What is a pelvic fracture?
The pelvis is the group of bones located in the hip region; it includes the hips themselves and the lower back bones at the edge of the spinal cord (the sacrum or the coccyx, or tailbone). These bones are generally quite strong and can withstand a lot of damage. Women have differently shaped pelvises to account for the birth canal. A pelvic fracture is a break or crack on one of the pelvic bones. They are often divided into two types: stable and unstable. Stable pelvic fractures involve single breaks wherein the bones do not shift out of place. Unstable pelvic fractures feature numerous breaks or cracks and cause drastic shifts. There is also likely to be excessive bleeding and a potential for infection.
In both cases, walking becomes very difficult. Pelvic fractures generally take a long time to heal, and you should always get ample medical treatment if you suffer one.
How do pelvic fractures happen?
Pelvic fractures can happen for a number of reasons. They are not common injuries but they are not quite rare, either. Many older individuals suffer pelvic or hip fractures in slip and falls, for instance, because they cannot adequately catch themselves on the way down or redistribute their weight to avoid injuries. Some of the causes of pelvic fractures include:- Slip and falls: A slip and fall can happen anywhere, from a restaurant with spilled ice to a grocery store with a leaky fridge. The floor should not be dangerous to walk on no matter where you are. The steps should also be safe and you should not be at risk for falls. If you fall at such a location, you could hit your pelvis on anything, and the sudden impact can damage you.
- Work injury: A lot of injuries occur at the workplace. Truck drivers, maintenance workers, dock workers, and more are all liable to get hurt in accidents due to the inherent danger of the jobs. If materials fall on you or crush your waist, your pelvis could be irrevocably damaged.
- Automobile accidents: Car crashes can cause the steering wheel or dashboard to crush your pelvis, or you could be subject to intense blunt force trauma. Truck accidents, bus crashes, motorcycle accidents, and other forms of crashes also all contribute to the rate of pelvic fractures. Motorcycle accidents especially are dangerous because the rider has no seatbelt and can be pinned beneath the motorcycle while it breaks bones in the hips and lower back.
Learn more about your legal options by chatting with a representative now.
It is important that you be able to identify what caused the pelvic fracture to happen. In some cases, a bone weakening disease like osteoporosis can increase the likelihood of broken bones. If your pelvis breaks after a minor impact that cannot be blamed on anyone, you may not be able to sue. However, if a break happens and the preexisting condition made it more likely, and another party was responsible, you have a better chance of a successful lawsuit.How can I file a lawsuit for a pelvic fracture?
Your ability to file a lawsuit and the means you will need to use will vary depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, if you were hurt in a car accident, you will need to gather evidence related to the incident, such as pictures of the other vehicle. You will have to prove that the drive owed you a duty of care that he breached, and that the breach of duty resulted in an accident that caused the fracture.
For slip and fall cases, though, you will have to file a premises liability claim. This will require you to be labeled as either an invitee (individual with a mutual benefit while on the property), licensee (social guest), or trespasser (individual with no legal right to be on the property). You will then have to prove one of three points: the property owner knew about the hazard and did nothing to fix it, the property owner caused the hazard, or the property owner was unaware of the hazard but should have reasonably known it was there. Only one must be shown to be true, while normal personal injury claims require each point of negligence to be established or the claim will fall apart.
– Pelvic Fractures after Personal Injury Accidents
– Pelvic Mesh Implant Injury Lawsuit
– Rite Aid Slip and Fall Accidents
– Motorcycle Accident & Bike Crash Lawsuits
– Most Common Injuries from a Motorcycle Accidents
– Lime Scooter Injury Lawsuits
– Bicycle Accidents – Cycling Accidents and Your Case
– A New Type of Personal Injuries: Lime Scooter Injury Accidents
If you are uncertain about what claim to file, you can talk with your attorneys for more directions. Regardless, you can follow these steps to ensure that you have a good amount of proof from the instant the accident happens:
- Go to the doctor for medical treatment and hold on to medical notes and receipts
- Take pictures of your injuries and the scene o f the accident
- Interview eyewitnesses and bystanders
- Write down relevant contact and insurance information
How much do pelvic fracture cases settle for?
The settlement number for a pelvic fracture lawsuit will not be static across all lawsuits. Each individual case will be different. The insurance agent responsible for your claim will go over the claim and make an offer based on your injuries, level of fault, impact the damage had on your career and life, and more. There is no surefire way to guarantee that a case will be worth a certain amount of money. Our lawyers will negotiate a fair deal from the agent. We have provided some samples cases below for you to consider. These cases show the amounts you could potentially earn.- $1,000,000 Settlement: A 60-year-old man fell from a ladder that was defective while he was doing work on his gutters. He fractured his pelvis and needed to remain hospitalized for over a month while the doctors sought to fix the different breaks in his pelvis. He required total hip replacement surgery.
- $450,000 Settlement: A middle-aged man was on the road in the Midwest as a passenger when the driver was involved in an accident. A tractor trailer driver crashed into the car and left the man with a fractured pelvis.
- $275,000 Verdict: A woman was walking around her apartment complex when she fell on the sidewalk. The sidewalk was not properly maintained by the landlord and was not cleaned of its debris. The woman required hip replacement surgery and claimed that she had previously reported the problems and no actions were taken. The jury ruled in her favor.
Learn more about your options for compensation by calling (213) 389-3765.
What can I win in a pelvic fracture lawsuit?
You could potentially win compensation for various expenses if it is proven that you were the victim of an accident and your fractured pelvis happened because of the other party’s negligence. Examples of the potential compensation include:- Medical bills from the past and future
- Lost income from time spent away from work from the past and future
- Property damage to your personal items and belongings
- Pain and suffering for emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, psychological anguish, and more