Forearm fractures are a very common injury that can happen from many events throughout your life. Around 6,000,000 people on a yearly basis end up with a fracture, and many of these cases involve accidents that were caused by negligence. Thankfully, the majority of broken bones heal completely with proper medical care. But there are cases where the patient ends up with permanent health issues from a forearm fracture, typically in the form of permanent nerve damage or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
Based on the cases we have handled over the years, we have found that fractures to the forearm are usually associated with one of the following accidents:
- Fall accidents: slip and fall and trip and fall incidents are the most likely source of fractures in the arm, as you have a tendency to stretch out your hand and brace yourself for a fall. You can also fall directly on the arm, which is another source of breaks in the bone.
- Car accidents: accidents involving motor vehicles often result in blunt force trauma to the hands and arms, which may result in a forearm fracture.
- Direct impact to the area: most of these accidents are due to something falling on the arm, which is very common in work settings, especially warehouses, construction sites, and big box stores.
Essentially, a forearm fracture involves a break in one or both of the bones in your forearm: the ulna and the radius. Because the radius is meant to bear most of the weight, this is the bone that is more likely to be fractured in an accident. Forearm fractures can happen at various points in the arm, including the elbow joint, the wrist, or in the middle of the radius and ulna.
Having a forearm fracture makes life difficult in many ways, but you expect that everything will be fine once the bone fuses back together. What happens, though, if you end up with pain, limited range of motion and other problems that continue even after the injury has fully healed?
The long-term impact of bone fractures can be devastating for accident victims and their loved ones. In this article, we will cover two health conditions that can result from a broken forearm.
Permanent Nerve Damage Caused by Forearm Fracture
When there is a fractured bone in your forearm, the surrounding nerves may be crushed, bruised, or stretched. This can result in nerve damage, whether you have an open fracture or closed fracture. A closed fracture does not break the skin, whereas open fractures are serious enough for the bone to be exposed. Either of these fractures can cause nerve damage, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
Thankfully, most cases of nerve damage from a forearm fracture are temporary. But yes, there are people who will experience lifelong complications that indicate permanent nerve damage. That’s why it’s essential to talk to your doctor if you have the following symptoms:
- Pain, tingling, burning, or numbness, even after several months of treatment
- Weakness in the limb or paralysis (limited mobility)
- Sudden and persistent headaches
- Problems with motor coordination
Various courses of treatment are available, but in reality, nerve injuries are difficult to treat, so patients may be left with permanent complications that limit or take away their ability to drive, cook, perform their job duties, and many other important tasks. Aside from the accident itself, a nerve injury may be the result of surgery to fix a forearm fracture, which typically involves fusing the broken pieces of bone with pins, screws, and rods.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after a Forearm Fracture
CRPS or complex regional pain syndrome is a disorder that usually affects the arms or legs, whether it’s the entire limb or just part of the limb. Also referred to as chronic pain, people often develop CRPS from a bone fracture or sprain, while other cases happen after surgery to treat the fracture.
There are actually two different types of chronic regional pain syndrome: Type I CPRS, which does not involve a nerve injury, and Type II CPRS, where the patient has some form of nerve injury. In either case, you continue to suffer pain worse than what is expected for months or years after the injury has healed.
Those with complex regional pain syndrome have intense and continuous pain, but there are other symptoms associated with the disorder, such as:
- Swelling in the affected limb
- Joint stiffness
- Changes in your normal skin temperature
- Skin color changes, particularly purple, pale or red blotches
- Thinning of the skin, shiny patches of skin and other changes in skin texture
- Noticeable changes in hair or nail growth
Suing for a Bone Fracture after an Accident
Your right to sue is based on the fact that someone else failed in their duty of care to you. As an example, we all have a duty to follow traffic laws and drive defensively in order to reduce the risk of an accident. So, if you were hit by another driver that was tailgating and failed to stop their car in time, you can file a claim for damages with their insurance company.
Some cases of bone fractures are based on misconduct, which is a willful choice to engage in dangerous behaviors that cause others to be injured. A common example we often deal with at our law firm is the use of excessive force by security guards, which are very common at stores, shopping malls, hotels, and government buildings. These are highly complex and valuable cases that require help from a seasoned assault and battery attorney.
No matter how you sustained a fractured forearm, please know that we are with you every step of the way. Our legal team is available to you 24/7, so contact us for information on suing for permanent nerve damage, chronic pain, and other complications from a forearm fracture.
Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Though exceptions do exist, you generally have 2 years starting from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. One exception is for accident claims against a government entity, like the police department, a public school, or county office. This type of claim has to be filed within 6 months of the incident date. This is why you can’t take it for granted that you definitively have 2 years to sue the party that caused you to be injured. The safest thing to do is to contact us and talk to one of our legal experts about the amount of time you have for a lawsuit involving nerve damage or CRPS from a forearm fracture.
Workplace Injury Claims have Shorter Deadlines
Were you injured at work or while you were doing something related to your job? If so, your medical bills and lost wages are most likely covered under the state’s workers’ compensation program. Please note that the statute of limitations to file a claim for WC is 1 year from the accident date. In addition, you are required by law to tell your employer about your injury within 30 days of the event.
Most workers report the accident to a supervisor immediately, and this is the course of action we recommend. After all, when you are going to be out of work for an extended period of time, it’s essential that you start receiving replacement wages as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns about filing for workers’ compensation benefits, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Contact Our Law Firm
The personal injury lawyers of Normandie have one goal in mind: to bring you justice in the form of monetary compensation. We are more than prepared to fight aggressively on your behalf and ensure that you are not cheated out of the payments you deserve by law.
During the legal process, one’s finances are a primary concern for accident victims. That’s not an issue you’ll need to worry about here at Normandie, since we have a Zero Fee Guarantee policy. You pay $0 to hire us, and we make absolutely nothing unless we obtain a settlement or jury verdict on your behalf. That means you pay $0 in legal fees if we fail to win your lawsuit.
Please take this opportunity to reach out and schedule a free consultation with a lawyer that specializes in permanent complications from bone fractures.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Forearm Fracture from an Accident Lawsuit Attorney
Suing for a Sacral Fracture after a Slip and Fall
Can You Develop a Sinus Fracture after a Car Accident
