Broken Bones in Truck Accidents

Texas is home to shipping ports and wide-open spaces, making it the perfect landscape for transporting goods across the state and the country. Numbers from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Texas Freight and Mobility Plan find more than $1.6 trillion worth of freight moving across Texas highways yearly. However, with that many trucks moving across Texas roads, accidents are bound to happen. When they do, the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles tend to suffer the most serious consequences.

One of the more significant consequences of a collision with a large truck is broken bones. Bone fractures can be both painful and debilitating. They can also have a colossal impact on your finances. If a truck accident has left you with broken bones, it may be time to contact the experienced Dallas truck accident lawyers at The Benton Law Firm for help. After a crash involving a reckless or negligent truck driver, we can protect your rights and quickly begin working to help you secure valuable compensation.

For a free consultation, contact us today at (214) 777-7777. We want to help you get the money you deserve.

Understanding the Types of Broken Bones

Breaking a bone can be an excruciating and miserable experience. When bones break because of a significant truck collision, victims can experience a sense of shock and disbelief before the intense pain begins to set in. While all bone breaks tend to be painful, the type and location of the break can significantly impact a victim’s prognosis. Some fractures are stable and are relatively straightforward to treat. Other types of fractures can be extremely complex, sometimes even life-threatening. A bone fracture is exactly what it sounds like, a break in a bone that changes that bone’s shape. Breaks can happen in a variety of different ways.

Some of the more common types of bone fractures include:

Closed– A closed fracture is a bone that breaks but remains underneath the skin.
Open– This type of fracture happens when the bone breaks and part of the bone breaks and protrudes through the skin. This type of fracture is sometimes referred to as a compound fracture. These fractures can be dangerous because internal structures are generally exposed to dirt, bacteria, and foreign materials.
Complete– A complete fracture goes through the entirety of the bone and separates it into two parts.
Partial- A partial fracture does not go through the bone, and the bone is not separated.
Displaced– A displaced fracture happens when a gap exists between the broken ends of the bones. This type of fracture frequently requires surgical intervention.
Stable– When the broken ends of a bone line up and do not move out of place, this is considered a stable fracture.
Stress– Stress fractures are cracks or hairline fractures of a bone.

Often, medical professionals will use other terms in conjunction with these terms to describe the intricate variations of these types of bone fractures.

Terms that you may also hear concerning broken bones may include:

Transverse– Transverse fractures are breaks in the bone that appear in a straight line across the bone.
Compression– A compression fracture is a serious break that flattens or crushes a bone. These fractures tend to happen in the neck and backbones, also known as vertebrae.
Comminuted– A comminuted fracture happens when a bone is shattered or broken into several pieces. These types of fractures are serious and can be complicated to repair. They may also cause damage to surrounding tissue as the sharp shards of bone cut into muscle and soft tissue.
Avulsion– Ligaments and tendons connect bones to other bones. An avulsion fracture happens when a tendon or ligament pulls off a part of the bone.
Oblique– Oblique fractures cut diagonally across a bone.
Spiral– This type of fracture forms rings around a bone, often in a spiral pattern.
Impacted– An impacted fracture happens when two broken bone ends are smashed or jammed together.

Symptoms of Broken Bones

Sometimes the signs of a broken bone are obvious, especially when a bone has broken through the skin. However, not all bone breaks are so apparent. In a traumatic event like a truck accident, the shock of the situation may leave a victim stunned. They feel pain, but it is generalized or an all-over type of pain. Sometimes a bone break can even mimic other problems. A victim could experience shortness of breath and attribute that to the shock of the accident, when a broken rib may be to blame.

Some of the most common symptoms of broken bones that victims need to be aware of include:

Pain
Swelling
Deformity
Difficulty using a limb
Difficulty moving
Numbness or tingling

A medical professional must treat bone fractures. In most cases, an X-ray, bone scan, MRI, or CT scan is needed to identify the exact location and type of break.

Accidents that Can Cause Broken Bones

Large truck crashes tend to be violent and catastrophic events. These machines can exert immense force on smaller passenger vehicles, even at low speeds. The result can be traumatic injuries like broken bones.

When a large or commercial truck collides with a smaller vehicle, occupants can be crushed or pinned inside their car. They can also be thrown against the dashboard, windshield, or car door. Any of these actions can result in broken bones. Some of the most fractured bones are the arms, legs, and ribs. Skull fractures are also relatively common in large truck crashes. Fractures of the neck and spine vertebrae are also possible, especially in higher-speed collisions.

The most common types of truck accidents that result in broken bones tend to include:

Due to the size and weight of large trucks, other types of accidents can also result in broken bones. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that in 2017, 72 percent of those killed in large truck accidents were the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles.

Complications of Bone Fractures

Significant bone fractures can also result in numerous other medical complications. These complications can be life-changing, even life-threatening. Some complications that can arise from significant bone fractures include:

Blood clots
Pressure sores and ulcers from cast wearing
Hemarthrosis or bleeding into the joint
Paralysis in the case of broken vertebrae
Deformities
Long-term pain
Long-term range of motion issues
Osteomyelitis or bone infection
Compartment syndrome can impact surrounding muscles
Sepsis

Contact The Benton Law Firm Today

Broken bones can sideline you for weeks, even months. You may even feel the impact several years down the road. In some cases, a broken bone can significantly change the quality of your life forever.

Shouldn’t they be responsible for compensating you when a reckless or negligent truck driver impacts your life? If you’ve been hurt in an accident with a large truck, contact the experienced Dallas truck accident team at The Benton Law Firm. We can investigate the cause of the accident and protect your rights as we fight to get you the money you deserve. Call us today at (214) 777-7777 for a free initial consultation.