BROKEN LEG ACCIDENT & INJURY LAWYERS
A broken leg, also known as leg fracture, can be a very serious, even life-threatening injury. Broken legs can cause severe pain and various levels of immobility. There are many incidents that can result in a leg break, including car accidents, motorcycle crashes, slips, trips and falls. Oftentimes, breaking a leg is not the fault of the afflicted person, but rather due to the fault of others, such as poor construction and/or maintenance of a public area or residential premises building, or as the result of a traumatic event caused by another. This page offers more information about the facts, risks and consequences of leg fractures. If you have suffered a broken leg in California, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and losses. By calling 1-800-ALAWPRO now, you will receive a free consultation to help apprise you of your rights.

Broken Leg Anatomy
Knowing how the leg is structured is fundamental to understanding what happens when it breaks. Each of our legs is a complex structure including four bones and the capacity to bend in three different places. A break or fracture may occur in any of these places, and, in more severe accidents or injuries, in more than one. Following is a list of bones and joints of the leg:
Bones:

• Thighbone (Femur): The femur, or thigh bone, forms the upper part of your leg. The thighbone is the strongest and longest bone in your entire body. The bottom of the femur forms the knee joint, while the top of the femur attaches at the pelvis forming the hip joint.
• Shinbone (Tibia): The tibia, or shin bone, is one of two bones that form the bottom of your leg. It is located on the inside part of the leg and is responsible for supporting the weight of your body. The shin is the most frequently broken long bone.
• Fibula: Also in the lower leg, the fibula is on the outside of the leg, next to the tibia, and is smaller.
• Kneecap (Patella): The patella, or knee cap, is in the middle of your leg. The kneecap rests on the knee joint and is a major connector of ligaments.

• Hip, including the upper end of the femur, or thighbone
• Knee, where the femur, tibia and fibula connect under the knee cap
• Ankle, includes the bottom ends of the fibula and tibia; a severe ankle injury can result in a lower leg fracture

Causes of Broken Legs and Risk Factors
As stated, numerous and varied causes may result in a broken leg; however, either traumatic or, less frequently, repetitive force are the reason. Leg bones are strong, and breaking them normally requires quite a bit of force. Car accidents and falls are leading culprits in broken legs. People with weaker bones or legs due to age (which can mean underdeveloped bones or arthritis and osteoporosis), sickness, or prior injury are at higher risk for breaking a leg. Following is a list of common causes of a leg fracture:

• Motor Vehicle Accident, including car, motorcycle, bus, truck or pedestrian crashes: The entire leg is a risk from vehicle accidents. In some cases all leg bones are broken in a car wreck.
• Falls, Slips, or Trips: Falling can fracture even the largest bone, the thighbone.
• Work-Related Injuries: Construction sites can pose a threat for leg breaks, as well as workplaces that require extensive, strenuous and/or repetitive leg movement.
• General Overuse, especially in people with already compromised bone and/or leg issues.
• Assault, including abuse or animal attack
• Sports-Related Injuries

Broken Leg Symptoms
While some breaks may be obvious, especially if bone is visible, other fractures are not as noticeable. Femur or thighbone fractures can be life-threatening. Get medical attention to assess a leg break if you have suffered a leg injury and are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Pain, severe and made worse by movement
• Bruising, Swelling and Tenderness
• Deformity of the leg, including rotation, bending or twisting below the break, or a shortening of the broken leg,
• Limited ability to stand, walk, or move the leg

Leg Fracture Types
Your leg may be broken in any number of ways. The sooner treatment is received, the more likely the broken leg will heal correctly. Here is a breakdown of the different kinds of fractures that can occur with leg breaks:

• Open (Compound) Fracture: A serious injury in which the broken bone has cut through the skin
• Closed Fracture: A bone break that does not pierce the skin
• Complete Fracture: The broken bones snap into at least two pieces
• Comminuted Fracture: The bones have broken into several pieces
• Incomplete Fracture: The bone is cracked but not completely separated
• Displaced Fracture: Broken bones are displaced, or not aligned, often requiring surgery
• Stress Fracture: Very small cracks, normally caused by repetitive movement
• Greenstick Fracture: The bone has cracked, but not broken; most common in children

Broken Leg Diagnosis
A doctor can determine a broken leg by examination, or in less obvious instances with an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan. In children, leg breaks may also affect growth plates, which can observation by x-rays. Stress fractures normally require X-rays for diagnosis. Besides assessing a broken leg bone, a doctor will also check for damage to nerves, veins and arteries.

Broken Leg Treatment
Again the type break and its severity will determine the treatment for a broken leg. Most fractures require some type of and period of immobilization, and some may require surgery. The worse the break is, the longer the recovery. Leg Break treatment can include:

• Immobilization of the Leg with a Cast or Splint, often accompanied by a cane or crutches
• Manual Reduction (Realignment) of the Bone(s)
• Surgery, for adjusting or assisting realignment of bones, sometimes including insertion of plates, rods or screws
• Medication, including pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants
• Rehabilitation, in more severe breaks

Leg Break Complications
Depending on the severity, location, and cause of a broken leg, complications may ensue. Leg breaks resulting from car accidents frequently have complications and can even lead to death. Here are some dangerous potential effects of a leg fracture:

• Recurring or Chronic Pain in Leg, Knee, Ankle or Hip
• Bone Infection (osteomyelitis)
• Compartment Syndrome
• Nerve/Blood Vessel Damage
• Poor Healing of the Bones
• Unequal Length of Legs
• Arthritis
• Death as a result of infection, bleeding or tissue damage

If you or a loved one has suffered a broken leg in California, you may not be to blame. Please contact an experience Law Firm who can help you understand your rights. Call the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP now at 1-800-ALAWPRO (1-800-252-9776) for a free and confidential consultation, and take advantage of our more than 50 years combined experience. We will come straight to your hospital room to sign you up. Help is just a phone call away.