Kentucky motorists can sometimes steer clear of the dangerous mistakes of other drivers. But chances are, a careless driver will one day force you or someone you love into a serious accident. Victims can suffer injuries including serious leg trauma. The bones in the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, are commonly broken in the force of a car crash.
Before hospital bills come due, victims should speak with a Kentucky car accident lawyer about getting full support from a car insurance company. Victims should be allowed to focus on healing and not the incredible costs of healthcare.
After a Leg Fracture Schedule a Free Consultation with a Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer
A traumatic break in a Tibia or Fibula bone can endanger your ability to walk. Broken leg bones usually heal, but victims can suffer through difficult recoveries to get back to normal. Some broken legs never return to full health and patients may need a lifetime of support to deal with a permanent disability.
No matter the diagnosis, a victim of a reckless driver should never have to face the costs of recovery alone. To make sure you aren’t held responsible for the expense of your tibia or fibula fracture contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, of Kentucky.
We offer a free, no-obligation case consultation to all Kentucky car accident victims. It’s an easy, no-obligation way to understand the benefits available to you and how to secure those benefits from an unhelpful car insurance company.
Dealing with a Broken Tibia or Fibula After a Kentucky Car Collision
The entire leg can be placed under tremendous stress in a devastating crash. Legs are often pushed into the floorboard or twisted as a car is sent spinning. The bones of the lower leg might also be crushed when a car body is crumpled around the victim.
The upper leg is comprised of the femur which is a very strong bone. It’s hard to break. But the two bones in the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, can snap much more easily.
Johns Hopkins Medicine describes the tibia, or the shinbone, as the larger bone on the inside of the leg. The fibula is a smaller bone that runs down the outside of the leg. The tibia bears most of the weight when you walk or stand. The fibula supports the tibia and helps stabilize the ankle.
There are three main types of fractures in the lower leg experienced in car accidents.
- Nondisplaced – This is a less-complex break. It’s a clean break that remains fairly aligned. These fractures are usually easier to heal from.
- Displaced (noncomminuted) – There’s a single break but the ends of the bones don’t remain in alignment. A cast is used to realign the bones. Surgery is sometimes required to secure the bones in place.
- Displaced (comminuted) – The bone breaks into several fragments that are not aligned. The impact force of a car accident can cause these complicated injuries.
Unfortunately, any type of break in these bones can also affect the knee or the ankle where they connect. Recovery can be intensive enough, but then patients must learn to use their legs, and to walk while going to multiple physical therapy sessions.
Every cost necessary should fall to an at-fault driver’s auto accident insurance provider. A Kentucky Traumatic Injury Lawyer fights to make sure an insurance company doesn’t pull out some of its common tactics to avoid taking financial responsibility. That can include trying to blame an innocent victim for a crash and downplaying the seriousness of a debilitating injury.
How Much Will My Tibia and Fibula Car Accident Injury Cost?
A broken Tibia or Fibula that doesn’t require surgery may initially cost patients $2,000 or more. An X-ray may run from $200 to $500. A doctor’s fee would also have to be added. Applying a cast is also often several hundred dollars. Then there’s the charge to return to have it taken off.
When surgery is needed costs would start at $15,000 and escalate from there depending on the screws, wires, and plates installed to hold the bone in place to heal. These costs don’t even account for the potential medical equipment needed to allow patients to get around their homes or offices.
Expensive physical therapy sessions would also be needed to restore strength, flexibility, and balance to the leg. All of these expenses can vary widely depending on if you receive your care in Louisville, Lexington, or a more rural part of Kentucky.
A leg cast is usually removed after around six weeks, but most leg fractures take up to 4 to 6 months to completely heal. During this time, victims may not be able to work a single hour without experiencing pain. Patients may have already missed several paychecks by the time the first medical bills arrive. It’s important to alert your Kentucky car accident attorney to every bill you receive so these costs can be filed in a claim and compensated.
What Kind of Things Can I Earn Compensation for After a Tibia or Fibula Fracture?
Your lawyer will be creating a big list of every hardship you and your family have faced since the accident. Your lawyer also backs up each damage with evidence showing the cost of care and other losses you’ve endured.
Anything left off the list won’t help you earn more in compensation. In fact, these forgotten expenses would then have to be paid out of your own savings.
A claim for damages after a tibia or fibula fracture should demand financial support for the following and more:
- Medical bills now and the expenses expected in the future.
- A lifetime of support in the event of a permanent disability.
- Rehabilitation treatment/equipment costs.
- Pain and the emotional trauma the victim has experienced.
- Travel costs during recovery. This is especially important if you are unable to drive and/or are in a wheelchair.
- Lost time from work including expected lost wages in the future.
- Loss of consortium for close family members of the victim. (Being without the support of a spouse, partner, family member, etc.)
- Wrongful death. A frightening car accident can do far more than break bones. They can also claim precious lives. A family should earn help after losing the care and financial support the deceased had always provided. They’ll also need assistance paying for a funeral and remaining medical bills.
Contact a Kentucky Car Accident Sternum Fracture Lawyer
Kentucky accident victims have up to one year to file an injury claim with a car insurance company. It’s always best to act quickly. Acting immediately gives your attorney the best chance to collect fresh evidence and build a strong case for you.
If you or a loved one have suffered a broken leg due to a driver’s carelessness, don’t feel like you must cope with the pain and the financial burden of care alone.
Schedule a free, no-obligation case review today with a Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer you can trust to be on your side and fight for your fair compensation. You’ll speak with a real Kentucky lawyer at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC. If you decide we can help you earn the most for your tibia or fibula fracture injury claim, you won’t need any money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you.
