From a young age, you were taught to buckle up in the car. When you started driving, it was probably the first thing you did when you got behind the wheel. By now, wearing your seat belt is probably second nature. You have always firmly believed that your seat belt could save your life one day, so you continue to wear it regularly.
Now, you have been in a serious car wreck. You survived, and you attribute it solely to your car’s safety features, including airbags and seat belts. Due to the force of the crash, however, you sustained serious injuries, including a broken pelvis.
Pelvic Fractures: Common and Dangerous Car Accident Injuries
Seat belts are designed to secure you at the strongest points of your body, namely your pelvis and your sternum area. In a crash, these areas absorb the force from the seat belt, which keeps you secure, but may also cause damage to these areas in a wreck.
Pelvic fractures are particularly dangerous because of the proximity to major internal organs, and recovery is often challenging. Some breaks may require surgery, while others require weeks of limited mobility and rest—but either way, you are looking at time away from work to focus on healing your painful injury.
There are several different types of fractures that occur to the pelvis, and each requires a different kind of treatment:
- Acetabular fractures are when the hip socket sustains damage. Typically, this fracture will require the surgical insertion of a plate and screws to secure and position the bone to heal properly.
- Avulsion fractures involve bone being torn away by muscle and tendon when they contract too quickly or forcefully. This type of injury will usually heal on its own, but it will require around eight weeks of rest and immobilization to do so.
- Open book fractures are very painful and serious, and involve the left and right halves of the pelvis becoming separated by a break. Victims will usually require surgery to stabilize the pelvis, as well as make repairs to other internal injuries.
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If You Have Suffered a Pelvic Injury in a Wreck, You Need an Attorney Now
After a car accident has left you with a pelvic injury, you may be facing weeks or even months away from work. The healing and rehabilitation process is costly and painful, and you deserve compensation to cover these injuries if they are the result of a negligent driver. To discuss your case with an experienced Georgia auto accident attorney, call us today or click on the live chat link to schedule your free consultation.