The impact of an automobile accident can cause broken bones. Sometimes, immobilization and time can heal broken bones. Other breaks may require more significant treatments, like surgery. Serious breaks can even cause lifelong complications.
If a car accident left you or a loved one with broken or fractured bones, a Naples car accident lawyer might be able to help you recover compensation if your injuries resulted in medical bills and lost wages. To learn more, call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine.
Some Broken Bones Require Costly Treatments and Lengthy Recoveries
Almost any bone in our bodies can break if enough force is applied. The extent of your injuries and your recovery time will depend on which bones are broken and the type of break suffered. Generally, the greater the impact on the body, the worse the break is. A less severe impact may cause a bone to crack, while a more forceful blow could cause a bone to shatter or break in multiple places.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), a broken bone that punctures the skin, or a wound that penetrates to the broken bone, is known as an “open” fracture. This type of break can be especially dangerous because broken skin increases the chances of the wound or the bone becoming infected. This can lead to bone death, which requires surgical removal of the dead parts of the bone.
Some broken bones can take months to heal and cause permanent damage to the body. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Spinal fractures. A broken spine is painful and could take up to 12 weeks in a brace or corset to heal, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Surgery may be needed to repair severe spinal fractures. If your spinal cord is damaged, it could result in permanently decreased function in your body below the injury, including paralysis.
- Pelvic fractures. Pelvic fractures are rare, but they are mostly seen in patients involved in high-speed vehicle accidents. Healing can take up to 12 weeks and might include surgery and physical therapy. Severe pelvic fractures can cause potentially fatal internal bleeding and organ damage.
- Skull fractures. This is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) where a blow to the head causes the skull bone to break. TBIs are the leading cause of disability and death in adults, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- Hip fractures. Treatment for a broken hip may require surgery, including a hip replacement. This type of injury might require physical therapy to help a patient recover mobility.
Car accident victims who suffer from serious broken bone injuries may need hospitalization, rehabilitation, long-term care services, mobility aids, and more. Medical care can add up, and can so can the financial impact of time lost at work. A Naples personal injury lawyer may be able to help you recover the costs of your care, lost wages, and damaged property. In a civil lawsuit, you may also be able to recover awards for your pain and suffering. This includes compensation for things like depression, loss of a limb, permanently reduced mobility, and mental anguish.
Florida’s No-Fault Insurance System
Florida drivers are not required to carry liability coverage for bodily injury to another person. Instead, motorists must have liability coverage for property damages their vehicles cause to others and personal injury protection (PIP) to cover their medical costs and/or those of their passengers.
Under Florida Statutes § 627.736, PIP pays 80 percent of all necessary medical expenses for treatment received within 14 days of your accident, regardless of whether you or another driver caused the crash. To register a vehicle in Florida, motorists must have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP and a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL), according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
If you are seriously injured, and your costs exceed your PIP coverage, you may step outside the no-fault system and sue the person you believe is responsible for your accident in civil court. To win your lawsuit, you will need to prove someone else’s negligence contributed to your crash. A lawyer can help you do this by taking statements from witnesses, employing a car crash expert to investigate the details of your accident, locating photographs or videos related to your accident, and gathering official records. For more information about how a lawyer can help, contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at (800) 747-3733.
Other Relevant Laws
There are a few other state statutes to consider when pursuing a lawsuit. The first is Florida Statutes § 316.066, which requires reporting all car accidents within 10 days of when they occurred. If a law enforcement officer was called to the scene, this has been done for you. If not, you can find more information on how to report your crash at the FLHSMV website.
Florida Statutes § 768.81 establishes pure comparative fault in civil actions. What this means is that you can sue any other party whose negligence contributed to your injuries, even if your negligent actions were the primary cause. The court will determine each party’s fault percentage, and this amount will diminish your settlement.
You also need to be aware of the statute of limitations on your case. Florida Statutes § 95.11 allows four years to file lawsuits involving negligence. If you do not file your case within this time frame, you might not be able to seek compensation for your injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one.
Reach Out to the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
Our team is here to offer you responsive legal care during your time of need. A Naples broken bones caused by a car accident lawyer is here to assist you from negotiating with insurers to representing you in court. You worry about getting better, and we can take care of everything else. To learn more about how we can take your case on contingency, call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at (800) 747-3733 for a free consultation.
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