x-ray image showing broken clavicleCar accidents can hurt, physically and financially. If you broke a bone in a car accident, you may have a months-long road to recovery. Here is what to do if you sustained a fracture in a Missouri automobile crash.

Missouri Car Crashes and Broken Bones

When two vehicles collide, the damage can be devastating. Even if you were traveling at a low speed, you might still get seriously hurt. While every accident is different, there are certain kinds of injuries often observed in car accident victims. Some of the most frequently broken bones include the following:

  • Vertebrae. The tremendous physical forces inherent in car crashes can compress, break, or fracture the spinal vertebrae of the back or neck. Breakages and fractures can be caused by the initial collision, collision with the steering wheel or seat belt, or airbag deployment.
  • Arms, legs, hands, and feet. Accidents can break any of the major or minor bones in your arms, legs, hands, or feet.
  • Facial bones. Car crashes may be the biggest culprits of broken facial bones. While your face has many different bone structures and components, they are uniquely vulnerable in car crashes. After all, your head is often forced forward by the momentum generated by a crash. You can easily break your nose or other bones on the steering wheel, dashboard, or airbag.
  • Clavicle and ribs. Clavicular fractures and rib bone breaks are commonly observed after car crashes.
  • Pelvis and hips. Pelvis- and hip-related injuries are frequent in two often distinct groups of people: the elderly and motorcyclists. A broken pelvis or hip can impede mobility.

What to Do If You Broke a Bone in a Car Accident

Any time you are involved in a car accident, you should request immediate medical assistance—especially if you believe you may have broken a bone. Emergency services will help you get to the hospital, where you can receive the treatment needed to stabilize your injuries and begin recovering.

If you are able, preserve evidence from the accident. Take a picture of the damage to your car, as well as your injuries. Keep any and all copies of your hospital bills, medical records, and physician recommendations or references. This documentation will be key in demonstrating your injuries and recovering damages in court.

While you probably will not be able to physically scout the site immediately after an accident if you broke a bone, your personal injury attorney can send an investigator to begin building your case immediately.

Megan D. Andrews
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