Femur fractures are an extremely painful and dangerous injuries sometimes caused by motor vehicle accidents in California. Since femur bones are difficult to break, this trauma usually comes with other major injuries as well. These fractures require immediate medical attention to treat.
How do accidents cause femur fractures?
Femur bones begin at your hip and go to your knee; these bones are some of the strongest in the body. It takes massive amounts of pressure to fracture femurs. When you are in a motor vehicle accident, especially at high speeds, this could create enough force to break your femur bone. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, high-impact car accidents are the number one reason that people fracture femur bones. These high pressures can lead to other injuries such as harm to ligaments and muscles.
A fracture can occur at any point along the bone, such as on the length or shaft. When a femur fracture happens, it may entirely or partially break, or the bone may splinter when external forces crush the bone.
Risk factors and treatments
Many elderly people have weakened bones, meaning less pressure can break the femur bone. While people driving large drunks or cars may have more protection than motorcyclists or pedestrians, any driver or pedestrian is at risk for a femur fracture in major collisions.
This type of trauma can be fatal if people do not go to the hospital right away. Femur fractures can lead to major blood loss, clots and bacterial infections. A doctor might be able to place a cast over the fracture and give patients crutches until it heals. Sometimes, medical professionals must use metal screws and rods to fix the bones. People often need physical therapy to fully recover from these injuries.
Femur fractures involve a severe type of trauma that a high-impact car collision could cause. If you have been the victim of a motor vehicle accident that resulted in serious injuries, a personal injury attorney may be able to help you take legal action and pursue compensation.