Factors Determining The Severity Of A Fracture In A Car Crash

Fractures are some of the most common injuries in car accidents. Some people walk away with minor fractures while others end up with severe fractures that take ages to heal. Here are some of the factors that may determine the severity of a fracture you may get in an accident:

Your Age

The older you are the more likely you are to experience a serious fracture. The first reason for this is that your bones lose their earlier plasticity as you age; a force that wouldn't have broken your bones when you were, say 23, can easily cause the same bone to fracture when you are 78. The second reason is that adults have fewer bones than kids (adults have about 206 bones to kids 300 bones). The joints in kids' bones give some allowance for movement thereby reducing the risk of fracture.

Pre-Existing Conditions

Some health conditions make people more likely to experience bone fractures. Osteoporosis, a health condition characterized by brittle and fragile bones, is a classic example. Even a fender bender can leave you with a broken bone if you are suffering from osteoporosis. Luckily, even if your bones are weak, the eggshell skull doctrine mandates that you cannot be denied full compensation because your fractures were more severe than those an average person would have experienced under the same conditions.

The Severity of the Impact

A great impact usually causes severe fractures because the bone experiences a greater force. The severity of the impact depends on different factors such as the relative speeds and sizes of the cars involved in the crash. For example, a semi-trailer hitting a sub-compact at 70 mph would cause a greater impact than another sub-compact hitting the same car at the same speed. This is why crashes involving huge trucks tend to be so catastrophic. 

The Type of Car

Lastly, even the car you were driving will determine how severe your fracture is. Cars that are likely to cause severe fractures are those that are aged, poorly maintained or those that were poorly designed. This is why it's advisable to consider crash ratings when shopping for cars; cars with poor safety ratings tend to cause more serious accidents (and hence are likely to cause severe fractures).

A fracture is a highly visible injury so proving that you were injured will not pose much of a problem. However, proving that your fracture was severe and demands a high compensation is a different ball-game altogether. Consult an auto accident attorney to help you get your dues.

Contact a law office like Randall A. Wolff & Associates, Ltd for more information and assistance. 


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