A fracture is a broken bone. A bone may be completely fractured or partially fractured in any number of ways. The severity of a fracture usually depends on the force that caused the break. If the bone’s breaking point has been exceeded only slightly, then the bone may crack rather than break all the way through. If the force is extreme, such as in an automobile crash, the bone may shatter.

Workers in almost any industry may become involved in an accident resulting in a fracture injury. A work accident such as traffic accidents, impacts with equipment, or a slip-and-fall accident may cause a fractured bone. Construction workers, retail workers, employees in the manufacturing industry, and delivery drivers are among the employees who commonly make workers’ compensation claims for fractures in Illinois.

Broken bones are typically diagnosed by a radiologist who takes x-ray images of the injury. There are several treatment methods for broken bones. Broken bones may take weeks or months to heal. They often prevent injured workers from working until healing is substantially complete. While most fractures heal, some broken bones result in lasting pain or cause other complications that lead to a permanent impairment.

Symptoms of a fracture are:

– Problems moving a limb
– Intense pain
– Deformity (The limb looks out of place)
– Swelling, bruising, or tenderness around the injury
– Numbness and tingling

Common types of fractures include:

– Stable fracture: The broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place.
– Open, compound fracture: The skin may be pierced by the bone.
– Transverse fracture: This type of fracture has a horizontal fracture line.
– Oblique fracture: This type of fracture has an angled pattern.
– Comminuted fracture: In this type of fracture, the bone shatters into three or more pieces.

If you suffered a broken bone in a work-related accident, it is important to consider your legal rights. While we are one of the largest firms in Illinois dedicated solely to the representation of injured workers, we pride ourselves on the personal, one-on-one approach we deliver to each client. For immediate help with a work injury case, call (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.