A broken pelvis (also known as a fractured pelvis or acetabulum fracture) is a serious injury, similar but generally more severe than a hip fracture. Whether caused by a fall, a motor vehicle accident, or another crush or crash incident, a pelvic fracture is dangerous and can be life-threatening. If you have suffered a broken pelvis due to the negligence of another (a car accident, an unsafe work environment, a faulty public stairwell or sidewalk or a poorly marked construction site), you may be entitled to receive financial damages for your suffering, and an attorney can help.

Pelvic Fracture General Information:
The pelvis is not a single bone, but rather a group of bones forming a ring at the bottom of your back. There, three different bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis) are connected by ligaments (strong connecting tissues) to a big triangle-shaped bone (sacrum) located at the base of your spine. The result is a bowl-shaped hollow below your rib cage. The acetabulum (hip joint socket) is a cup-shaped structure on each side of your pelvis. One of the reasons a pelvic fracture is so dangerous is that many of your reproductive and digestive organs are located within and protected by it. Also, your large, leg blood vessels, muscles and nerves are connected through the pelvis. As a result, a broken pelvis can cause organ damage, severe bleeding and nerve injury.

Fractured Pelvis Causes:

• Trauma: car crashes, falls, slips are the most common causes. A higher-energy trauma is usually needed for a pelvic break in a younger person. In older people, bones are weaker and even an insignificant fall can result in a broken pelvis. The degree and direction of the trauma influences how dangerous the injury is and what treatment is sought.
• Other risk factors:
  • Age: Elderly people, especially those with osteoporosis, are at risk, especially when going down stairs or walking on an uneven or slippery surface.
  • Adolescence: Growing teenagers with high activity levels are also at risk, as some “pulled muscle” injuries could actually be a specific kind of pelvic fracture.

Broken Pelvis Symptoms:

• Pain, sometimes causing you to continually adjust knee and/or hip position
• Swelling and bruising
• Shock, as a result of substantial bleeding
• Additional injuries to the legs, mid-section or head, if suffered as the result of a trauma

Pelvis Fracture Diagnosis:
Your doctor will order x-rays, or possibly a CT scan to determine a pelvic break and its severity. A leg examination to check nerves and blood vessels will likely also be performed.

Pelvic Break Treatment:
Surgery is usually required for pelvic fractures sustained in a trauma. Surgery can help realign the bones and cartilage, restore stability and clear bone debris from the area. Surgery may include a device which is screwed into the pelvis for stability and assessment. Traction may also be needed. Additional plates and screws might be inserted for less stable fractures.

If a fracture is stable and well-aligned, surgery may not be needed. A walker, crutches and/or pain medication may be prescribed.

Broken Pelvis Complications include:

• Abdominal, Urological, Spinal and Knee Injuries
• Blood Clots in leg or pelvis regions
• Severe Internal Bleeding
• Infection

Pelvic Fracture Prognosis:
With the right treatment, a broken pelvis can heal well. Limping may persist for months. Depending on the severity of sustained nerve damage, pain and other symptoms may become recurrent problems.

Have you or a family member suffered a broken pelvis as the result of negligence or an accident? If you are located in California, please call the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP. We can help you determine if you have been the victim of negligence. Call 1-800-ALAWPRO (1-800-252-9776) for a free and confidential consultation. We can come to your hospital room to begin the process. Let us help you.