Limb Injuries Caused by Car Accidents in New York
The impact of a car accident can cause damage to the arms or legs of drivers and passengers. There are different types of limb injuries based on what tissues are damaged but bone fractures, dislocations, soft tissue injuries, burns, and cuts are common examples of the variety of damages people can experience with limb injuries. If your limb injury was caused by a negligent driver, be sure to contact a New York Car Accidents Lawyer about compensation.
Types of Limb Injuries
Limb injuries range from mild to severe depending on the force of the impact. Bruises, scrapes, cuts, and certain soft tissue injuries tend to be milder compared to bone fractures, dislocations, and third-degree burns.
Soft tissue injuries tend to happen when a limb is forced into an unnatural position or stretched too far. This can damage or completely tear the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that hold your bones together. These soft tissue injuries can be broken down into sprains and strains. Ligament damage happens in sprains and muscle damage happens in strains.
Dislocations also happen from unnatural limb positions and often just require a simple fix by a doctor. Bone fractures are complicated because there are numerous categories of fractures. These categories are based on whether the bone was shattered, broken at a certain angle, or broken clean at a straight angle. Shattered bones tend to take longer to heal and require complicated medical procedures.
Treatments for Limb Injuries
Bruises and cuts tend to heal on their own, but severe cuts may require stitches. Soft tissue injuries also heal on their own, but may require more intensive treatments if they are severe enough. For example, torn muscles or ligaments will likely require surgery with a longer recovery time. Milder soft tissue injuries can be treated at home with ice, rest, elevation, and compression.
Broken bones are most often treated with casts, but severe fractures, like shattered bones, usually require surgery. Surgery can extend recovery time significantly, especially if a procedure has to be conducted to slowly stretch the bones. This can put many people who work jobs that require physical labor out of a job for a long period of time.
Personal Injury Lawyer in New York
Lost wages from a long recovery time on top of heavy medical bills can put many people into a financial crisis. Insurance companies in New York are required to compensate you regardless of whether you were at fault for the accident, but this may not always be enough. Severe limb injuries can cause a great deal of pain and suffering along with long-term treatment expenses. Talk to an Auburn Personal Injury Attorney about whether you could be eligible for additional compensation.
At Gattuso & Ciotoli, we have years of experience with car accident cases. You can contact us by calling (315) 314-8000 today for a free consultation. Our offices are located in Central New York, Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, Syracuse, North Syracuse, Camillus, Liverpool, Cortland, and Auburn. Our goal is to help you earn enough compensation to fully recover.