Broken bones, though common injuries, can cause intense pain and seriously interrupt your life. Depending on the location and size of the broken bone, the type of fracture and its severity, you are likely to be unable to work or engage in the forms of recreation you enjoy until you are fully healed. It is bad enough to be laid up with a broken bone when the injury results from your own awkward movement or inattention. It can feel even worse when you’re a victim of someone else’s negligence or unconcern.

If you have suffered a broken bone due to someone else’s careless or reckless actions, you deserve substantial monetary compensation. If you are anywhere in New Jersey or New York, you should contact the superb personal injury attorneys at Levin & Malkin in Hackensack. Not only will your initial consultation be free of charge, but you will not have to pay any attorneys’ fees until we win your case. More than that, you need not deal with the inconvenience of coming to our office; we will travel to your home. 

Are you entitled to sue for damages?

Once one of our highly skilled personal injury attorneys has met with you, heard the details of your case and examined your medical data, we will be able to determine whether you have legitimate cause for a lawsuit or negotiated settlement. If so, we will immediately begin to fight vigorously to obtain damages on your behalf.

The following are some ways in which our clients have suffered bone breaks caused by someone else. Your fracture may have been caused or made worse by:

  • A property owner who did not protect you from dangers on his/her premises
  • A doctor who misdiagnosed your break, delaying necessary treatment
  • A  distracted, impaired, or reckless driver 
  • A nursing home employee who didn’t follow protocol to prevent patient falls
  • A school, camp, or sports center that did not properly supervise your child 

At Levin & Malkin we are committed to fully investigating the circumstances of your injury and obtaining the damages you need to cover costs and compensate you for all you have suffered and continue to endure.

Types of Bone Fractures

Though there are situations in which your bone actually “breaks” into two or more parts like a snapped twig, most bone fractures result in cracks or splinters. No type of bone break is painless, and, although small bones usually heal more quickly than large ones, growing bone tissue is a slow process. Bone breaks fit into the following categories:

  • Compound (open) fractures, in which the broken bone pierces the skin, are very serious; they require urgent treatment to reduce the chance of infection.
  • Closed fractures, in which the skin remains intact, still result in extreme pain, bruising and swelling. 
  • Complete fractures are those in which the bone is actually severed.
  • Displaced fractures are those in which the broken bone fragments don’t align properly; though some can be set manually, displaced fractures usually require implantation of surgical hardware. 
  • Greenstick fractures are named for the plant parts they resemble. They are most often suffered by children whose bones are more flexible than those of adults.

Another type of broken bone is a stress fracture — a tiny crack in the bone — but stress fractures typically are caused by repetitive action or sudden exercise, not accidents.

How Broken Bones Are Treated

All broken bones must be immobilized in order to heal properly. Small bones, like those in the fingers or toes are either splinted or taped to an adjacent digit. Larger bones in the arms and legs are typically casted until they heal. It should be noted that healing takes longer in adults than in children, and may be a very slow process for individuals of advanced age. 

Certain bones, like clavicles and hips, cannot be put in a cast because of their size and/or shape. For clavicles, the patient’s arm is put in a sling; hips usually require rather complex surgery. As mentioned, most breaks in which a bone is moved out of position also require surgery, as do multiple fractures of the same bone. Extreme, complicated bone fractures may need to be externally fixated.

If you have broken a bone below the waist, you will have to use an assistive device to get around, such as crutches, a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair. For any large bone break, you will probably also have to undergo physical and occupational therapy to regain full mobility. 

How long do broken bones take to heal?

Although a broken toe or finger can heal in 6 to 8 weeks, arms, legs, hips and other large bones take considerably longer. While adults may take 3 to 6 months to recover from a broken leg, children often heal in half the time. For some unfortunate patients, especially in cases where infections develop or other health problems exist, recovery may be a long-term process. Tragically, depending on your age, physical condition and the severity of the fracture, you may become permanently disabled, particularly if it is your hip, pelvis, or femur that has been broken. If this happens, many of your expenses may be ongoing.

Broken Bones Can Be Costly

As you may have already discovered, there are many unexpected expenses associated with a bone fracture. If you have suffered a bone break, you can expect to be on the hook for some or all of the following:

  • Medical, surgical, and rehabilitative costs
  • Lost income, present and future
  • Assistive devices, such as crutches or a wheelchair
  • Costs of necessary services, e.g. house cleaning, landscaping, childcare
  • Psychological counseling related to the trauma you have experienced

In addition to the economic damages noted above, the law recognizes that you are entitled to compensation for intangible (non-economic) damages like pain and suffering and the inability to enjoy life.

How Levin & Malkin Can Help

Levin & Malkin is a law firm with a well-earned reputation for efficiency and a track record of success. Over our years in practice, we have won millions of dollars in damages for clients who, like you, have been personally injured by negligent neighbors, drivers, doctors, store owners, corporations, or institutions like schools or hospitals. 

More than that, our attorneys are known to be genuinely empathic and eager to help you during this very difficult time in your life. While we would always prefer to get you a fair settlement through skillful negotiation in order to avoid the time-consuming, costly process of litigation, we are fully prepared to fight aggressively for you in the courtroom. If you are going through the challenges involved in coping with a bone break, realize you are not without recourse. Contact Levin & Malkin to find out your options and win the compensation you deserve.