Pedestrian Injuries: Broken Pelvis Car Accident
Pelvic fractures are serious injuries that often require surgery and can take months to heal. Some people who suffer from a broken pelvis can even suffer long-term complications that affect their quality of life.
If you suffered a broken pelvis in a car accident as a pedestrian, you deserve a high-value settlement that fully and fairly compensates you for your pain and suffering. At Sally Morin, our personal injury attorneys have years of experience handling severe accident cases, including San Francisco pedestrian accidents. If you need help with a claim, don’t hesitate to reach out for a free case evaluation.
Causes of Broken Pelvis Injuries
Broken pelvis injuries don’t happen that often as it’s not easy to fracture or break the pelvis. That said, there are some circumstances where a broken pelvis is more likely to occur.
For example, athletes who participate in high-impact sports are more likely to suffer pelvic fractures. Slip and fall accidents can lead to a fractured pelvis when the person falls from a great height. But some of the most common causes of broken pelvis injuries are car accidents, particularly those where a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle.
The direct impact from the car can fracture the pelvis, or the impact the pedestrian sustains when they hit the ground or are run over can also cause a broken pelvis.
Broken Pelvis From a Car Accident: Types, Signs, and Symptoms
The pelvis is technically made up of a couple of different bones, so a broken pelvis can refer to an injury that occurs when any of the bones in the pelvis are fractured. It is not just one bone, nor is it necessarily one break. In fact, some people can suffer from multiple fractures in the pelvis or even a crushed pelvis.
Specifically, the pelvis is made up of these bones: the sacrum, the coccyx, and the hip bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis). Together, these bones all form the pelvic ring, a very strong and stable structure, which is why it does not break easily.
When the pelvis does break, however, many different kinds of fractures can occur, such as:
- Complete fractures: The bone breaks into two pieces
- Displaced fractures: When a gap forms where the bone has fractured
- Partial fractures: The fracture doesn’t go all the way through the bone
- Stress fractures: When there is a small crack in the bone
- Closed fractures: The broken bone doesn’t break through the skin
- Open fractures: The bone does break through the skin
- Crushed pelvis: The bones in the pelvis are shattered and broken into many pieces
A pelvic fracture is also usually categorized in one of two ways:
- A stable fracture is when there is only one break, and the bones aren’t displaced.
- An unstable fracture is when there are two or more breaks and the bones are displaced.
The signs and symptoms of a broken pelvis after a car accident can include:
- Pain in the hip, groin, or lower back
- Intense pain when walking or moving the legs
- Numbness or tingling in the groin or legs
- Pain in the abdomen
- Difficulty walking or standing
- Difficulty urinating
Treatment for a Pedestrian Broken Pelvis After a Car Accident
If you suspect you have sustained a broken pelvis in a car accident, you should seek emergency medical attention. A doctor will need to order an X-ray, CT scan, or an MRI to determine the extent of the damage before moving forward with treatment.
Once the damage is assessed, there are a few different treatment options. If the fracture is mild, you might be prescribed medications for pain and to reduce the risk of blood clots, and you will also likely be given a walking aid, such as crutches or a walker.
If the pelvic fracture is severe, which is often the case in pedestrian accidents, you will likely need surgery. This can include external fixation, which is where metal pins or screws are inserted into the bones through small incisions. Skeletal traction, where a pulley system is used to help realign the body and the broken bones. Or an open reduction and internal fixation, which is where the displaced bones are repositioned and then held together with internal screws or metal plates.
Typically, if a person sustains a severe pelvic fracture, it is likely that they have also sustained other injuries that may require surgery. As such, recovery from a broken pelvis can be long and painful, and it is not uncommon for complications to occur. Many people who suffer serious broken pelvis injuries suffer from long-term issues such as chronic pain, impaired mobility, sexual dysfunction, and blood clots.
Broken Pelvis Car Accident Settlement
The cost of treatment for a broken pelvis can be expensive. Additionally, people who suffer from such an injury might also have to take time off work and might never be able to work again if they become disabled. The emotional toll a broken pelvis injury takes on a person can also be severe. For these reasons, pedestrians who suffer a broken pelvis after a car accident deserve higher value settlements to compensate them for their extensive pain and suffering.
However, just because you might deserve a high-value settlement doesn’t mean you will be awarded a significant amount of money. If you want to win your case and recover as much money as possible for your financial losses and suffering, you will need to work with an attorney who can protect your rights.
Insurance companies, for example, are notorious for undervaluing settlements. But if you have an attorney protecting you, the insurance company is more likely to award you the full and fair amount that you deserve.
We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus On Your Life
If you have suffered a broken pelvis in a car accident as a pedestrian, our team can assist you. We know how devastating the aftermath of a pedestrian accident can be. Let us help you navigate your claim so you can focus on rest and recovery.
At Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we care about the people of California and work hard to ensure our clients get the full settlement they deserve. Call us at 877-380-8852 or contact us online today for a free case evaluation.
