Any broken bone serves as a painful and traumatic reminder of the dangers of being in an accident. With California’s beautiful scenery and weather, it offers many exciting activities to partake in–like riding a motorcycle to climbing mountains. However, many of these activities also carry the risk of serious injuries. One of the most common of which is broken arms.
If you or someone you care about suffers a broken arm in an accident, it’s really important to know about the treatment options and how to recover from the damage caused by the accident. This includes taking legal action, which can be helped along by working with an experienced California personal injury lawyer.
Contact Maison Law Today
The lawyers at Maison Law understand how terrible broken arms and other traumatic injuries can be for you and your family. That’s why our team is dedicated to providing you with legal support to help you recover. We’ll explain your rights and options, and what you can do to get compensation for your injuries. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more.
What Are the Major Bones of the Arm?
Your arm is made up of a number of different components, from bones to muscles that all work together to perform various arm movements, such as:
- Bending and straightening the elbow
- Rotating the forearm
- Performing tasks with the hand and wrist
The major bones in the arm include the:
- Humerus – The humerus is the long bone located in the upper arm, extending from the shoulder to the elbow. It is the largest bone in the arm and plays a vital role in arm movement and strength.
- Radius – The radius is one of the two bones in the forearm, situated on the thumb side. It runs from the elbow to the wrist and is responsible for enabling rotation of the forearm and movement of the wrist and hand.
- Ulna – The ulna is the other bone in the forearm, located on the pinky side. It runs parallel to the radius and helps stabilize the arm, allowing for flexion and extension of the elbow joint.
Common Types of Broken Arm Injuries in California
Although there are just three bones in the arm, there are a number of different types of breaks that can happen. While the severity and type depend on the accident, here is a look at some of the more common types of broken arms:
- Humerus fractures – A break in the upper arm bone can happen near the shoulder or closer to the elbow. It can be a simple break or involve multiple bone pieces.
- Radius/Ulna fractures – Fractures can occur in either the radius or ulna bones, or sometimes both at the same time. These fractures can happen at different places along the bones, like the middle, near the wrist, or closer to the elbow.
- Olecranon fractures – This type of fracture occurs at the tip of the ulna bone, which forms the elbow joint. Falls or direct impact to the elbow can cause these fractures.
- Monteggia fractures – It’s a specific type of forearm fracture where the ulna bone breaks, and the radius bone dislocates from its normal position at the elbow joint.
- Galeazzi fractures – Another forearm fracture, the Galeazzi fracture involves a break in the radius bone along with a dislocation or injury to the lower end of the ulna bone.
When the bones in your arms break, it can have immediate effects. It causes pain, and swelling, and makes it hard to move your hand and wrist, which makes everyday tasks difficult. Sometimes, the fracture can also damage nerves and blood vessels, especially if the break is in a certain way. This can lead to more problems and slow down the healing process. If you think you have a fracture in your radius or ulna, it’s really important to get medical help right away. Getting treatment quickly can prevent complications and help you heal faster.
Do You Need a Lawyer To File an Injury Claim in California?
The short answer here is no. There is no legal requirement that says you have to hire a lawyer to represent you in an injury claim in California. However, given the significant challenges that come with having a broken arm–let alone the legal challenges that go along with filing a claim–it’s always a good idea to at least consult with our team of experienced California personal injury lawyers.
Our team can walk you through the claims process, which generally involves the following steps:
- Investigate and gather evidence – The first step our team can take is investigating the accident and helping you gather important documentation and evidence to support your claim. This can include photos of the accident scene, as well as contact information from any witnesses, and gathering relevant medical records.
- Filing an insurance claim – If you have the insurance information of the person at fault, our team can help you file a claim with the insurance company. That will initiate the claims process.
- Negotiating a settlement – After filing the claim and completing the investigation, the at fault person’s insurance company will typically offer a settlement. Our team can review it and negotiate for a higher amount if you believe the offer is too low.
- Filing a lawsuit – If you can’t reach a fair settlement with the insurance company, you may need to file a lawsuit to seek compensation. Our team will guide you on the best approach based on your case. If successful, you may recover damages that can help compensate you for your injuries.
Damages
It’s important to understand that the process of filing a claim and recovering damages can be complex and time-consuming. However, our experienced California personal injury lawyers can help you navigate the process and increase your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries and losses. In an injury claim, you can recover the following damages:
- Medical Expenses and ongoing treatment – This means the money you spent on medical care because of the accident, like going to the hospital, seeing doctors, getting medicine, and doing therapy. It also includes any future treatment you might need.
- Lost wages from missed work – If you couldn’t go to work because of your injuries, you can get money to cover the wages you would have earned during that time. This includes both the money you already lost and any money you might lose in the future because of your injuries.
- Costs related to pain and suffering – Pain and suffering means the physical and emotional pain you’ve experienced because of the accident. It includes things like feeling hurt, upset, or stressed. Getting compensation for pain and suffering is meant to help make up for these difficulties.
- Costs related to loss of companionship or enjoyment of life – If the accident has made it hard for you to do things you enjoy or has made your life less enjoyable, you can get money for that. It could be not being able to do hobbies, hang out with friends, or do daily tasks like before.
Again, even though it’s not required, it’s important to talk to a lawyer who knows about these things to understand what you can ask for and to help you through the legal process. They can figure out how much your case is worth and help you get the treatment you deserve.
Skilled and Experienced California Personal Injury Lawyers
At Maison Law, we have extensive experience in handling California personal injury cases that come from accidents. We have dealt with insurance companies and ensured our clients receive fair compensation for their injuries. Our team is here to provide crucial legal support as you recover from your accident, allowing you to focus on your health and loved ones. Contact us today for a free consultation and let our skills and experience work for you.
