Types of Injuries | Los Angeles Accident & Injury Law Firm

Orthopedic Injuries After Accidents – Know Your Legal Rights

When we hear that someone is going to see an orthopedic surgeon, we often think that the person must have a broken bone that needs treatment. But orthopedic injuries go far beyond fractured bones. Orthopedic injuries can involve injury to any part of the musculoskeletal system, which is made up not only of the bones that make up the skeleton, but also the muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that make it possible for us to walk, move our arms, hands, feet, neck, and other parts of our bodies.

An accident may result in a broken bone, whether it be an arm, leg, rib, clavicle, hip, or pelvis, among others. The fracture can range from a hairline break to a compound fracture in which the broken bone breaks through the skin. Compound fractures are especially dangerous because of the risk of infection from the open wound.

Some of the more common orthopedic injuries that result from the negligence of another person who is at fault for causing an automobile accident, a slip or trip and fall, or from a defective product include:

Fractured bones, such as an arm, leg, hip, pelvis, rib
Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
Injury to ligaments and tendons
Occipital headaches or occipital neuralgia (a chronic pain disorder)
Rotator cuff injuries
Whiplash
Elbow and shoulder injuries
Hand and wrist injuries
Ankle and foot injuries

The extent of recovery from an orthopedic injury depends upon a number of factors, including the age and sex of the victim, severity of the injury, and how quickly medical treatment is obtained after an accident. An older woman with osteoporosis is more likely to break a hip or other bone in a fall than is a 25-year-old woman in good health. Also, if a 25-year-old victim and a 65-year-old victim suffer identical orthopedic injuries, the younger woman will generally heal more quickly with fewer permanent effects than the older woman.

When a person has sustained an orthopedic injury, in many cases the condition may become chronic or subject the person to complications further along in life. For instance, a victim who slips and falls on a dangerous supermarket floor and suffers a broken hip bone, has a greater risk of developing arthritis or other medical complications due to the injury later in life than if he or she had not been injured. Children who have suffered an orthopedic injury caused by a third person pose a special problem, because their musculoskeletal system is still developing and the full impact of their orthopedic injuries may not be known for years. When negotiating with the insurance company or trying your case in front of a jury, your lawyer must include such future problems and costs of treatment therefor as an element of damages to which the victim is entitled.

A broken bone may need to have a cast or brace to immobilize it, or a plate and screws may be necessary depending on the nature and location of the fracture. In some cases, the injured joint, such as a hip or shoulder, will need to be replaced with an artificial device. An orthopedic injury may require surgical repair, pain management, and lengthy and intensive physical therapy.

Orthopedic injuries are classified as acute or chronic. An acute injury is one that comes on suddenly—such as in an automobile accident or a slip/trip and fall—and is caused by high-intensity forces. Chronic injuries are of two types: chronic overuse injuries and chronic recurring conditions, which are acute injuries that occur multiple times, such as a sprained ankle.

The hip is one of the body’s largest weight-bearing joints. It consists of two parts: a ball at the top of the thighbone (femur) and the rounded socket in the pelvis. Ligaments hold the ball into the socket and provides stability to the joint. A hip fracture is usually a break near the top of the thighbone where it angles into the hip socket. Hip fractures are especially severe injuries to elderly patients with osteoporosis. Depending on the age and health of the victim, it can take months of bed rest and immobility for the hip to heal completely. In some cases, the hip is so severely damaged that it must be replaced with an artificial hip.

The knee is the largest joint in the body, made up of the lower end of the thighbone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the knee cap (patella). The knee also includes four major ligaments that connect the bones, control motion, stabilize the joint, and restrict abnormal movement. The meniscus is the cartilage in the knee that serves as a shock absorber and stabilizer. The medial collateral ligament connects the thighbone to the shinbone and helps to stabilize the inner side of the need. A blow to the outside of the knee may cause injury to the MCL that may be accompanied by sharp pain on the inside of the knee. Other important ligaments in the knee are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, capable of a nearly 360 degree range of motion. However, the complex mechanics of the shoulder make it vulnerable to injury. The shoulder joint is made up of the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula(shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper-arm bone). The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint that helps the shoulder move forward and backward and makes it possible for the arm to movie in a circular motion and lift away from the body.

The elbow joint is where the upper-arm bone (humerus) meets the two bones of the lower arm (the ulna and radius). The elbow joint allows the arm to work like a door hinge as well as twist and rotate. The elbow is made up of several muscles, nerves, and tendons that connect the tissues between muscles and bones.

If you have suffered an orthopedic injury due to the fault of another person or a defective product, you should contact an experienced personal injury Law Firm as soon as possibe so an investigation into the accident can be started without delay, before evidence is lost or altered. The attorneys will also want to talk with witnesses to the incident as soon as possible, while the event is still fresh in their minds. An attorney may also be able to get you to health care professionals who specialize in orthopedic injuries.

You may not have health insurance and are unable to pay for expensive orthopedic visits and tests including MRI’s or x-rays. Call today and find out how we can help. Toll Free: 888.222.8286

Tags: herniated disc, herniation, orthopedic, orthopedic injuries
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Lacerations Contusions and Injuries in Accidents and Personal Injury Cases

In just about every personal injury accident, one or more of the persons involved will suffer “lacerations and contusions,” which are the fancy medical and legal terms for cuts and bruises. But lacerations and contusions should not be written off as minimal nuisance injuries that heal in a short time. For example, lacerations inflicted by a pit bull on a person’s face are extremely painful and disfiguring. Contusions to the brain resulting from a blow to the head can result in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Concerns when you suffer a laceration include bleeding, infection, pain, damage to structure beneath the skin, and future scars. A deep cut may expose underlying tissues, such as fat, tendon, muscle, or bone.

Lacerations and contusions to the head can be potentially deadly, even if the impact was not that great and the observable injuries do not appear to be severe. The lacerations and contusions may cause a hematoma (either a subdural or an epidural hematoma), causing heavy bleeding into or around the brain. Two other types of open wounds are commonly found in personal injury cases: abrasions and puncture wounds. An abrasion is a superficial wound in which the uppermost layer of the skin (the epidermis) is scraped off, often by a sliding fall on a rough surface. A puncture wound is usually caused by a sharp pointy object such as a nail, animal teeth (such as a dog bite), or a tack. This type of wound usually does not bleed excessively and can appear to close up. Puncture wounds are prone to infection and should be treated appropriately.

A laceration is a jagged and irregular cut produced by tearing of soft body tissue caused by some blunt trauma, such as being hurt in an automobile accident or a fall. The seriousness of a laceration depends on its location, its depth, whether it leaves a foreign body inside the wound, the amount of blood loss, and whether the cut becomes infected. A laceration is known as an “open wound.” An X-ray may be taken if foreign objects or an underlying broken bone is suspected.

A tetanus shot may be required when a person has suffered a laceration, puncture wound, abrasion, or other injury that breaks the skin. If the laceration was inflicted by a dog, you should verify that the dog was current in its rabies shots; otherwise you will have to undergo a painful series of anti-rabies shots.

For mild lacerations with no complications, medical treatment generally is not called for. All that is required for treatment is to wash them with soap and tap water and keep them clean and dry. Putting alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and iodine should not be avoided, as this can delay healing.

Medical attention for a laceration may be required where:

The wound spurts blood, blood soaks through the bandage, or bleeding continues after ten minutes of firm pressure
The laceration is longer than 1/3^rd of an inch or covers a large part of the body
Pus drains from the cut
There is warmth or numbness in the area of the cut or swelling around it
The cut is jagged, appears deep, or is located on the face, head, or hand
The cut was caused by a dirty or rusty instrument
The wound becomes tender or inflamed
The person cannot move comfortably or develops a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
The wound fails to heal
There are signs of nerve or tendon injury, such as numbness in the area of the wound

The goals of laceration treatment are to stop the bleeding, avoid infection, restore function to the involved tissues, and achieve optimal cosmetic results with minimal scarring. While emergency rooms routinely treat acute trauma involving lacerations, the family doctor should be prepared to treat acute lacerations. This requires knowledge of wound evaluation, preparation, and appropriate repair techniques, as well as when to refer the patient for surgical treatment and how to provide follow-up care.

When a person goes to a doctor or emergency room for treatment of a laceration, the laceration should be carefully evaluated to assess its severity and the involvement of muscle, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and bone. Direct pressure should be applied to control bleeding. The history should include when and how the injury occurred and personal information, such as a history of hemophilia, HIV, diabetes, tetanus immunization, and allergies to latex, local anesthetics, tape, or antibiotics. The patient should be instructed on signs of infection and when follow-up should be performed.

Referral to a surgeon is appropriate in cases of deep wounds to the hand or foot full-thickness lacerations of the eyelid, lip, or ears; lacerations involving nerves, arteries, bones, or joints; penetrating wounds of unknown depth; severe crush injuries; severely contaminated wounds requiring drainage; and wounds for which the victim or the doctor is strongly concerned about the cosmetic outcome.

If you were injured in, say, a traffic accident caused by another person, that resulted in serious lacerations that needed stitches or other medical intervention and left a scar, you are entitled to receive compensation for the disfigurement. Of course, your monetary recovery will be much greater for a long scar on your face than a small scar on your arm, back, or leg.

Infection is the biggest medical concern in the first few weeks following a laceration or other “open” injury. Signs of infection include severe pain, draining pus, redness beyond the wound edges, fevers and chills, or excessive wound swelling. If you think you have an infection, you should seek prompt medical care.

Scarring is also a major concern. Although good wound care gives the best chance of a smaller scar, there are several factors beyond your control. For instance, jagged cuts with more traumatic skin damage (such as a cut surrounded by an area of abrasion) tend to scar more. African-Americans tend to form “keloid scars” during the healing process. A keloid is a thick swollen care with a ropelike quality, which can sometimes be treated by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon after the wound is healed.

You can help to minimize the possibility of scarring by watching for signs of infection (such as redness, swelling, oozing pus) and seeing your doctor promptly. You should also avoid sun exposure, as newly healed tissue burns more easily and is often left discolored. A scar will often look red and swollen after removal of the sutures, but may fade considerably over the next year.

A contusion is caused when tiny blood vessels (“capillaries”) are damaged or broken as the result of blunt trauma to the skin, crushing the underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking the skin. A contusion is classified as a “closed wound.” A bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into tissues as well as the body’s response to the injury. A purplish, flat bruise that occurs when blood leaks out into the top layers of skin is referred to as an “ecchymosis.”

While contusions often affect only the tissues just beneath the skin, severe impacts can cause serious contusions in muscles, bones, or even internal organs. In severe cases, swelling and bleeding beneath the skin may cause shock. If tissue damage is extensive, you may also have a fractured bone, dislocated joint, sprain, torn muscle, or other injury. Severe injuries that cause difficulty in moving a limb, abdominal bruising, bruising behind the ear, and the feeling of liquid under the skin may indicate a life-threatening injury and requires immediate medical care.

In some cases, built-up pressure from fluids several hours after a contusion injury can disrupt blood flow and prevent nourishment from reaching the muscle group. This is known as “compartment syndrome,” and often requires urgent surgery to drain the excess fluids. Untreated compartment syndrome can result in tissue necrosis, permanent functional impairment, and, if severe, kidney failure and death. Compartment syndrome can occur wherever a compartment is present: the hand, forearm, upper arm, abdomen, buttock, and entire lower extremity (the legs). In compartment syndrome, the patient complains of deep, constant, and poorly localized pain, and is often described as out of proportion with the injury. Compartment syndrome is a serious medical condition requiring emergency care.

Sometimes a bruise does not go away and instead becomes firm and may actually start getting larger in size. It may also continue to be painful. If a large collection of blood is formed under the skin or in the muscle, rather than trying to clean up the area, the body may wall off the blood that is causing a hematoma. A hematoma is a small pool of blood that is walled off and may need to be drained by your doctor.

You should take photographs of your bruises at their worst so they can be shown to the jury to help to demonstrate the extent of your injuries. Call now and talk to a lawyer for free about your case: 310.882.6810

Tags: contusions, lacerations
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Hearing Loss from a Car Accident – Loss of Hearing from Traumatic Impact

If your hearing has been impacted after an accident, it is important that you immediately speak with an attorney at our law firm about your case. We have successfully handled many cases resulting in hearing loss or tinnitus - whether due to whiplash or the deployment of an airbag. We routinely work with some of the top audiologist, doctors and experts in California in handling our cases and in the treatment of our clients. Call now for a free legal consultation 888.222.8286.

Below is some educational information about dealing with hearing loss, the legal consequences and the biological background of its causes.

When we think of hearing loss, we typically think of a person who has listened to loud music for years, has worked in noisy industrial buildings or construction areas all of his or her working life, or the natural decline of the auditory senses with age. But hearing loss can also be due to a sudden event, such as hitting one’s head in a fall or a swift powerful blow to the side of the head such as that suffered in an automobile accident. A blow to the head that causes unconsciousness can lead to an inner-ear concussion and hearing loss. Other damages that can result in trauma to head or ear include the dislocation or fracture of the middle ear bones, fracture of the cochlea in the inner ear (the cochlea is the main sensory organ of hearing), a hole in the inner ear leading to inner ear fluid leakage, a fracture of the temporal bone fracture leading to hearing loss, and bleeding in the inner ear. Serious traumatic injuries to the ear arising from an automobile collision can cause permanent hearing loss or balance problems.

The ear is made up of three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear captures the sound vibration and sends it through the ear canal to the middle ear, which contains the eardrum and three tiny bones—the hammer, anvil, and stirrup (known collectively as the “ossicles”). The sound causes the eardrum to vibrate. The ossicles amplify these vibrations and carry them to the inner ear. The inner ear is made up of a snail-shaped chamber (the “cochlea”), which is filled with fluid and lined with four rows of tiny hair cells. When the vibrations are strong enough, the inner hair cells translate them into electrical nerve impulses in the auditory nerve (the “vestibulocochlear” nerve), which sends electrical signals to the brain to be interpreted as sound.

There are two main types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss is due to some mechanical problem in the external or middle ear. The three tiny bones of the middle ear may fail to conduct sound to the cochlea, the eardrum may fail to vibrate in response to sound, or there may be fluid in the middle ear. Sensorineural hearing loss results from a dysfunction of the inner ear. The most common reason for hearing loss is due to the tiny hair cells (“cilia”) that transmit sound through the ear are injured. This is often referred to as “nerve damage,” but that is not quite an accurate description. Sensorineural hearing loss often makes it difficult to hear high tones, such as women’s or children’s speech. Usually it will be difficult to hear the person you are talking to if there is background noise. Conductive hearing loss is often reversible and can often be cured simply by cleaning the ear wax out of the ear. Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is not reversible; once you lose your sensorineural hearing, it is usually lost forever and cannot be restored.

Serious and permanent hearing injuries can result in a traffic accident when the airbag deploys. The airbag explodes with a sound pressure level that may be greater than 170 decibels. To put this into perspective, a jet engine at takeoff has a sound pressure level of 140 decibels, a shotgun blast 165 decibels, and a rocket launch 180 decibels. A sudden, extremely loud noise such as an airbag exploding can damage any of the structures in the ear, causing immediate and permanent hearing loss (“acoustic trauma”). The occupants in a car in which the airbag deployed may suffer from ruptured eardrums, significant loss of equilibrium (such as unsteadiness or dizziness), or permanent and persistent ringing of the ears (“tinnitus”). The hearing damage a person develops from the deployment of an airbag may be due to the tremendous sound explosion of the airbag, which can cause severe ear pain, loud ringing, and bleeding from the ear canals. Or the damage to a victim’s ears may result from the sudden violent contact of the airbag with the person’s head.

Research tends to show that over 15 percent of persons whose airbags deployed in a traffic accident suffer some degree of permanent hearing loss. It is worth noting that an airbag deploys in the same explosive manner whether the accident was at a relatively low speed as it does at a high rate of speed. The problem is that an airbag is deployed using a tiny explosive device. This explosive device is necessary because the airbag must inflate in the extremely brief period of time it takes between the initial car crash impact and the moment the driver’s head would otherwise strike the steering wheel.

If severe trauma—such as a skull fractur e of the temporal bone—dislocates the bones in the middle ear that transmit sound to the inner ear, or injures the inner ear structures (the cochlea), the hearing loss may be severe. To diagnose a fracture of the temporal bone, X-rays or even a CT scan may be necessary to aid the doctor. Temporal-bone fracture is a more serious injury than a simple concussion, and is more likely to be associated with permanent injury to the inner ear.

Symptoms of hearing loss include muffled hearing, difficulty understanding what people are saying especially when there are competing voices or background noise (you may hear the other person speaking, but you cannot distinguish the specific words), listening to the television or radio at a higher volume than before, avoiding conversation and social interaction, and depression because of how the hearing loss is affecting your social life. Other symptoms that may accompany hearing loss include ringing, roaring, hissing, or buzzing in the ear (“tinnitus”), ear pain, itching or irritation, pus or fluid leaking from the ear, and vertigo.

Depending on the place and extent of injury to the ear, it may heal on its own or surgery may be required to restore hearing. Damaged eardrums can be repaired surgically. Ossicles (the three small bones of the middle ear) can be replaced with artificial bones. Some causes of sensorineural hearing loss can also be improved. If there is no cure for the hearing loss, a hearing aid for one or both ears usually helps most people, whether the hearing loss is the result of either conuctive or sensorineural problems. When a hearing aid does not give enough amplification, as with profound deafness, a cochlear implant may help.

A ruptured eardrum may heal on its own in several weeks after it was injured, but the remaining scar tissue may affect the person’s ability to hear low sounds. Where the injury has resulted in a perforated eardrum, typically the size of the perforation determines the level of hearing loss. A larger hole will cause a greater hearing loss than a smaller hole. The location of the perforation also affects the degree of hearing loss.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident in which an airbag deployed or you hit your head, you should seek immediate medical care if you experience a sudden loss of hearing. Likewise, if your sudden hearing loss is combined with any of the following, you should seek immediate medical care:

Facial droop
Numbness or paralysis on one side of the face or body
Eye or vision problems, such as blurred or double vision, or the inability to see out of one eye
Slurred speech, the inability to speak, or difficulty understanding speech
Difficulty standing or walking (ataxia)
Falling of stumbling a lot (clumsiness)
Severe nausea or vomiting
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Vertigo (a sudden feeling of spinning or whirling that feels like moving while sitting or standing still)
Sudden ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)
Blood or other fluid (other than earwax) oozing out the ear
Headaches
Major fatigue

In any event, if you have suffered a sudden loss of hearing as the result of an automobile accident or any other head trauma, you should see your doctor as soon as possible for medical evaluation. If your doctor suspects or diagnoses a hearing loss, he or she may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist (“otolaryngologist”) or an audiologist.

A blow, cut, or other trauma to the ear or ear canal may result in bleeding and infection, leading to temporary hearing loss. Traumatic injury to the inner ear or cochlea can result in permanent hearing loss. A blow to the head suffered in an automobile accident may cause the three bones of the middle ear to change position (“dislocation”), resulting in sound not being sent to the inner ear. A head injury may also cause a ruptured eardrum. A forceful blow to the head may damage the delicate nerves in the cochlea or in the brain. Injuries to the ear come sometimes heal themselves; other times surgery is required to repair the damage. However, severe injuries may cause permanent damage to the ear, resulting in permanent hearing loss.

Which part of the ear is affected determines the type of hearing loss the victim suffers. In conductive hearing loss, sound waves are blocked before they reach the inner ear. One of the most common causes of conductive hearing loss is an accumulation of ear wax, which can be safely and quickly extracted by an otolaryngologist. In sensorineural hearing loss, sound reaches the inner ear, but a problem in the inner ear or the nerves that allow you to hear (the “auditory nerves”) prevent proper hearing. Examples of sensorineural hearing loss include noise-induced hearing loss and age-related hearing loss. Another, less frequent form of hearing loss is central hearing loss, in which the ear works, but the brain has difficulty understanding sounds because the parts of the brain that control hearing are damaged. This type of hearing loss may occur after a traumatic head injury.

A person injured in an automobile accident may sustain a “labyrinthine concussion.” The inner ear is sometimes referred to as the labyrinth (maze), as it is made up of an elaborate system of interconnected, tube-like fluid-filled chambers. The labyrinth includes the organ for hearing (the cochlea), as well as the organs for balance. The labyrinth is surrounded by the temporal bone. If you suffer a femoral bone fracture in an automobile accident, you may experience all of the symptoms of a labyrinthine concussion, including hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems. Temporal-bone fractures are more serious than simple concussions, and are more likely to be associated with permanent injury to the inner ear.

The amount of your monetary compensation will depend upon such factors as whether the hearing loss is in one or both ears, whether your hearing loss is mild or severe, whether there is decreased hearing acuity (whether words sound garbled), whether there is ringing in the ears (“tinnitus”), and whether there is any ear pain and, if so, how severe it is. In many people suffering a hearing loss in an automobile accident, it may be necessary for them to wear a hearing aid. Some victims will require a cochlear implant to improve hearing. A cochlear implant transmits signals directly into the auditory nerve via electrodes that are surgically implanted into the cochlea. The results of a cochlear implant vary between people, and it is hard to tell how useful it will be before it is implanted.

In some cases, the hearing loss shows up immediately after the accident, especially where it has involved physical impact to the ear. In other cases, the hearing loss resulting from the accident comes on more slowly. The victim may notice ringing in their ear (tinnitus) after the accident, become unable to hear sounds at a distance, hearing muffled sounds rather than crisp, sharp sounds, have difficulty understanding people who are talking to them, pain in the ear, continual itching in the ear, vertigo, and the discharge of fluid or blood from the ear.

Hearing loss can affect both your ability to work and your social life. A person who suffers a hearing loss may be subject to loneliness, despair, social isolation, depression, and loss of independence. In many cases, however, hearing aids and other devices are available to help you hear.

If you have suffered a partial or total hearing loss in a traffic accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury law firm as soon as possible. It is important to contact such a law firm promptly, as the law firm may want to send its own investigators to the scene of the accident to inspect and take pictures of the accident site and any dangerous condition that caused or contributed to the accident, especially before there is a change in the condition of the area or vehicle. The attorney or his or her investigator will also want to talk to any witnesses to the accident as soon as possible while the facts are still fresh in their minds.

An experienced personal injury law firm can also help with seeing to it that you obtain appropriate and thorough medical care for your physical, emotional, and psychological injuries suffered as a result of the accident. The attorneys in the firm can also do everything possible to ensure that you obtain full compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, property damage, lost wages, and all of your other injuries and damages.

Slaughter & Slaughter has experience in diligently representing clients who have suffered hearing loss because of a motor vehicle caused by another driver’s carelessness. We understand the physical, financial, and emotional toll the loss of hearing takes on the injured victim and his or her family. Call now and talk to one of our lawyers for a free consultation of your case. Don’t let the insurance company take advantage of you. Call now: 310.882.6810

Tags: hearing loss
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Paraplegia Caused by Accidents

Paraplegia involves a spinal cord injury resulting in the paralysis of the body below the level of the neck. “Vertebrae” are the bony structures that make up the spine, and which protect the spinal cord—which runs down the center of the vertebrae—from injury. There are seven cervical vertebrae at the top of the spine that, if injured, can result in quadriplegia. Below the cervical vertebrae, the spine is made up of twelve “thoracic” vertebrae (“T-1” through “T-12,” in descending order). Below the thoracic vertebrae and making up the lower back are the five “lumbar” vertebrae (“L-1” through “L-5”).

Next to quadriplegia, paraplegia is the most serious of all the spinal cord injuries and one of the most devastating injuries a person can sustain. Paraplegia results from the fracture, dislocation, or compression of one or more of the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae that make up the majority of the spine, causing severance of, compression of, or tears to the spinal cord itself. It is not necessary to suffer a fracture to become a paraplegic, just as a fracture to a thoracic or lumbar vertebra does not automatically mean you will be paralyzed.

Unlike quadriplegics, who often must have around-the-clock caregivers to assist him or her and are unable to return to work, paraplegics are often able to return to a relatively independent and productive life through intensive (and expensive) rehabilitation and retraining. In many cases, the person who has been rendered paraplegic due to another’s careless conduct (“negligence”) will be able to return to work, if not at his or her old job, then, with proper education and training, to a new job that can accommodate their physical condition and all that goes with it.

The damages in terms of financial costs for treating a paraplegic are high, running into the millions of dollars. There are tremendous “economic damages,” including medical expenses, intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation, the costs of a caregiver, lost wages while the victim was off work or due to the inability to return to a career or job, the loss of earning potential, educational expenses to be trained for a new career, the costs of making modifications to the house to accommodate a wheelchair, the purchase of a specially-equipped van or other vehicle to transport the paraplegic or so that the paraplegic is able to drive himself or herself with special features. Damages for so-called “non-economic damages” such as pain and suffering and “loss of enjoyment of life” are substantial in cases involving victims who have been rendered paraplegic.

The life span of a person who has been rendered paraplegic is often shortened due to an impaired immunity system that leaves the quadriplegic victim more susceptible to infections and diseases. For instance, pneumonia is a leading cause of death among paraplegic persons. Infections from bedsores (“decubitus ulcers”) are common in paraplegics, and are caused by sitting or lying in one position too long. This is why it is crucial that a paraplegic change his or her position regularly to prevent the development of bedsores. Untreated bedsores can result in deadly infections.

Besides the serious physical injuries, a person who suddenly and unexpectedly gets into an accident that causes him or her to become a paraplegic, the mental and emotional side of the injury must also be considered. The victim may go into despair and grieve for the loss of use of his or her lower limbs. The victim may become depressed, withdrawn, hopeless, even suicidal. The mental health aspects of becoming a paraplegic can be serious and require appropriate psychotherapy and even psychoactive medications.

Slaughter & Slaughter has the experience necessary in representing clients who have been rendered paraplegic due to the careless conduct (“negligence”) of another person, a company, or a defective product. We understand the physical, financial, and emotional toll paraplegia takes on the injured victim and his or her family. We will work hard on your behalf to get you the maximum recovery possible to help you to adjust to your new living requirements. Call now and talk to a lawyer free – 310.882.6810 or Toll Free: 888.222.8286

Tags: negligence, paraplegia
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“Minor” Head Injuries – The Truth About Brain Injuries

The recent death of 45-year-old actress Natasha Richardson demonstrates the importance of getting a full medical check-up even if you’ve only been in a minor traffic accident or other incident in which you struck your head even slightly. Richardson hit her head when she fell on the beginners’ slope of a ski resort while taking a ski lesson. According to news reports, there was no sign of blood or trauma. Two members of the ski patrol went to her aid and reported that she was conscious, smiling, and making jokes. An hour later, however, Richardson complained of a headache and was taken to a local hospital in an ambulance, still conscious. However, at some point she lost consciousness and was transferred to another hospital. Unfortunately, she died the next day of an epidural hematoma, a condition in which bleeding occurs from an artery in the brain.

Richardson’s condition is what emergency room doctors refer to as “walk and die” syndrome, in which the person who has suffered a minor blow to the head at first feels fine, but within an hour or two begins to feel symptoms that indicate the possibility of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that requires immediate treatment to prevent serious damage. The arteries in the brain are under high pressure, and blood can accumulate rapidly in the area, pushing the brain to one side and leaking blood down into the brainstem. There it can cause a change in mental status, including a coma that can result in the person’s death. This is why it is important that if you have hit your head in an automobile accident, a slip-and-fall, or any other type of incident in which you struck your head, you should always go to the emergency room to get checked out.

Note that it is not necessary to actually hit your head on something to suffer a serious TBI. For example, having your head snap violently back and forward in whiplash injury in a traffic accident or even while riding a roller coaster at an amusement park can result in damage to the brain.

Ideally, when a person goes to the emergency room after suffering a blow to the head, the best thing for doctors to do is admit the person for observation for 24 hours. Unfortunately this is not always feasible and the ER doctor must use his or her best judgment in deciding whether to admit a patient for observation. If the doctors do not admit you to the hospital, they will ordinarily discharge you with a “head sheet” telling you to return immediately to the emergency room if any of the symptoms on the head sheet occur. Some signs of a serious head or brain injury are:

Headaches or neck pain that won’t go away
Dizziness
Disturbances in your speech, such as slurring your words
Disturbances in your vision, such as blurriness or double-vision
Feeling nauseous
Feeling tired and fatigued for no reason

If you have struck your head or suffered a whiplash-type injury and have any of the above symptoms, you should promptly seek emergency medical care.

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Broken Ankle and Related Injuries

A broken ankle is a relatively common yet complex type of injury, and may be the result of being in a car or motorcycle accident, a slip and fall on a dangerous floor, a fall from heights, or other trauma due to another person’s carelessness (“negligence”). Suspected ankle fractures are one of the most common fractures seen in emergency rooms. Over 1.2 million people go to an emergency room each year with an ankle injury.

The ankle is a hinge-type joint that connects the leg to the foot. It forms where three bones come together. These three bones are the tibia (shinbone), the fibula (the lower leg bone), and the anklebone, called the talus. These bones fit together snugly and are supported by strong ligaments to form your ankle joint. The ends of the leg bones (the tibia and the fibula) form a scooped pocket around the top of the anklebone (the talus). The tibia and the fibula are above the ankle joint, while the talus is below it. When a doctor talks about an ankle fracture, he or she is usually talking about a broken bone of the tibia or fibula.

There are many different types of ankle fractures, and every ankle fracture must be treated individually. The severity of a broken ankle can vary from tiny cracks in a single bone to severe, shattering breaks of multiple bones that break the skin. More than most bones of the body, ankle injuries require the most individualized type of treatment. The treatment for a broken ankle depends on the exact site and severity of the fracture. A severely broken ankle may require surgery to implant wires, plates, rods, or screws into the broken bone to maintain proper alignment during healing. High-impact ankle injuries are especially dangerous if the bone breaks through the skin and is exposed to the air. The open wound lets bacteria in to contaminate the broken bone, greatly increasing the risk of infection. In such a case, you will be prescribed a course of antibiotics to stave off any infection.

Ankle fractures result when the ankle is forced inward or outward past its normal range of motion. Fractures result from the same causes as sprains. The diagnosis of an ankle fracture is suspected when a patient gives a history of “turning” or “rolling” his or her ankle, accompanied by sudden pain and swelling. The physical exam will reveal tenderness over the involved bones. Deformity and severe swelling may be present. X-rays of the ankle from several views are needed to confirm the fracture and plan for treatment. Sometimes the doctor will put pressure on the ankle and take a special X-ray called a “stress test.” This is done to see whether certain ankle fractures need surgery. A CT scan or an MRI may occasionally be ordered to assess whether there has been any injury to the cartilage and tendons around the article.

If you have a broken ankle, you may experience the following signs and symptoms:

A snapping or popping sound at the time of the injury
Bone piercing through the skin (an open wound)
Loss of function (it hurts to move the ankle)
Immediate, severe throbbing ankle pain
The ankle is tender to the touch
Pain that increases with activity and decreases with rest
Severe swelling at the site of the fracture
Severe ankle bruising or discolored skin, which appears hours to days after the injury
Severe tenderness over the bones of the ankle
Deformity (“out of place”) of the ankle joint caused by the displacement of bones
Inability to walk or bear weight on the affected leg, i.e., to stand on the ankle
Inability to move the ankle
Cuts, puncture wounds, or protrusion of bone fragments through the skin

You should seek immediate care from your doctor or at an emergency room if you have any of the following:

The bone has pierced your skin and is exposed to the air (a compound fracture)
There is a gross deformity of your ankle bones, indicating displacement of the bones
You cannot put weight on the ankle
Intolerable pain persists despite over-the-counter pain medications
You are unable to move your toes
You cannot move your ankle at all
You have partial or total numbness of your ankle or foot
Your foot is cold or blue

If you suspect you have a fractured ankle but it does not need emergency care, you should call your doctor’s office and make an appointment to see him or her within two to three days. Until you get to the doctor’s office, you should do the following:

Stay off the injured ankle so you do not injure it further;
Restrict the movement of your ankle and foot;
Apply ice to the area for 20 minutes at a time with a break of 45 to 60 minutes between icing for the first 24 to 48 hours; this will help to reduce swelling.
Apply compression to the injured area by wrapping it in an elastic or ACE bandage.
Keep your ankle and foot elevated above heart level. This takes pressure off the ankle and foot and also helps to reduce swelling.
Take over-the-counter pain killers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) to keep the swelling down.

At the emergency room, if X-rays show that your ankle is indeed broken, they will ordinarily put a splint on the affected leg. In serious breaks, a splint is often used for only a few days, until a cast is put on. The splint will allow more room than a cast in case there is continued swelling. If the ankle fracture is not badly displaced, the splint may be put on without moving the broken ankle. If the break is a displacement fracture, a “reduction” will be performed. After the victim is given anesthesia, the ankle fracture will be re-set to improve the alignment and displacement of the broken bones.

A plaster or fiberglass cast is usually put on after several days, unless the swelling is minimal, in which case the cast may be made sooner. If the anklebone cannot be aligned perfectly before it is ready for a case, surgery to align the bones properly may be necessary. Plaster casts mold to the skin better and are generally preferred if the cast is needed to hold the broken bone in place. If the fracture is not unstable, or if some healing has already taken place, a fiberglass cast may be used. Fiberglass casts are lighter and more resilient to wear than plaster casts. After the cast is removed—usually six to eight weeks later—your doctor will most likely prescribe a course of physical therapy to improve the leg’s strength and ankle’s range of motion before you can resume your normal activities.

The doctor may order you to use crutches to get around to help immobilize the injury and ensure you do not put weight on it for several weeks to as much as several months. Determining when you can place weight on the broken ankle depends on the type and severity of the fracture. Only the doctor will be able to tell you when you can start putting weight on the mending ankle.

Although some ankle fractures are healed by immobilization alone, many ankle fractures require surgery. The need for surgery depends on the appearance of the ankle joint on X-rays and the type of fracture. If the fracture is out of place or the person’s ankle is unstable, it may be necessary to treat the fracture with surgery. You may need surgery to implant internal fixation devices such as wires, plates, nails, or screws to keep your bones in their proper position so they heal correctly. Surgery may be necessary if you have any of the following:

Multiple fractures
An unstable or displaced fracture
Loose bone fragments that could enter a joint\
Damage to the surrounding ligaments
Fractures that extend into a joint

If the shape and anatomy of the ankle are not accurately restored, the cartilage lining of the ankle will be disturbed, inevitably leading to arthritis. Therefore, the goal of treating all ankle fractures is to re-position the bones to prevent the occurrence of arthritis. Some minor ankle fractures can be treated in a boot or case without surgery. Many ankle fractures, however, require surgical treatment. Screws and/or a metal plate or wires or rods are inserted into the bones in order to re-align the bone fragments and keep them together as they heal. Different techniques for surgery can be used. Following surgery, a bandage with plaster is applied to the ankle and remains until the stitches are removed, usually two weeks or so later. At that time, gentle exercise activities may be started. No walking on the ankle is permitted for approximately six weeks. At that time protective walking (with a removable boot or a brace) may be allowed. Physical therapy exercises, swimming, and biking are important parts of the recovery process, as they strengthen the leg and develop movement of the ankle. If the ankle is not repaired correctly or does not heal well, arthritis or deformity of the ankle may occur, necessitating a second surgery.

To reduce pain and inflammation, the doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). If these don’t provide sufficient relief from your pain, your doctor may give you an opioid medication containing codeine, such as Vicodin or Norco.

After your cast or splint is removed, you will probably need to loosen up stiff muscles and ligaments in your ankle and foot. Your doctor may prescribe a course of physical therapy for you, where not only will the physical therapists treat you, they will also instruct you on a program of stretching, strengthening, and range of motion exercises for you to do at home. If you did not have surgery on your ankle or foot, it usually takes a few weeks of physical therapy for your ankle to fully recover. If you had surgery and your cast was on for more than six weeks, your rehabilitation will be longer.

There are certain times during the treatment phase of your broken ankle that you should contact your healthcare provider immediately. These include:

You have swelling above or below the site of the fracture
Your toenails or feet turn grey or blue and stay grey or blue when your leg is elevated
You have numbness or complete loss of feeling in the skin below the fracture
You have lingering pain at the site of the fracture under the cast, or you experience increasing pain not helped by elevation or pain medication
You have a burning pain under the cast

When can you return to performing your normal activities? Everyone heals at a different rate and the healing will involve the site and severity of the fracture. Return to your normal activities will be determined by how soon your ankle recovers, not by how many days, weeks, or even months it has been since your injury occurred The goal of rehabilitation is to get you back to your normal activities as soon as is safely possible. If you return to soon you may worsen your injury. You may safely return to your normal activities when you have full range of motion in the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg, you have full strength in the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg, and you can walk straight ahead without pain or limping.

If you suffered a broken ankle or other serious foot injury due to another person’s carelessness—such as a car accident, a slip-and-fall—you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. The attorney may be able to suggest an orthopedic surgeon who has experience in treating broken ankles, and will be able to start an investigation into the cause of your accident as soon as possible. An experienced personal injury law firm will work on your behalf to recover monetary damages for all of your injuries and losses, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages. Call now or submit your case for a free review.

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Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder

Whiplash has been the butt of many jokes, but to a person who suffers from it, it is no laughing matter. Each year, some two million Americans suffer from whiplash, most of them having been injured in a rear-end collision where the car they were riding in was stopped and hit by an inattentive driver. Severe whiplash can result in injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair damage to the spinal cord.

Between 15 percent and 40 percent of people who suffer whiplash will continue to have pain months after the injury occurred. There is an 18 percent chance that a whiplash victim will still be experiencing some symptoms after two years. In some people, this chronic pain can be traced to damage in the joints, discs, and ligaments of the neck. In many cases, however, no abnormality can be found to explain the persistent neck pain.

Whiplash is not a medical term. Doctors refer to it as neck sprain or neck strain or even more technically as cervical sprain or cervical strain (and sometimes “hyperextension”). Whiplash often involves pain and stiffness in the neck, but may also affect the surrounding muscles in your head, mid-back, chest, shoulders, and arms. Whiplash injuries can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. Whiplash is often referred to as “soft tissue injuries,” as the damage is usually limited to the ligaments, muscles, and tendons of the neck and upper back and does not involve the fracture of any bones or vertebrae.

Whiplash occurs when the soft tissues (ligaments, muscles, and tendons) of the neck are injured by a sudden jerking or “whipping” of the head which strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range of action. Whiplash injuries occur when there is a sudden backward movement of the neck (“hyperextension”) followed by a sudden forward movement of the neck (“hyperflexion”). The most common cause of whiplash is when you are in a car that is stopped and is rear-ended by another vehicle. Whiplash can also be caused by amusement park rides such as roller coasters, sports injuries, being punched or shaken, or falls from bicycles or other sources. Whiplash is often found in “shaken baby syndrome.”

Whiplash can take days, weeks, even months to develop. You may feel fine after an accident but slowly the typical symptoms of whiplash—such as neck pain and shoulder stiffness—may develop. Whiplash can be associated with other spinal conditions such as osteoarthritis (bone and joint pain) and premature disc degeneration (faster aging of the spine). The sooner the symptoms of whiplash appear, the more serious the injuries tend to be. Sometimes whiplash will appear in the first few days following the accident, go away, but then come back several days later. If this describes your situation, you should consult a doctor promptly.

Signs and symptoms of whiplash include:

Neck pain and stiffness
Headaches and dizziness (symptoms of a concussion)
Tenderness along the back of the neck
Muscle spasms in the side or back of the neck
Tingling, burning, or prickling sensations in the arms or legs (“paresthesia”)
Loss of function in the arms or legs
Pain and stiffness in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades
Back pain
Jaw pain (temporomandibular joint [TMJ] symptoms)
Ringing in the ears
Blurred vision
Difficulty concentrating
Memory problems
Irritability
Sleep disturbances
Fatigue
Nausea
Difficulty swallowing and chewing and hoarseness

Not too long ago, a person who suffered from whiplash was given a soft foam neck collar (brace) from the doctor and told to wear it for three to four weeks to immobilize the area. Today, doctors generally agree that immobilizing the area and the use of neck collars is not warranted, as immobilizing the neck for long periods of time can lead to decreased muscle bulk and strength and impair recovery. If a collar is prescribed for you, the doctor will usually want you to wear it no more than three hours at a time and only for the first few weeks after the injury. However, if you’re continually being awakened at night by whiplash pain, the doctor may have you wear a cervical collar to help you sleep.

Today, most doctors promote the use of pain relievers, muscle relaxants, stretching exercises, and/or physical therapy as appropriate treatment of whiplash. Early range of motion and exercises lead to a more rapid recovery than prolonged immobilization or use of a cervical collar. Nevertheless, if you experience pain when you move your head, or the pain involves your shoulders or arms, the doctor may prescribe a soft neck collar.

For many whiplash victims, if they follow the doctor’s advice and take the right medications and faithfully attend their physical therapy sessions, whiplash is resolved four to six weeks after the accident. But for some people, regardless of how intensive their physical therapy and their medications, whiplash results in long-term symptoms that can be extremely painful and disabling.

If you have been injured in a car accident (or other accident that has caused your head to snap forward and backward) and the back of your neck or your neck and shoulders are causing you pain, it is a good idea to seek immediate medical care to ensure that nothing more serious than whiplash is causing your pain. When you see the doctor, he or she will measure how far your neck can move in different directions and will also check to see whether any parts of your neck are especially tender to pressure. The doctor often will order x-rays of your neck and upper spine to see whether there has been any damage to the spine, such as fractures of the cervical vertebrae (the bones that make up the top part of your spine), dislocations, etc. Where more serious injuries are suspected, or you have not significantly recovered from your injuries in four to six weeks, the doctor may order a CT scan or an MRI to help assess the extent of your injuries and check for soft-tissue damage or pressure on the nerves.

In addition to whiplash, there is the more serious Whiplash-Associated Disorder (WAD). In the more severe and chronic case of “whiplash associated disorder,” symptoms can include those occurring in ordinary whiplash cases as well as the following:

Depression
Anger
Frustration
Anxiety
Stress
Drug dependency
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Sleep disturbance (insomnia)
Social isolation

Four grades of Whiplash-Associated Disorder were defined by the Qubec Task Force, commissioned by the public auto insurer in Quebec, Canada, which made specific recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of WAD. These four grades of Whiplash-Associated Disorder are:

Grade 0: no neck pain, stiffness, or any physical signs are noticed
Grade 1: complaints of neck pain, stiffness, or tenderness only, but no physical signs are noted by the examining physician
Grade 2: neck complaints and the examining physician finds decreased range of motion and point tenderness in the neck
Grade 3: decreased range of motion plus neurological signs such as decreased deep tendon reflexes, weakness, insomnia, and sensory deficits
Grade 4: neck complaints and fracture or dislocation, or injury to the spinal cord

For the immediate treatment of whiplash, doctors recommend that you should take either acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief or an over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). For more serious whiplash injuries, the doctor may prescribe pain relievers containing codeine (such as Vicodin or Norco), as well as prescription muscle relaxants. To reduce the possible swelling (“inflammation”), in the first 24 hours following the accident you should apply cold to the back of your neck for 20 minutes every hour while you are awake and lying down. This should start as soon as possible after the accident. A package of frozen peas works nicely. The cold source should not be placed directly on the skin; rather it should be wrapped in a towel and applied to the source. A day or two after the accident, you should begin treating the back of the neck and shoulders with heat, such as a heating pad or a moist towel warmed in the microwave. For three to four weeks after the injury, you should avoid lifting or carrying anything heavy or participating in sports.

Once your pain is under control, the doctor will usually want you to regularly perform gentle stretching exercises to help restore your neck’s range of motion. These exercises generally involve rotating your head from side to side, and bending your neck forward, backward, and to the sides. You may also be referred to a physical therapist for treatment. The doctor may inject you with a corticosteroid medicine or lidocaine (a numbing medicine) into painful muscle areas to relieve the muscle spasms that can arise from a whiplash injury. This will make it easier for you to perform the stretching exercises necessary to recovery.

For most victims, the symptoms of whiplash usually subside for the most part in three to four weeks, although it may take up to three months to become completely symptom free. If symptoms continue or worsen after six to eight weeks, further x-rays or other diagnostic testing—such as a CT scan or an MRI—may be necessary to assess whether the person suffered a more severe injury than ordinary whiplash. Severe extension injuries like whiplash can damage the intervertebral discs, which may require surgical repair.

Rather than seeing a medical doctor, you may seek treatment by alternative health professionals. You may choose to see an osteopath (D.O.), who is a medical doctor who frequently corrects disorders of the system through manipulation of the spine.

Another option is to see a chiropractor. Research studies show that chiropractic care for neck pain is just as good as, but not better than, traditional physical therapy. Combining spinal manipulation with exercise provides more benefit. However, manipulation of the neck by a chiropractor carries with it the remote risk of a stroke or other injury.

Some people choose to be treated for their neck pain with acupuncture. In acupuncture, ultrafine needles are inserted in specific locations on your skin. However, research studies have been split fairly evenly as to whether acupuncture can help relieve persistent neck pain caused by strains.

Deep-tissue massage of the tight muscles in your neck may be helpful if you continue to have muscle spasms for more than a week or two. Before having the massage, you should relax the muscles in your neck first by taking a hot shower or bath, or by using a moist towel warmed in the microwave.

Your health care provider may recommend the use of a TENS unit. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. A TENS unit sends a mild electric current to the skin, which decreases some types of pain by interfering with the transmission of the body’s pain signals. Treatment with a TENS unit can help relieve chronic neck pain, but only when combined with exercise. Ultrasound may also be used to treat your injury.

Although you can’t prevent a car from rear-ending you, you may be able to reduce the severity of whiplash by properly positioning the headrest of your seat. Some car manufacturers have begun to install various whiplash protection devices in their cars to reduce the risk for and severity of a whiplash injury in the form of “active head restraints” and “whiplash prevention systems.” However, the effectiveness of such measures has not yet been proved. One study found no difference in the severity of whiplash injuries, while one study in Trauma found that such systems can reduce the risk of neck injuries by up to 75 percent in a rear-end collision. In order for a headrest to give maximum protection, the head restraint should be positioned directly behind the head. If the head restraint is lowered below the level of the head, it could actually force the head into further hyperextension after an impact. The middle of the headrest should be even with the upper tips of your ears. You should wear your seat belt, although it does not seem to make a difference in getting whiplash.

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Paraplegia & Quadriplegia Law Firm Lawyers Los Angeles

If you or a loved one has suffered from a catastrophic injury resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia, having a law firm with the experience, the reputation and track record of success in handling these types of cases is one of the most important decisions you can make on your path towards recovery.

Photo Courtesy of www.apparelyzed.com

Injuries resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia often involve blunt force trauma impact to the spinal cord. The area of the spinal cord that is effected will determine the physical impairment the injury will cause.

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Broken Pelvis as a Result of a Car or Motorcycle Accident

One of the most typical injuries seen after a motorcycle accident or severe car accident happens to be the fracture of the pelvis or broken pelvis bone. Because of the different types of fractures and breaks, there are many different approaches to treating a break or fracture of the pelvis.

At the law firm of Slaughter & Slaughter, our team of attorneys has successfully represented clients who have suffered from pelvis fractures and broken pelvis bones. Our aggressive lawyers will provide you with personal and effective representation in your case.

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Fracture of Pelvis – Displaced and Disclosed Pelvic Surgery

Pelvic fractures are one of the most common injuries associated with trauma or accidents making up nearly 10 % of all fractures. A pelvic fracture is also one of the most serious injuries often requiring several surgical procedures to correct and months of ongoing treatment and physical therapy.

The pelvis is composed of the ileum, the ischium and public bones all which are connected to form a ring which is attached to the sacrum. While a pelvis fracture can be caused by many different reasons, high impact force and trauma remain the most common causes, generally as a result of a motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, pedestrian being hit by cars or major slip and falls accidents.

The pain associated with a pelvic fracture can be excruciating. Generally, the trauma that caused the pelvis fracture also causes severe injury to the surrounding muscles and tissues. It is critical that you seek the proper medical care if you have been involved in a serious accident. An orthopedic doctor with be able to determine whether a particular pelvis fracture is going to require surgical repair or not.

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