Broken Bones & Fractures

Austin Broken Bone Attorneys

Assisting Victims of Catastrophic Broken Bones & Fractures

Broken bones and fractures are very common injuries. Most are relatively minor, given modern medicine’s ability to heal the break and prevent complications. But a smaller portion of broken bone cases results in serious injuries that can, for some groups of people, cause long-term problems—even death.

If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic broken bone injury, Briggle & Polan, PLLC can help you work to recover a just settlement. While we strive to resolve these cases as quickly as possible, we are fully prepared to take your case to trial if necessary. Our Austin broken bone attorneys can fight for you.

Contact us online or give us a call at (512) 400-3278 today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Types of Fractures

Even minor broken bones and fractures cause pain, require restrictions on the use of the affected bone, result in lost work or school time, and sometimes result in more serious complications. They can happen in falls, motor vehicle accidents, or on the job. In many cases, these are preventable accidents that occur because of someone else’s negligence, in which case the victim may have legal recourse against the responsible party.

Different types of fractures include:

  • Open versus closed fractures: In open fractures, the broken bone is no longer covered by the skin; the bone may have broken through the skin, or the skin may have been damaged by the same force which broke the bone. Open fractures are serious injuries.
  • Complete versus incomplete fractures: Complete fractures involve total separation of the two segments of the bone; the segments remain partially attached in incomplete fractures
  • Pattern of the break: Many different break patterns are recognized, including:
    • Comminuted—the bone has 3 or more fragments
    • Spiral—the fracture twists around the bone’s axis
    • Oblique—the fracture runs diagonally to the bone’ axis
    • Transverse—the fracture runs perpendicular to the bone’s axis
    • Displaced—the broken ends are no longer aligned

Common Accompanying Injuries

Many people with fractured bones also have injuries to nearby soft tissues like muscles, nerves, and blood vessels.

The soft tissue injuries can be caused by either or both of the following:

  • The injury was inflicted with so much force that it damaged the soft tissue it encountered before reaching the bone
  • The broken end of the bone contacted the soft tissue around it

In either case, the soft tissue injuries often lead to longer healing times and can leave permanent functional problems even if the fractured bone heals completely.

Factors Affecting Recovery

While all fractures are similar to a degree and heal by the same process, recovery from a fracture varies considerably from case to case.

The most significant factors that affect the time needed for recovery and the likely long term consequences include:

  • Which bone is affected; fracturing a hip is a far different than fracturing a small bone in the pinky finger; fracturing a bone in the spine is far different than fracturing a bone in the foot
  • Whether an upper limb fracture affects the victim’s dominant hand (left vs. right)
  • The type of fracture; a bone broken into several pieces is different than a fracture that involves a single, straight line break
  • Whether repair requires surgery
  • The severity of accompanying injuries; recovery from a fracture alone is far different than recovery from a fracture that has broken completely through the skin, damaging the soft tissues on its path
  • Any complications that occur during recovery, especially osteonecrosis (the death of bone tissue), blood clots, and the failure of the fracture to heal normally
  • How important the fractured bone is to the victim’s work; collarbone fractures keep you away from jobs involving overhead reaching, while leg fractures keep you out of a job where you stand all day longer than out of a job which you can do sitting down
  • The age of the victim

Fractures in Kids

The unique concern with fractures in children is the potential for damage to the growth plate at the end of the bones. If the growth plate injury is not adequately repaired, the damaged bone may not grow at the same rate as the uninjured bone on the other side. Serious growth plate injuries call for periodic medical follow-ups until it is clear that the growth is proceeding normally. If not, further repair is needed.

Fractures in Seniors

Seniors are especially at risk of fractures. The elderly are very prone to breaking bones because they are prone both to falling and to thinning bones (osteoporosis). The immobility required for fracture healing is especially hard on older people, many of whom already suffer from mobility problems, reduced activity, and other health problems. All in all, fractures in the elderly are far more serious than in other age groups. In fact, the five-year survival rate for elderly people who suffer an osteoporotic hip fracture has been said to resemble that of cancer patients. Osteoporosis is also believed to impair the normal fracture healing process.

Get Quality Legal Help in Austin, Texas

If you or someone you know has suffered a fracture due to another person’s fault, it’s time to get some legal advice. Even if the injury seems rather simple now, that can rapidly change. If it’s already a serious injury, like an open fracture, or the victim is an elderly person, you will want to get help immediately. If repair requires surgery, keep in mind that the surgery itself exposes the patient to additional health risks as well as the pain, discomfort, and anxiety that goes with the procedure.

As extensively experienced Austin broken bone lawyers, we can anticipate likely defenses, such as claims that the fracture was caused or exacerbated by preexisting conditions, like osteoporosis and prior fractures. Our team can work to overcome tactics used by insurance companies aimed at diminishing the value of your claim. We are prepared to serve as your aggressive advocate from start to finish.

For a free consultation, call Briggle & Polan, PLLC at (512) 400-3278 today. Se habla español.

Hear From Our Clients

  • If you are looking for excellent and honest attorneys, call them.

    “If you are looking for excellent and honest attorneys, call them. You will not be disappointed.”

    - Paige
  • It feels good to have a team on your side that knows what they’re doing and is willing to help you against big faceless insurance companies that don’t want to pay up what they owe.

    “I found myself in a bad situation dealing with insurance adjusters that had no intention of seeing me compensated for damages their client inflicted. Parker and Hayden were positive, energetic, and ...”

    - Matt
  • I very much appreciate all their hard work and will be happy to refer to them should the need come up for friends.

    “This is the one company that would take on my case after being rejected by two other law firms. After pursuing the insurance company, they were able to get the full amount.”

    - Sandi
  • They got me the help I? needed within a few days of hiring them.

    “My settlement was awesome and I got everything I needed to get back on my feet”

    - Karina
  • These guys really helped me when no one else would.

    “They really fought for me and their paralegals were the best. They were constantly in communication with me and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a lawyer.”

    - Lauren
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We've Recovered Millions

  • $1.8 Million Delivery Truck Accident

    Our client was t-boned by a large package delivery truck that was traveling in excess of 70 mph. He sustained a severe neck injury that required spinal surgery. *Net to client was $759,182.96.

  • $350 Thousand Company Truck Collision

    Our client was struck by a company truck that ran a red light at a busy intersection. *Net to client was $166,651.36.

  • $400 Thousand Company Truck Wreck

    Our client was traveling down a residential street when a company truck backed out of a driveway into the side of her vehicle. *Net to client was $110,000.

  • $100 Thousand DWI Wreck Resolved

    Our client was struck by a drunk driver in Round Rock, Texas. *Net to client was $51,113.04.

  • $115 Thousand Distracted Driver Caused Collision

    A distracted driver failed to yield the right of way to our client, causing a collision. *Net to client was $25,035.44.

  • $132 Thousand Distracted Driver

    Our client was the passenger in a vehicle struck by a distracted motorist who failed to yield the right of way at an intersection. *Net to client was $33,250.59.

  • $112.5 Thousand Truck Crash Into Building

    A company driver lost control of his vehicle and smashed into a convenience store, injuring our client in the process. *Net to client was $30,259.56.

  • $82 Thousand T-Bone Collision

    Our client had to be airlifted to the hospital as a result of a t-bone collision. *Net proceeds to client were $23,914.57.

  • $85 Thousand T-Bone Collision Resolved

    Our client was t-boned by a distracted driver who ran a stop sign and required surgery for injuries sustained. *Attorney fees and expenses totaled $30,267.51.

  • $225 Thousand Collision With A Distracted Driver Operating An 18-Wheeler

    Our client severely injured her back in the wreck and the driver did not have the required commercial driver's license needed to operate the truck. *Net proceeds to client were $89,737.54.

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