Serious automobile collisions and falls can cause a variety of injuries, some more severe than others. Fractured clavicles are not uncommon in high speed crashes. Depending upon the nature of the fracture, you may need surgical repair. A broken collarbone is very painful and is usually physically disabling. It is not uncommon to completely lose the use of your arm for some period of time. Aside from costly medical expenses, you may also miss days, weeks, or months from work. You are entitled to fair compensation for the harms done by the negligent party’s conduct. For a free consultation to discuss your fractured clavicle, call Maginnis Howard at (919) 526-0450 or send us a request via our contact page.
The clavicle is commonly known as the collarbone, and it connects the breastbone to the shoulder blade. It is most commonly broken due to blunt force trauma. Many times the injury can be corrected using a “figure 8 sling,” but, in other cases, an “Open Reduction-Internal Fixation” (ORIF) surgery is required. The open reduction refers to the process of placing the two clavicle sections back together, while internal fixation refers to the process of using a metal plate and screws to reconnect the two sections. The plate may later be removed by a second procedure. The surgery will likely leave a large, disfiguring scar.
Symptoms of a collarbone fracture include bruising, swelling, and pain moving your shoulder. You may also notice “tenting,” where a displaced portion of the bone is pressing your skin up. The fracture can usually be seen easily with an X-Ray, CT Scan, or MRI. In terms of damages, you are typically entitled to recover in a negligence action for: (1) medical, pharmaceutical and other healthcare expenses; (2) diminished earning capacity; (3) physical and emotional pain and suffering; and (4) permanent impairment and disfigurement.
The law firm of Maginnis Law provides free evaluations to all prospective personal injury clients, including those who have sustained a broken clavicle. All serious injury claims are handled on a contingency fee basis. This means that unless we win a verdict or settle your claim, you do not pay any attorneys’ fees. The firm represents individuals throughout the state, but most of our clients are from eastern North Carolina, including Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, Apex, Greenville, Southern Pines, Sanford, Greensboro, and Wilmington.
If you have sustained a fractured or broken collarbone in an automobile collision or other accident, call us today. You may send a confidential email inquiry regarding your injured shoulder by using our contact page. Otherwise, you may call us at (919) 526-0450.
