Broken Bones
Broken Bones On the Job Can Cause Long-term Recovery and Lost Wages
It could happen in a construction site accident if you fell off scaffolding, in the restaurant where you work if you slipped on spilled coffee or in the hotel you manage when you tripped on a suitcase. No matter what setting, workplace broken bones happen daily throughout New York and can have long-term consequences.
While recovering from a broken arm, broken foot, or other fracture, the last thing you need is a long battle with the workers’ compensation insurance company. That’s why you need an experienced work injury attorney on your side to help you navigate the process. That’s why you need Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano LLP.
Types of broken bones on the job
There are 206 bones in the adult human skeleton, and any of them can be broken in a work accident. The types of fractures include:
- Stable fracture: the broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place.
- Stress fracture: tiny cracks in the bone form because of repetitive force, often from overuse. These are most common in the lower leg and foot bones because they have to bear the weight of the body.
- Compound fracture: the skin is broken, either because the bone itself pierced the skin or because the blow that caused the fracture also broke the skin. Depending on the severity of the break, the bone may be visible in the wound.
- Transverse fracture: the fracture line is horizontal.
- Oblique fracture: the pattern of the broken bone is angled.
- Comminuted fracture: the bone is broken into three or more separate pieces.
How fractures happen on the job
Workers in certain jobs are particularly vulnerable to broken bones, but fractures can happen in any workplace. Some of the ways broken bones happen at work include:
- Work-related car accidents: the force of a car crash can break nearly any bone, including the legs, arms, ribs, and facial bones.
- Heavy equipment accidents: workers’ limbs can be crushed when trapped in machinery or damaged when a piece of equipment tips over and falls.
- Falls: work-related falls can result in broken hands and wrists when the arms are extended to break the fall, as well as skull, knee, hip, and other fractures.
- Falling objects: a heavy object falling onto a worker may lead to a broken skull or shoulder.
Whether a fracture is limited to one bone, such as the femur in the leg or ulna in the arm, or if you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic work injury, such as a crushed spine in a work-related car accident or after falling off a roof, workers compensation coverage is there to help you recover.
Workplace Broken Leg, Fractured Arm, Cracked Ribs Call for a Reliable NY Workers Comp Lawyer
Any bone fractures at work can impair your ability to do your job so that you can't work and end up with lost wages. For example, if you type on a computer keyboard for a living and break your wrist in a slip and fall on a newly mopped office floor, you won't be able to type until you heal. Likewise, if you break your ankle jumping out of the fire truck you drive, you'll be laid up for a long time as the bones heal. The list is endless, but we will help you pursue the compensation you deserve so you can get back to work as soon as possible.
If you're in a cast, on crutches, using a wheelchair, or in any way unable to do your job due to your workplace broken bones, call the New York Law Offices of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP toll-free at (800) 692-3717 or contact us online for a free evaluation. There is no obligation. We serve Manhattan, Rockland County, Long Island, Staten Island, and other communities in New York. We also have over 90 years of experience representing union members, so don't hesitate to call if you are part of a local union.