Fractures to the femur, the larger of the two bones in the human thigh, are often debilitating to those who suffer them due to high-impact vehicle crashes in Georgia. The injuries that result from such crashes commonly require victims to undergo months or even years of therapy to return to normal function.
High-force impacts cause femur injuries
Victims who experience femur injuries in a motor vehicle accident are usually taken straight from the scene of an accident to the hospital for treatment, sometimes, necessitating immediate surgery. Other injuries usually accompany femur fractures, compounding the suffering that victims endure. These can include damage to muscles, ligaments and blood vessels, which can be more dangerous than the break itself. Victims who suffer a compound fracture, where the bone protrudes from the skin, are also at risk for infection. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists often suffer the most severe type of injury resulting from vehicle accidents because they have little to protect them from the physical forces of the impact.
Types of femur fractures and treatments
Common femur injuries include fractures of the femoral neck, also known as a hip fracture. Fractures at the distal end are considered knee fractures. Fractures can also occur anywhere along the length of the bone and can involve complete or partial breaks. Sometimes, the bone is crushed, which causes it to splinter. Treatment can involve multiple surgeries, large doses of antibiotics and extensive rehabilitation in the most severe cases.
Obtaining medical treatment is only the start
Personal injury victims who suffer from fractured femurs are often unable to work for months or sometimes years after the accident. Families of femur fracture victims can seek compensation that can help pay for ongoing medical treatments and help improve the quality of life for the person suffering as well as his or her family. Victims’ families may also seek to pursue a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of a loved one who has died as a result of vehicular injuries.
