Maison Law helps truck accident victims in California, helping them through the process by answering their questions. Truck accidents often lead to serious injuries, including broken arms. If you’re dealing with this kind of trauma, we’re here to guide you through the claims process and help you get the financial support you need to recover. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.
What Does a Broken Arm Mean in a Truck Accident?
It’s pretty easy to figure out how you could suffer a broken arm in an accident with a big rig, due to the huge force involved in the collision. However, every accident is different and depends on certain circumstances and outcomes.
Then, a “broken arm” can take various forms, each with its own complications. According to the Cleveland Clinic, here’s a look at some of the more common kinds of arm breaks that can happen in these accidents:
- Oblique fracture – This is a diagonal break across the bone caused by angled impacts, such as when an arm is pinned or crushed during a side-impact truck collision.
- Transverse fracture – This happens when there’s a horizontal break straight across the bone, typically resulting from a strong, direct blow like hitting the dashboard or door during a crash.
- Spiral fracture – Named because of a twisting break that “spirals” around the bone, often caused when the arm is unnaturally twisted, such as being caught in a seatbelt or twisted by the crash’s impact.
- Comminuted fracture – This is a serious break where the bone shatters into three or more pieces, usually caused by the extreme force of a high-speed truck accident or being pinned between heavy objects.
- Buckle fracture – Also known as an “impacted” fracture, this happens when the bone buckles but does not fully break, often caused by bracing against a hard surface or the force of being thrown forward during the accident.
With a broken arm, it’s not just about the initial trauma of the injury itself–it also includes potentially wide-ranging complications you’ll also have to deal with:
- Surgery may be needed if the bone doesn’t heal properly.
- Bones that don’t align correctly can limit movement.
- Nerve or blood vessel damage can cause pain or poor circulation.
- Open fractures can lead to infections.
- Healing may leave you with stiffness or ongoing pain.
- Long-term pain or emotional struggles may occur if the injury affects your work or hobbies.
The good news, relatively speaking, is that you can address your broken arm and other injuries by going through the claims process. That’s also where you can make a financial recovery, but it’s important to remember that the process isn’t always easy.
How Much Can You Recover in Damages For a Broken Arm After a Truck Accident?
If you’ve broken your arm or had another serious injury in a truck accident caused by someone else’s carelessness, you have the right to ask for financial support by filing an injury claim. This financial support, called “damages,” helps cover the physical, emotional, and financial effects of the accident. And as you can probably tell, that goes a long way with a broken arm.
Injury claims are most often done through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit, but basically, you’re trying to recover things like:
- Medical expenses – This covers all costs related to treating your broken arm, including hospital visits, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any future care you might need.
- Lost income – If your broken arm prevents you from working, you can recover damages for lost wages and any future income you might miss out on due to your injury.
- Pain and suffering – This includes financial support for the physical pain and mental anguish.
- Emotional distress – This covers costs relating to the emotional distress caused by the accident and injury, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
- Loss of quality of life – If the injury impacts your ability to enjoy life or damages your personal relationships, you can recover costs for the impact on your daily activities and well-being.
Every truck accident case is unique, and the damages you recover will depend on your specific situation. However, it’s crucial to gather strong evidence to support your claim and demonstrate your losses. Also, crucially, you have to file your claim within two years of the accident date, as this is the state’s “statute of limitations” for personal injury cases.
Why Should You Hire a Lawyer After Suffering a Broken Arm in a Truck Accident in California?
You don’t always need a lawyer after an accident, especially for minor injuries. But when you’ve suffered a broken arm or similar serious injury in a truck accident, the challenges often go beyond physical recovery. Medical bills, lost income, and other financial burdens can quickly add up, making legal help an important step toward getting better.
Our lawyers can guide you through the process. We can:
- Explain your options and what the process looks like
- Investigate the cause of the accident to figure out who’s at-fault
- Help you gather evidence and information
- Connect you with medical experts to strengthen your claim
- Negotiate for a fair settlement with the insurance company
- File a lawsuit, if necessary.
Our goal is to make the process as smooth as possible for you and your family. If you’ve broken your arm in a truck accident, contact us today for a free consultation.
