As a personal injury attorney, I deal with a variety of cases where clients have suffered different types of fractures due to accidents. Let me explain some of these terms, which are often used in medical reports.
A Compound Fracture refers to a situation where the bone has not only broken but has also pierced the skin. This is a serious condition due to the increased risk of infection that comes with an open wound.
In the case of Displaced and Non-displaced Fractures, these terms describe the alignment of the broken bone. A displaced fracture means the bone has broken into two or more pieces and these pieces have moved so that they are no longer aligned.
Contrastingly, an Open Fracture is a type of broken bone that has penetrated the skin, requiring immediate treatment, often involving surgery to clean the area of the fracture. A Closed Fracture, on the other hand, is one where the bone has broken but has not pierced the skin.
A Simple Fracture is a condition where only the bone has been fractured, without any damage to the surrounding tissues or breaking of the skin.
A Greenstick Fracture is a type of fracture common in children and infants due to their softer bones. Here, the bone bends and breaks, similar to how a green branch of a tree would break.
Lastly, Comminuted, Transverse, Oblique, and Buckle Fractures refer to how and where the bone has broken. A comminuted fracture means the bone has shattered into several pieces. A transverse fracture occurs when the fracture line is perpendicular to the shaft of the bone. An oblique fracture describes a situation where the break occurs at an angle through the bone. And a buckle fracture occurs when two bones have been driven into each other, causing a crushing effect.
These definitions should provide a better understanding of the different types of fractures that can occur in an accident and that can form the basis of a personal injury case. If you’ve suffered any of these due to someone else’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensation.