One painful injury that can take place after a car crash is a shattered bone. A shattered bone isn't really a medical term, but it does refer to a severe fracture. When the forces that are exerted against the bones are stronger than the bones themselves, they can break. In some personal injury cases, they break in many areas, leading to a "shattered" appearance.
The medical term for a shattered bone is a comminuted fracture. In this kind of fracture, the bone is split into many pieces. It can be relatively minor or extremely dangerous, depending on where the bone fragments end up. If a bone fragment lacerates a major artery or vein, a person could be at risk of bleeding to death. Damage can also be done to blood vessels, nerves, and tissues around the fracture.
How long will it take to recover from a shattered bone?
Every patient is different. It's impossible to say how long it will take for a bone to heal, especially if it requires surgery or other treatments to hold it together. While most people believe that bones heal in a few weeks, they usually only do so in simple, uncomplicated cases. In serious personal injury cases, it can actually take many months for the bones to heal completely. Your recovery may vary based on your age, gender, and health at the time of the break.
If you suffer a serious fracture, you need to seek medical help immediately. If the fracture was a result of a car crash, then you may be able to hold the driver responsible for the injury and any medical costs you have as a result.
