Hip fractures are one of the common injuries sustained in head-on car accidents. If you are suffering from a broken hip, know that you are welcome to set up an appointment with one of our Eason & Tambornini personal injury lawyers to learn your options. Our lawyers will help you understand how hip injuries are sustained in collisions, the symptoms of a hip fracture, how long it takes for a broken hip to heal, and how you treat a hip fracture from a car accident. For any questions about hip fractures resulting from car accidents, please do not hesitate to write us a message or give us a call.
What would cause a broken hip in a car accident?
The pelvic bones or pelvic girdle consists of the left and right hip bones, the sacrum, and the coccyx also called the tailbone. Any fracture to the hip bone is considered a fractured pelvis since it makes up part of the pelvic bones.
During front-end car accidents, the force of the impact will push the leg up against the hip region and, in the process, break not only the hip bone but also may cause the head of the femur to pop out of the hip joint.
The impact can also cause the femoral head to push hard against the acetabulum and break it. The acetabulum is the pelvic bone’s concave surface, and together with the femoral head, they make up the hip joint.
What are the symptoms of a hip fracture?
As soon as the impact hits, you may feel extreme pain in the hip area as the blunt trauma damages the soft tissues and bony structures. You can also immediately tell that you sustained a hip fracture if you can’t move your hip at all, and doing so only produces sharp, excruciating pain. Trying to put some weight on your hip joint also results in pain.
Other symptoms are bruising of the skin over the injured hip and swelling of the area. The leg may also appear shorter on the injured side.
One of the questions that come to mind when you have a hip fracture is whether you are able to walk. Unfortunately, most people find it difficult to stand or walk with a broken hip. The extreme pain alone in moving the area or even bearing weight on the injured hip can elicit pain.
How long does it take for a broken hip to heal?
Many factors could affect the recovery period of a broken hip. The severity of the hip bone fracture, the age of the car collision victim, underlying medical conditions, and associated hip injuries affect the length of time it takes for a broken hip to heal.
Most hip fractures, especially if they are of the closed, simple, and clean-break type, typically heal on their own in about two to three months. Unfortunately, the older you are, the longer your recovery period will be. Even with surgery, most older individuals take six months to more than a year to completely recover from a broken hip.
How do you treat a hip fracture from a car accident?
For nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce pain, control inflammation, and prevent thrombosis. For patients with unilateral hip fracture, doctors may prescribe mobility devices like a walker or crutches. These can help the patient move around and keep him from putting any weight on the affected hip. For patients suffering from bilateral hip fractures, wheelchair use is necessary.
Patients who have extensive hip injuries, including unstable and open hip fractures may need surgery. Surgical treatments include external fixation as well as open reduction and internal fixation. Screws, fixators, pins, and metal plates may be necessary to stabilize the fractured parts and keep the bones together during the healing process.
Your physician may also order physical therapy. Physical therapy can help relieve pain, prevent muscle atrophy, and prevent joint mobility limitations. Gait retraining and muscle strengthening can also help you recover faster.
What can you do?
Hip fractures, especially if the damage is extensive, can take a long time to heal. It can also be costly with surgeries, physical therapy, and medications. Additional treatment, like psychotherapy, may also be needed if depression should develop.
You should contact one of our Eason & Tambornini car accident attorneys in Sacramento immediately, especially if the accident were not your fault. Our lawyers can explain what causes a hip fracture in a collision, its symptoms, the recovery period of a hip fracture, and treatment options. We will also help you by filing a personal injury claim and compute the compensation you may be entitled to receive. Give us a call. Our Eason & Tambornini auto accident attorneys in Sacramento are always ready to help you should you sustain a broken hip from a car accident.
