When auto accidents occur, broken bones are among the most common injuries. That doesn’t mean they’re inconsequential: a fractured arm, leg, or spinal column can keep you from working, cause chronic pain, and reduce your ability to enjoy daily life. If someone else caused the crash, you have the right to pursue maximum compensation.
Knowing what to expect can help you avoid common mistakes and secure the financial recovery you need to rebuild your life.
Establishing Liability for Your Broken Bone Injuries
To recover compensatory damages, you must prove that another party’s negligence caused the crash. Georgia follows a modified comparative fault system. This means you can still recover damages even if you were partly at fault, as long as your share of the blame is less than 50 percent. However, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to your level of fault.
For example, if another driver ran a red light but you were speeding, both actions may have contributed to the accident. A thorough investigation is key to determining fault and protecting your right to compensation.
Evidence that supports your case might include:
- Police reports
- Eyewitness statements
- Traffic camera footage
- Photos of the scene and vehicle damage
- Medical records linking the accident injury to the crash
Your attorney’s job is to gather this evidence and use it to build a strong liability argument against the at-fault party.
What Actual Damages Can Be Recovered?
When you file a personal injury claim, you’re seeking fair compensation for both tangible and intangible losses. There is no average settlement amount or jury verdict: how much you receive will depend on your actual damages and the anticipated impact on your life.
Medical Expenses
Medical bills are often the most immediate and obvious cost. But the total cost of care goes far beyond the ER visit. With broken bones, expenses often include:
- Emergency Transportation: Examples include ambulance rides or airlifts if the injury is severe.
- Diagnostic Imaging: These diagnostic tests include X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans to identify and monitor complex fractures.
- Orthopedic Surgery: Complex breaks may require internal fixation using screws, plates, or rods.
- Hospital Stays: Severe fractures can require days or even weeks of inpatient recovery time.
- Rehabilitation Costs: Physical therapy is often necessary to regain mobility and function, especially with arm or femur fractures.
- Follow-Up Care: Ongoing medical attention to monitor healing, adjust treatment, or remove surgical hardware.
- Medical Equipment: This includes braces, crutches, wheelchairs, or specialized beds, depending on the injury. Severe injuries like comminuted fractures, for example, often lead to mobility challenges.
You’re entitled to claim all current and reasonably anticipated future medical attention expenses. If your injury leads to long-term care, that should be factored in from the beginning. Insurers often try to settle before the full scope of treatment is clear, locking you into a number that doesn’t reflect future costs.
Loss of Income
Severe injuries like broken bones can keep you out of work for days, weeks, or longer, especially if your job involves physical labor, driving, or standing for long periods. This category of damages covers:
- Wages lost while recovering
- Bonuses or commissions you missed
- Time missed for follow-up appointments
- Sick leave or vacation time used because of the injury
To prove these financial losses, you may need pay stubs, a letter from your employer, or tax records. If you’re self-employed, it can get more complicated, but a personal injury lawyer can help document projected losses based on prior income history.
Loss of Earning Capacity
If your injury prevents you from returning to the same job or limits the kind of work you can do in the future, you may be entitled to compensation for reduced earning capacity. This is separate from lost wages. It’s based on:
- Your age and work history
- The physical demands of your job
- The long-term impact of the injury
- Whether you’ll need to switch careers, reduce hours, or retire early
For example, if a compound leg fracture prevents a construction worker from climbing or lifting, they may need to change careers entirely. That kind of change has real, long-term financial consequences.
Pain and Suffering
Not all damages show up on a bill. Compensation for pain and suffering covers the physical and emotional toll of the injury on your daily life. That includes:
- Intense pain
- Limited mobility
- Difficulty sleeping
- Emotional distress (anxiety, depression, PTSD)
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of companionship (for married accident victims)
- Permanent disability
You don’t need to prove non-economic damages like pain and suffering with receipts, but you do need strong documentation. Medical treatment records, therapy notes, journal entries, and statements from family or friends can all help demonstrate how the injury has affected your life.
Property Damage
Although the injury is the focus of your broken bone claim, you can seek additional compensation for:
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Damage to personal items inside the car (phones, laptops, car seats, etc.)
While this category is typically handled separately from bodily injury claims, it’s part of the total recovery process. Don’t overlook it, especially if the loss of your vehicle affects your ability to get medical care or return to work.
Calculating Total Damages
Calculating your claim for compensation means looking ahead, not just at what’s already been spent. That includes:
- Future surgeries or long-term complications
- Long-term rehabilitation and therapy
- Reduced work ability
- The personal impact of physical pain and mobility loss
Insurers will often offer a fast settlement amount that only covers immediate costs: medical bills, a few missed paychecks, and maybe a small amount for pain. They rarely offer what’s fair without being pushed. That’s why it’s critical to document everything and work with a personal injury attorney who knows how to build a strong case. Your legal team can gather records, bring in experts, and counter lowball offers with a detailed breakdown of your total damages.
The Financial Impact of Broken Bones
The medical costs linked to a bone fracture add up quickly. Initial emergency room treatment alone can include X-rays, pain medication, and temporary casting or bracing. Many people require follow-up care, which can include:
- Orthopedic specialist visits
- Surgical procedures
- Imaging (CT scans, MRIs)
- Physical therapy
- Durable medical equipment (crutches, braces, wheelchairs)
- Counseling to deal with the psychological impact
For example, surgery for a pelvic fracture can cost tens of thousands of dollars and require long-term care. If you’re the primary earner for your household, that time off hits harder. On top of that, you may need ongoing care or accommodations for loss of mobility or permanent disability. Without financial compensation, these costs can overwhelm even a financially stable household. That’s why understanding your legal options is so important.
What If You Have a Pre-Existing Condition?
It’s common to have prior injuries or chronic pain that gets worse after a crash. Insurance adjusters often use this fact to deny claims or offer less money. However, the law allows you to recover compensation if an accident worsened a pre-existing condition. Clear medical documentation and testimony from treating physicians can show how the crash directly affected your current state of health.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim in Georgia?
In Georgia, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. If you miss that deadline, you may lose the right to seek compensation from the at-fault party altogether. This is one reason it’s important to start the legal process early. Gathering evidence, reviewing records, and negotiating a fair settlement all take time.
Some exceptions apply, such as if the injured person is a minor or if government entities are involved. A car accident attorney can confirm the exact deadline for your case.
Why You Should Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
Personal injury claims involving broken bones can get complicated. The injury itself may seem straightforward, but proving its full impact is where many cases fall short. An experienced attorney knows what documentation matters, how to counter insurance company tactics, and when to push for a higher accident settlement.
At The Champion Firm, we work to secure the full value of your claim while you heal from your motor vehicle accident. From gathering essential evidence to negotiating with insurance companies, we handle every step so nothing gets missed or undervalued.
How Broken Bones Happen in Car Accidents
Bones break when extreme force is applied to the body. In a car crash, this can happen in several ways. You may be slammed against the steering wheel or dashboard, crushed by a collapsing vehicle frame, or thrown forward against a seatbelt. Even a low-speed collision can fracture wrists, arms, ribs, or legs if the angle and force of impact are just right.
Fractures vary in severity. A hairline crack may heal in weeks with rest, while a compound fracture can require emergency surgery, metal hardware, and months of physical therapy. In the most serious cases, a break may never fully heal, resulting in permanent damage.
Common types of fractures from car accidents include:
- Skull Fractures: A car accident can damage your skull and cause a traumatic brain injury.
- Wrist and Hand Fractures: Bracing during an auto collision can lead to shattered bones in the hands or wrists.
- Shoulder and Arm Fractures: Side-impact collisions and airbag deployment often cause upper limb injuries like a broken clavicle or fractured wrist.
- Rib Fractures: Seatbelts can save lives but still cause fractured ribs during high-speed crashes.
- Leg and Knee Fractures: A head-on collision or side crash can crush lower extremities and lead to femur fractures and foot injuries, especially when the footwell collapses.
- Pelvic Bone and Hip Fractures: These catastrophic injuries often result in surgery and extended hospital stays. In some cases, they may lead to long-term disability and a larger settlement.
Each type of fracture brings a different set of treatment needs and recovery periods, all of which influence the value of an accident claim.
Get a Free Consultation From a Broken Bone Injury Lawyer
A broken bone from a car accident affects your health, income, and everyday life. If someone else caused the crash, pursuing fair compensation from the liable party can help you recover not just your expenses but also your sense of security and stability.
If you’ve been hurt in a crash and need legal representation, contact The Champion Firm for a free consultation. We’re here to stand up for your rights and fight for the outcome your case deserves. Call our law firm at 404-800-4635 or complete our online form today.