Injury · California
Fractures and Broken Bones
Objective, imageable injuries that range from a simple wrist fracture to a shattered pelvis.
Updated . General information, not legal advice about your situation.
Legal review: Elham Azimy, California State Bar No. 207274 (law and claims only).
Fractures are among the most clearly documented crash injuries: they appear on X-rays, they have defined treatments, and their recovery follows a known course. They also vary enormously, from a non-displaced wrist fracture that heals in a cast to a pelvic or femur fracture requiring multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists bear the heaviest burden; vehicle occupants most often fracture wrists, ribs, collarbones and the bones of the foot and ankle.
Fractures common in each collision type
| Collision type | Common fractures | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-end and frontal (occupants) | Wrist, forearm, sternum, ribs, foot and ankle | Bracing on the wheel, seat-belt loading, pedal and footwell forces |
| Side impact (occupants) | Pelvis, ribs, humerus, clavicle, hip | Door intrusion on the struck side |
| Pedestrian | Tibia and fibula, femur, pelvis, skull | Bumper strike, then hood/windshield, then ground |
| Motorcycle | Femur, tibia, pelvis, forearm, clavicle, scapula | Impact with vehicle and ejection |
| Bicycle | Clavicle, wrist (scaphoid, distal radius), elbow, hip | Falls onto outstretched hand or shoulder |
Treatment
Stable, well-aligned fractures are treated with casting or splinting. Displaced, unstable, open or joint-involving fractures typically require surgery: open reduction and internal fixation (plates and screws), intramedullary nailing for long bones, external fixation for severe pelvic or open fractures, and joint replacement for some hip fractures in older adults. Recovery involves weeks of immobilization or restricted weight-bearing followed by physical therapy, and hardware is sometimes removed in a later procedure.
Complications that change the picture
- Nonunion and malunion: the bone fails to heal or heals in a bad position, requiring further surgery.
- Post-traumatic arthritis: fractures through a joint surface frequently lead to arthritis years later.
- Infection, especially after open fractures.
- Compartment syndrome, a surgical emergency in leg and forearm fractures.
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a chronic pain condition that can follow fractures, particularly of the wrist and ankle.
- Fat embolism and blood clots after long-bone fractures.
What determines the value of a fracture claim
Fracture claims are valued on the body part and joint involvement, whether surgery was required, the length of disability and time off work, permanent impairment (loss of range of motion, hardware, arthritis), scarring, future surgery such as hardware removal or joint replacement, and the effect on occupation and activities. A surgically treated fracture with hardware is a substantially different claim from a simple fracture that healed in a cast, and the medical records make that distinction clear.
Older adults
Hip and pelvic fractures in older adults carry serious risks beyond the fracture itself, including loss of independence and increased mortality in the following year. California law does not reduce damages because an injured person was older or more fragile; the at-fault driver takes the victim as they find them.
Related pages
See motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents and our Riverside fracture claims page.
Local guides
City-specific pages for fractures and broken bones in California.
Common questions
My fracture healed fine. Is there still a claim?
Yes. The claim covers medical costs, lost work during recovery, the pain and limitation of the healing period, and any residual effects. A fully healed fracture is a smaller claim than one with complications, but it is a real one.
The surgeon says I will probably develop arthritis in the joint. Can that be included?
Yes. Reasonably probable future consequences, supported by a physician’s opinion, are part of the damages. This is one reason not to settle a joint fracture claim too early.
I was a pedestrian with a broken leg and no health insurance. Who pays the hospital?
The at-fault driver’s insurer pays as part of the settlement, but hospitals typically bill you in the meantime and may file a lien. Medical payments coverage on your own or a household auto policy can bridge the gap. See medical bills after a car accident.
Describe what happened. Attorney Elham Azimy reviews every inquiry personally and, if we can help, calls you to talk it through. Free evaluation; no fee unless we recover for you.
Sources and official resources
Links go to official government, court and public-health sources. Laws change; verify current text before relying on it.