Pelvic Bone Fracture
Most people understand that car accidents are a risk that comes along with driving. Whether it’s due to distracted driving, speeding, or a blinding sun, sometimes one car will rear-end another car. Other times, cars swerve off of the road and wind up striking a tree, light pole, or barrier. When a car comes to a sudden stop, the front of the car can collapse on impact. If the front of the car crumbles, people with their legs straightened at the front of the car can wind up sustaining a traumatic injury known as a pelvic bone fracture. This is a serious injury that warrants immediate medical attention.
Pelvic Bone Fractures Occur in Car Accidents
A pelvic bone fracture is most commonly sustained when people fall on the crossbar in a bicycling accident or when the front of their car collapses. In the latter case, people frequently have one or both of their legs straightened or locked at the front of their car when they slam on the brakes and brace for impact. When the knees are locked, the legs will not bend as the car collapses. Because the car crash imposes a significant amount of force to the legs, the legs are forced to recoil with the impact. If the legs don’t bend, they are forced out of the back of the pelvis. This mechanism leads to a pelvic bone fracture.
Symptoms of Pelvic Bone Fractures
Symptoms of a pelvic bone fracture can be challenging to decipher. Some of the common symptoms include trouble walking, loss of sensation in the pelvic region, shooting pains down the legs, and possible numbness. People will also have substantial pain with movement, urination, or defecation. The symptoms are nonspecific because they can all vary depending on the degree of the injury and the associated structures that might be damaged. This makes the physical exam and diagnostic imaging even more important.
Diagnosis of a Pelvic Bone Fracture
During the physical exam, the doctor will first look to see if one leg is shorter than the other or inwardly rotated at rest. This is a common sign of a pelvic bone fracture because if one of the legs is shorter than the other, the doctor knows that the leg has been forced out of the back of the pelvis and a pelvic bone fracture has been sustained. The doctor will also assess for any numbness from damage to nerves in the pelvic region. The doctor will check to make sure major arteries, like the femoral and iliac arteries, are still intact. After this, x-rays will be performed to look at the degree of the fracture. Multiple angles will be taken to make sure no fractures are missed. An MRI might be ordered if there is concern for nerve or artery damage.
Treatment of Pelvic Bone Fractures Requires Surgery and Rehabilitation
Treatment of a pelvic bone fracture will require surgery to place the leg back into place. If the fractures are severe, pins and plates might be used to hold the bones together. These will remain in place for life. Traumatic injury rehabilitation will often be required to restore function to both the pelvis and the leg after a pelvic bone fracture has occurred.
Sacramento Pelvic Bone Fracture Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. If you have suffered a pelvic bone or other personal injury, please call me anytime at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice. Let’s go over the details of your accident case over the phone and see how best to proceed. The call is free and there is no obligation to you.
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:DR