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An open fracture means a long road to recovery

On Behalf of | Aug 8, 2019 | Uncategorized |

Most people hope to get through life without suffering any type of serious injury. Injuries of any type can be difficult to recover from, and in many cases, people can still feel the effects of those injuries years later. If you are in a car accident, you run a serious risk of suffering severe injuries.

In particular, you could suffer an open fracture. You may have also heard of a type of injury called a compound fracture, and it involves a broken bone penetrating the outer layers of skin. This type of injury can cause many complications and poses many risks to your health.

Infection

As with any type of illness, injury or even surgery, the potential for infection poses a great threat to your health. When it comes to open fractures, a high potential for infection exists because the injury site is exposed to bacteria on the skin and the outside environment. As a result, all open fractures are contaminated. The extent of the contamination may vary, depending on factors associated with your specific injury, such as the extent of the wound and the surrounding environment.

Treatment

Because of the risk of infection and the severity of this type of injury, open fractures require immediate medical attention. In most cases, surgery is also necessary to ensure proper cleaning of the wound and to address the break. Unfortunately, if an infection does set in, it can take you a long time to recover, especially if the infection reaches the bone. Facing this type of complication can be immensely troubling, and you may need additional surgery and long-term antibiotic treatment.

Unfortunately, open fractures damage more than just the bone. The soft tissue surrounding your bone also suffers, and because of the amount of damage, you will have a long road to recovery after suffering this type of injury.

Seeking compensation

Because an open fracture can cause immense upheaval in your life, you may worry about the damages you will endure, such as pain and suffering, financial losses, missed work and other hardships. This concern is understandable, but you may want to remember that you could have reason to seek compensation for those damages if a negligent or reckless driver caused the accident that led to your injury. Discussing your circumstances and the possibility of filing a personal injury claim with a New York attorney may be wise.