Also called a thigh bone, the femur bone is the strongest bone in the body and the hardest to break. It typically takes a lot of force to break one, like the force generated in an auto accident. This makes the car accident the number one cause of a broken femur.
In Philadelphia County, there are around 13,000 motor vehicle accidents per year, and a portion of those are extremely painful broken femur bones.
If you have sustained a broken femur in a vehicle accident in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, contact Attorney Edith Pearce at The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Types of Femur Fractures
The femur is longest bone in the body, and the straight part of the bone is called the femoral shaft which runs from just below the hip joint to where the femur bone widens just above the knee. Like all bone fractures, the type and severity of a femur fracture depends on the force applied to the femur bone.
According to AAOS, here are several types of fractures and each one has a range of severity depending on the type of break.
- Transverse Fracture: The fracture is across the femur in a straight horizontal line.
- Oblique Fracture: The break is at an angle line across the shaft.
- Spiral Fracture: The fracture spirals around the shaft and is caused by a twisting action.
- Comminuted Fracture: The femur bone is broken into three or more pieced that have separated from the shaft.
- Open Fracture: Also called a compound fracture. It’s when a piece of the bone sticks out of the skin exposing the bone.
Causes of Femur Fracture
The younger the person the more force it takes to break a femur, however, many times younger people will generate more energy and that can be a factor in the cause of a femur break. There are many accident types that cause a femur, and the top three are all related to a motor vehicle accident.
- Occupant involved in a car accident
- Hit by car as pedestrian or cyclists
- Rider or passenger of motorcycle in a crash
- Extreme falls
In almost all cases, the force needed to fracture a femur is great. The exception is in older people whose bones have been weakened where a simple fall can break the femur.
Symptoms of a Femur Break
In many bone fractures, it’s often difficult to distinguish between sprain or other injury and a fracture. However, when a femur breaks, the pain is usually more severe than other fractures, and the injured person can’t put any weight on that leg. Because of the force needed to break a femur, most are marked by a deformity such as the leg is no straight or it appears shorter than the other. These symptoms usually make the diagnosis of a femur break much easier.
Even though a broken femur is easier to spot than other fractures, a doctor will run imaging tests to determine the type and severity of the break. X-rays will provide clear images of the bone sufficiently to diagnose the type of fracture. Other times, an CT scan (computerized tomography) might be used to get more detail especially when there might be other damage such as muscle or ligament injuries or when surgery is contemplated.
Damages and Compensation for a Broken Femur:
If the accident was caused by the negligence of someone else, then the victim can seek damages form the at-fault person. Pennsylvania law allows the victim to be compensated for all financial losses incurred from the accident as well as compensation for quality of life issues.
A good attorney will know which damages to seek and how much to seek for each type if damage or loss. Some of the most common damages sought are:
- Medical Bills
- Ambulance Bills
- Rehabilitation Bills
- Lost Time from Work
- Future Loss time from Work
- Pain and Suffering
- Any Disability
- Future Risk of Arthritis
- Permanent Disfigurement
- Loss of Quality of Life
- Mental Anguish/PTSD
Philadelphia Femur Injury Lawyer
If you are injured by someone else’s negligence in a car accident and suffered a broken femur, speak to a Philadelphia traumatic injury lawyer as soon as you are able to. This doesn’t mean you have to hire the attorney, but you owe it to yourself to learn about your rights under the law. Philadelphia personal injury attorneys offer free consultations. At The Pearce Law Firm, P.C., we will only offer you legal advice which is in your best interest.