What Are The Different Types Of Bone Fractures?

Broken and fractured bones occur regularly, and they can lead to immense pain and suffering for a victim. Bone fractures can occur in various ways, including vehicle accidents, sports injuries, slip and fall accidents, workplace accidents, and more. Victims of broken bones can often secure compensation for their injuries from the negligent party that caused them harm. Here, we want to discuss the different types of bone fractures that typically lead to personal injury claims.

Three main categories of bone fractures

Bones can break in a variety of ways, but they are typically grouped into one of the three categories listed below:

1. Hairline fracture or break. These are relatively small cracks that occur in a bone and are often referred to as stress fractures. A hairline break may not be noticeable to a victim right away, and it may not even be easily visible on an X-ray.
2. Partial fracture or break. A partial fracture or break occurs anytime there is an incomplete break of the bone.
3. Complete fracture or break. As the name suggests, this occurs anytime a bone is completely broken through. Bones that break entirely separate into two or more pieces.

The type of bone fracture is important and can indicate the severity of the injury, the type of rehabilitation and treatment required, the potential recovery time of the victim, and the risk of complications.

There are 206 bones in the human body, and we can break any of them. While some bones are more difficult to break than others, there are various types of bone breaks that regularly occur in accidents. This includes the following:

• Tibia or fibula fractures
• Femur fractures Milan rib fractures
• Hip fractures
• Pelvis fractures
• Wrist fractures
• Back fractures
• Clavicle fractures
• Arm fractures
• Facial and skull fractures

These breaks and fractures can happen in a variety of ways. Aside from the three categories of fractures listed above, we can also describe these incidents as closed or open fractures. A closed fracture is one in which the bone does not penetrate the skin, while an open fracture occurs when the bone pierces the skin or the force of the fracture causes the skin to open above the break.

Additionally, we can describe fractures as stable, where both ends of a bone line up and are not out of place, or comminuted, when a bone shatters into three or more pieces.

Broken and dislocated bones rarely pose an immediate danger to a person’s life, but that is not always the case. Some fractures can cause extensive internal bleeding for a victim. Regardless of the severity of the fracture, victims must seek immediate medical attention for these injuries. In many cases, broken bones can lead to severe long-term complications for a victim, including significant disfiguring or a disabling condition that can permanently affect a victim’s quality of life.

Any person who sustains a broken bone that was caused by the careless or negligent actions of other individuals could be entitled to significant compensation. Victims who experienced broken bones as a result of the negligence of others should speak to a skilled personal injury lawyer for help with their case. An attorney will be able to examine the facts of each particular situation and help a victim determine the best steps to take moving forward.