On average, someone in the UK will suffer two broken bones in their lifetime. A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone; but they both mean the same thing.
A broken bone can range from a barely noticeable hairline fracture through to a bone that has been completely snapped into separate pieces. Healthy bones are generally very strong and will actually bend under pressure. But sudden or very forceful impact can cause the bone to fracture. Young children’s bones break more easily because they are still growing, but they will also heal more quickly. Unfortunately, as we get into old age, our bones become more brittle and will break more easily.
Doctors refer to broken bones in a number of different ways depending on the type of break or fracture. The most common include:
- Single fracture: the bone is broken in one place
- Complete fracture: where the bone breaks completely into two separate pieces
- Open (or compound) fracture: where one or more parts of the bone break through the surface of the skin. This is the opposite of a closed (or simple) fracture where the skin remains intact
- Comminuted: usually the most serious, where the bone has broken into more than two pieces or has been crushed
All broken bones are usually very painful, but the effect will depend on how serious the fracture and which bone was broken. Sometimes people continue for years with hairline fractures to bones without ever noticing. However, the fracture will have weakened the bone so it is always important to seek medical advice after an accident where a bone may have been broken.
By far the most common cause of broken bones is a fall; whether this is falling down stairs, during a contact sport or tripping over in the street. It is often when we instinctively try to break a fall that causes a lot of broken bones. This is why the most common bone that is broken is the clavicle, or collar bone. This is the bone that runs across both sides of the top of your chest.
The other most common bones that are broken are in the hand wrist and elbow, often caused from the impact when someone tries to break their fall by putting their arms out.
The amount of compensation that is paid for broken bones varies considerably depending on which bone was broken and the type of fracture. Sometimes bones heal very quickly and cleanly with only a little medical help but other times there are complications that can leave a person disabled for life. Even where the bone heals properly, it can mean weeks or months of having to wear a plaster cast over the broken bone that can make working or carrying out everyday activities very difficult.
If you have suffered a broken bone because of an accident that was not your fault call The Injury Lawyers free legal helpline on 0800 634 7575 to find out if you can make a claim today.
