Hip fractures are common injuries, especially for the elderly. But almost anyone can suffer a hip injury in a motor vehicle accident or slip and fall. Unfortunately, these injuries take time to heal and make life very difficult in the interim. In fact, a hip injury is enormously disruptive, costing patients thousands of dollars in medical treatment and sometimes completely sidelining people at home. Call Larson & Gallivan Law today if you or a loved one suffered a hip injury in any type of accident. A Vermont personal injury lawyer can review whether you have a right to compensation.
Types of Hip Fractures
The hip is made up of different components, including the leg bone (femur), a ball and socket joint, and pelvic bones. The type of fracture will depend on its location:
- Femoral neck fracture. This type of fracture occurs a couple inches from the hip joint. One complication is that the fracture will cut off the supply of blood to the head, which can lead to bone loss.
- Intertrochanteric hip fracture. This fracture happens a few inches from the hip joint, at a wider point on the femur. Bone loss is less common.
- Pelvic fracture. You might fracture the pelvis, which is a wing-shaped bone.
Some symptoms include difficulty walking or putting weight on the leg. Other symptoms include bruising or swelling around the hip, hip stiffness, and severe pain. If you feel any pain in your hip or pelvis, you should immediately go to the hospital.
Accidents Which Cause Hip Injuries
A person might injure their hip in any type of accident, with the following being most common:
- Slip and falls. Anyone who falls could land on their hip and break it. Slip and falls affect people of all ages, but the elderly are especially vulnerable because they have worse balance and weaker bones.
- Car accidents. A hip might be injured in a serious car crash, including side-impact collisions. Because accidents are so traumatic, some victims might not realize the full extent of their hip injury until they try to walk.
- Truck accidents. These collisions tend to be even more violent than car wrecks. You might suffer a serious hip fracture in an override or underride accident, or after being hit in a jackknife collision.
- Sporting accident. A person might break their hip in a contact sport, like football. Ski accidents can also lead to hip fractures.
- Violent attacks. A person can be attacked in a parking lot, hotel, shopping mall, or school. If the property owner did not use sufficient security, you might have a legal claim.
Any especially traumatic event can lead to a hip fracture. You should seek prompt medical care and then reach out to a personal injury lawyer to check about your legal rights.
Recovery and Prognosis
Hip injuries are disruptive. Typically, a person cannot walk while they wait for the bone to heal. Even sitting and sleeping could be difficult. Many people are left at home for months and cannot attend work or school. A serious fracture might also require surgery to keep the bones together and promote healing. Surgery has its own complications.
A less serious fracture, like a hairline fracture, will still require changes to daily routines. A person might use crutches to get around for several months until the bone heals. They should also increase the amount of time resting.
Recovery time will depend on a person’s age and overall health. Generally, younger victims can heal faster and make a full recovery. An elderly person is at grave risk of never recovering. Because elderly bones tend to be more brittle, recovery could be especially time-consuming for older patients.
Patients often need pain medication and possibly rehabilitation. They also might struggle with loss of income, especially when the fracture prevents them from even sitting up.
Who Can You Hold Responsible for Your Hip Fracture?
As experienced Vermont personal injury attorneys, we receive many calls from people suffering from fractures. They are in pain and wonder if they can sue the person who hurt them.
Typically, you can seek financial compensation for:
- Medical treatment for the fracture
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy to help you recover
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost income or wages, including loss of earning capacity
- Any property damaged in the accident (like a damaged car or motorcycle)
A key in these cases is establishing fault for the accident. For example, you might have tripped over your own feet and fallen to the ground. No one is to blame for that. Even though you are hurt, you are 100% to blame for being clumsy. Some elderly fall because their hip bone is so weak it fractures while they are standing. No one is to blame for that happening, either.
Instead, we might bring a legal claim on your behalf in the following situations:
- A negligent driver crashed into you. Motorists are liable for failing to drive with sufficient care.
- A property owner failed to keep their premises safe. They might have left trash or spilled liquids on the floor, which you slip on, or they have loose carpets which cause you to trip.
- A nursing home allowed a resident to wander away from the premises, where they fell and broke their hip.
- A property owner failed to use reasonable security, which contributed to a violent attack on the premises, causing you to fall.
- School officials did not enforce the rules during a sporting event, leading to injury.
There may be other situations where we can sue someone for your injury. Call us to speak with a Vermont personal injury lawyer.
Get the Legal Help You Need
The weeks following a hip fracture are some of the most depressing a person can suffer. Accident victims should take charge of the situation and callLarson & Gallivan today. We are one of the most experienced personal injury law firms in Vermont. Our firm can meet for a free consultation at a convenient location to discuss your accident. We will also review whether you can bring a legal claim.
