Broken Bones in Car Accidents

Some of the most common injuries victims experience after a car accident are bone fractures. From wrist fractures to spinal fractures, the impact of a crash can damage nearly any part of the body. Broken bones in car accidents can lead to months of treatment, severe pain, and expensive medical bills.

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center found that the most common cause of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the US between the years 2010 and 2013 was motor vehicle collisions, accounting for 38% of these injuries. 

In Illinois alone, thousands of these injuries occur annually, especially in areas like Chicago’s Loop, I-90/I-94, and Lake Shore Drive.  These high-risk corridors are known for head-on collisions, rear-end impacts, and high-speed crashes that often result in serious broken bone injuries.

How Car Accidents Cause Broken Bones

When a car accident occurs, the force of the impact can cause the bones in a car occupant’s body to crack, snap, or even shatter. The most common mechanisms of injury include:

• Colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard, or side windows, especially during high-speed crashes.
• Injuries from airbags and seat belts. Though these safety devices save lives, they can still cause rib fractures, clavicle fractures, and facial bone injuries.
• The speed and angle of the crash. More severe fractures are frequently seen in high-speed collisions, T-bone accidents, or rollovers.

Seat Belt Syndrome

Another often-overlooked cause of broken bones in car accidents is ‘seatbelt syndrome’. The force of a collision can press the belt tightly across the chest and abdomen, resulting in rib fractures, clavicle fractures, and even spinal fractures. 

In more violent head-on collisions, seatbelt tension can contribute to pelvic fracture, hip fracture, or abdominal injuries that may cause internal bleeding.

Victims may not always feel pain immediately, but deep tissue damage and fractured bones in the body can develop over time. The visible bruising left by the belt, known as the “seatbelt sign,” may indicate other serious injuries beneath the surface.

These trauma patterns often require immediate medical care, including diagnostic imaging and physical therapy during the recovery process.

Common Broken Bones in a Car Accident

Many of the most common broken bones and bone fractures following a car accident involve the upper body, legs, and skull. Broken noses, hairline fractures, and more severe bone breaks can also occur. 

Arm and Wrist Fractures

Broken arms and wrist fractures are extremely common in car accidents. Broken bones of this type involve a lengthy recovery process involving immobilization and physical therapy to restore movement.

• Simple fractures, compound fractures, stress fractures, or fractures in the wrist bones, forearm, or humerus.
• Severe cases require surgical repair, pain management, and a lengthy healing process.

Leg and Knee Fractures

Leg fractures typically occur when the knees hit the dashboard during a crash. Leg bones are our strongest bones, and these injuries often require surgery and long-term physical therapy.

• Femur fractures, patella breaks, and tibia fractures: Broken legs are painful and slow to heal
• Femur: The Strongest bone in the body, but it can break in car accidents. Femur fractures take a long time to heal and may require surgical repair.

Rib Fractures and Internal Injuries

Broken ribs are a common car accident injury. The rib cage protects critical organs, but it’s also vulnerable to rib injuries in a car accident. 

Your clavicle is the most fragile bone in the human body. It runs across your rib cage and can easily be broken in a car accident. Broken ribs are a common car accident injury, and you may feel a sharp pain.

Spinal Fractures in the Neck and Back

Spinal fractures often result from whiplash, rollovers, or direct force to the human body. These injuries include compression fractures, burst fractures, and fractures of the cervical spine. These are serious injuries and will require medical attention.

Facial and Skull Fractures

The facial bones and skull are extremely delicate.

• Facial fractures: Involve the nose, cheekbones, or eye sockets; can impact appearance and function
• Cranial fractures: Involve breaks in the skull that may affect brain function
• Skull fractures from impact: Can lead to brain injury, vision loss, or balance issues.

Pelvic Fractures Due to Impact Compression

A pelvic fracture is among the most dangerous injuries from a car crash. 

• T-bone crashes or rollovers: Can crush the hip and lower body
• Pelvic, hip, or sacrum fractures: May injure internal organs or major arteries

Broken Bone Injuries and Their Severity

Not all broken bones from car accidents are the same. Some breaks heal with minimal treatment, while others are complex and debilitating. These are the most common categories:

Most Common Broken Bones After a Car Crash

• Simple fracture: Bone fractures but doesn’t pierce the skin
• Compound fracture: Bone is broken and sticks out through the skin; a compound fracture has a higher risk of infection and will likely require surgery.
• Displaced fracture: Bone ends don’t align; usually needs surgery to heal correctly
• Comminuted fracture: Bone shatters into three or more pieces; caused by high-impact trauma; often needs implants and long-term rehab

Skull Fractures and Head Trauma

Fractures to the skull are among the most dangerous types of car accident broken bones. The skull protects the brain, and any breaks can lead to neurological damage and more serious injuries. These serious injuries will require immediate medical attention.

• Linear skull fracture: Straight-line break from head hitting windshield/steering wheel
• Depressed fracture: Bone pushed inward
• Basilar fracture: Break at base of skull, near brainstem

Diagnosing and Treating Car Crash Injuries

Accurate diagnosis and early treatment are essential for any broken bones or injuries from a car accident.

Doctors often use X-rays and CT scans to identify bone fractures and determine their severity quickly. MRI scans can help detect soft tissue injuries or hairline fractures that may not show up on an X-ray.

Some broken bones can be treated without surgery using splints, bracing, or a cast. These options are common for simple fractures. More serious fractures may require surgery and the use of metal implants to stabilize the broken bones.

Physical therapy is an important part of recovery. It helps rebuild strength and flexibility and reduces the risk of long-term disability during the healing process.

Legal Rights After Suffering a Broken Bone in a Car Accident

If you’ve suffered broken bones in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses. Determining liability involves identifying who caused the accident and how their negligence directly led to your broken bones or injuries.

In Illinois, the state operates under a fault-based insurance system, which means the at-fault driver’s insurance provider is responsible for covering medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages related to the crash.

Illinois also follows comparative negligence laws, so if you are found to be partially at fault for the car crash, your compensation may be reduced by the percentage of your responsibility.

It’s important to act quickly, as victims of car accidents only have two years to file a personal injury claim under the Illinois Statute of Limitations (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Missing this deadline could prevent you from pursuing the financial recovery you deserve.

Seeking Compensation for Broken Bone Injuries

A personal injury claim can help recover a range of losses sustained after bone breaks and other injuries related to a car accident:

• Medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgeries, and follow-up visits.
• Lost wages if your arm fractures, broken legs, or other bone breaks prevent you from working.
• Pain and suffering, especially for multiple fractures or fragile bone injuries that result in chronic pain or disability.
• Reduced earning capacity if the injury limits your long-term employment options.

Average Settlement for Broken Bones in a Car Accident

The value of a broken bone claim depends on several important factors, with the type and severity of the bone fractures playing a major role. For example, a hip fracture or pelvic fracture typically results in a higher settlement than a hairline fracture because these injuries are more serious and take longer to heal.

The length of the healing process also affects the value of the claim, especially if the injury requires surgery. Another key factor is how the injury impacts your ability to work or handle everyday responsibilities.

Claims involving comminuted fractures, a crush injury, or other long-term complications often have higher settlement value due to the severity of the harm and the extended recovery process involved.

We have achieved substantial settlements for our clients, including a $2,000,000 policy limit settlement for injuries sustained in a rollover collision. Additionally, we secured a $449,000 settlement for a woman who suffered facial injuries when her head struck the windshield. Another notable recovery was $350,000 for a woman who sustained a fractured leg after being hit by a taxi cab making a left-hand turn.

How a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

Having a skilled attorney can make all the difference when pursuing a claim for broken bones:

Your lawyer can gather crash reports, medical care documentation, and expert testimony to establish the impact of your injuries. They’ll handle negotiations with insurance companies, who often try to minimize the seriousness of broken bone injuries.

If a fair settlement isn’t offered, your attorney can file a lawsuit and present your case in court to seek the full compensation you deserve.

Contact a Chicago Car Accident Attorney for a Free Consultationtion

If you’ve suffered broken bones in a car crash and are dealing with the costs of medical care, lost wages, and painful recovery, you don’t have to go through it alone. You need a Chicago car accident lawyer on your side.

Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers at (888) 424-5757 or fill out our online form to schedule your free consultation today. Our experienced team will help you understand your rights, pursue compensation, and support your recovery every step of the way.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.