nature of a femur fracture
The femur can be broken in three places: the distal end at the knee; the shaft, which is the midsection; and the head or neck, which attaches to the hip joint. Hip fractures are usually experienced among the elderly when they fall. Knee fractures and femoral shaft fractures occur more often among middle-aged and young adults in high-impact collisions. These injuries tend to be complete fractures, not simply stress fractures.
Treatments for a femur fracture
Immediate medical attention is almost always necessary in cases of crash-related femur fractures because these injuries can cause other complications like blood clots and excessive blood loss. Doctors may perform surgery where they insert a metal rod and screws to reattach pieces of bone and realign the entire femur.
If the bone protruded from the skin, doctors may provide an intravenous antibiotic and have patients take oral antibiotics regularly after they leave the hospital to prevent infection. Patients may then need continual physical therapy and pain medications.
Crash victims can seek compensation
Like other victims of car collisions, you may be eligible for compensatory damages under personal injury law, provided that the other driver contributed the most in terms of fault. You might have past and future medical expenses, lost wages, vehicle repair costs and both physical and emotional suffering covered with a successful claim. In your effort to ensure success, you may want to hire a lawyer, leaving all negotiations to him or her.
