Jefferson City Fracture & Dislocation Injury Lawyer | Grayson & Grayson
Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Central Missouri Bone and Joint Injury Victims
Broken bones and dislocated joints are among the most common serious injuries that result from accidents, and among the most underestimated. While some fractures heal fully with rest and time, many others involve complex surgery, hardware implantation, months of physical therapy, and permanent limitations that affect your ability to work, care for your family, and enjoy your life.
If someone else’s negligence caused your fracture or dislocation, you have the right to pursue full compensation for every cost and consequence of that injury – not just your initial medical bills. At Grayson & Grayson, our Jefferson City personal injury attorneys represent fracture and dislocation victims throughout Central Missouri. We fight to make sure insurance companies and at-fault parties are held accountable for the true scope of your losses.
Understanding Fractures and Dislocations as Personal Injuries
A fracture is any break, crack, or shattering of a bone. A dislocation occurs when the bones in a joint are forced out of their normal position. Both injuries are painful, often debilitating, and frequently occur together – particularly in high-impact accidents where joint structures and surrounding bones sustain damage simultaneously.
Not all fractures are alike, and the type of fracture significantly affects the complexity of treatment required and the prognosis for full recovery. Common fracture types seen in accident cases include:
- Simple (closed) fractures, where the bone breaks but does not pierce the skin. These are the least complex to treat but can still require surgery and extended recovery periods depending on the location and severity.
- Compound (open) fractures, where the broken bone breaks through the skin. These carry a serious risk of infection and almost always require surgical intervention.
- Comminuted fractures, where the bone shatters into three or more fragments. These are frequently caused by high-force impacts such as car crashes and falls from height, and often require surgery with pins, rods, screws, or plates to reconstruct the bone.
- Displaced fractures, where the broken ends of the bone are no longer properly aligned. Displaced fractures typically require surgical reduction – manual or operative realignment – to heal correctly.
- Stress fractures, which are small cracks caused by repetitive force or impact. While they can occur in accident contexts, they are more commonly associated with workplace and overuse injuries.
- Compression fractures, which frequently involve the spine and occur when vertebrae are crushed under extreme force, commonly seen in fall accidents and motor vehicle crashes.
Dislocations most frequently affect the shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, ankle, and finger joints. Even after a dislocation is reduced (the joint put back in place), the surrounding ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and nerves may be severely damaged, creating instability, chronic pain, and long-term joint dysfunction.
Common Causes of Fractures and Dislocations in Personal Injury Cases
Fractures and dislocations can result from virtually any accident involving significant force, impact, or abnormal physical stress on the body. The types of cases our firm regularly handles include:
Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. Motor vehicle collisions are one of the most frequent causes of serious fracture injuries. The force of a crash can fracture limbs, ribs, the pelvis, facial bones, and vertebrae. Motorcycle riders are particularly vulnerable to compound and comminuted fractures given the lack of structural protection around them.
Slip-and-fall and premises liability accidents. Falls on wet floors, uneven pavement, broken stairs, or unmarked hazards are a leading cause of wrist, hip, and ankle fractures. Hip fractures from falls are especially serious for older adults and can have life-altering consequences. Property owners who fail to maintain safe conditions may be held liable under Missouri premises liability law.
Truck and commercial vehicle accidents. The size and weight differential between a passenger vehicle and an 18-wheeler means that crashes involving commercial trucks routinely produce high-energy fractures — the kind that shatter bones, require extensive surgical repair, and leave permanent damage.
Workplace accidents. Construction sites, factories, and agricultural operations present constant fracture risks. Falls from scaffolding or ladders, being struck by falling objects, and machinery accidents are all common causes of serious bone injuries. In some workplace cases, injured workers may be able to pursue a third-party personal injury claim beyond workers’ compensation.
Dog bites and animal attacks. Severe bites can fracture the small bones of the hands and fingers. A fall caused by an animal attack may also produce fractures of the wrist, arm, or hip. Missouri’s strict liability dog bite law means owners can be held responsible regardless of whether they had prior knowledge of the animal’s dangerous behavior.
Sports, recreation, and premises accidents. Poorly maintained sports facilities, defective recreational equipment, and hazardous conditions on public or private property can all lead to serious fracture and dislocation injuries.
When Fractures and Dislocations Become Long-Term Problems
The medical community classifies many fractures as “serious bodily injuries” under Missouri law – particularly those involving permanent disfigurement, long-term loss of function, or significant impairment of a body part. Some fractures and dislocations produce complications that go far beyond the initial injury:
Post-traumatic arthritis. When a fracture occurs near or within a joint, the damage to cartilage can trigger arthritis that develops over months or years following the injury, causing chronic pain and progressive loss of mobility. This is a particularly common long-term consequence of ankle, knee, wrist, and hip fractures.
Avascular necrosis. Certain fractures – particularly of the hip, shoulder, and knee – can disrupt the blood supply to the bone, causing it to die. This painful and serious condition often ultimately requires joint replacement surgery.
Malunion and nonunion. Bones don’t always heal correctly. A malunion occurs when a fracture heals in an improper alignment, potentially causing deformity, chronic pain, and functional limitations. A nonunion occurs when the fracture fails to heal at all, sometimes requiring additional surgery or bone grafting.
Nerve and blood vessel damage. Fractures and dislocations can injure the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the affected area, leading to numbness, weakness, circulatory problems, or in severe cases, compartment syndrome — a dangerous condition that can result in permanent muscle and nerve damage if not treated immediately.
Chronic joint instability. After a dislocation, particularly a shoulder or knee dislocation, the surrounding ligaments and soft tissues are often so damaged that the joint becomes prone to repeated dislocation. This chronic instability can require reconstructive surgery and may permanently limit the range of activities a person can safely perform.
Hardware complications. When surgical repair requires the implantation of pins, rods, plates, or screws, there is an ongoing risk of hardware failure, infection, loosening, or the need for a subsequent removal procedure.
What Compensation Can You Recover for a Fracture or Dislocation Injury in Missouri?
Missouri law allows personal injury victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages when their injuries were caused by another party’s negligence. In a fracture or dislocation case, recoverable damages may include:
- Emergency room costs
- Diagnostic imaging
- Hospitalization
- Surgical expenses including hardware implantation and future hardware removal
- Physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation
- Prescription medications and pain management
- Future medical care for complications such as post-traumatic arthritis
- Avascular necrosis
- Hardware failure
- Lost wages during recovery
- Future lost earning capacity if the injury impairs your ability to return to your previous occupation
- Pain and suffering, both past and ongoing
- Permanent impairment and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Missouri imposes no cap on economic damages in standard personal injury cases, meaning there is no legal ceiling on your recovery for medical expenses and lost income. Missouri’s pure comparative negligence rule also means that even if you bore some partial responsibility for the accident, you can still recover compensation – your award is simply reduced in proportion to your degree of fault.
Missouri’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is five years from the date of injury, though contacting an attorney as early as possible gives your legal team the best opportunity to preserve evidence and build the strongest possible case.
Why You Shouldn’t Settle a Fracture or Dislocation Claim Too Quickly
Insurance companies often move quickly to offer settlements to fracture and dislocation victims – sometimes before the full extent of the injury is even known. What looks like a clean fracture on day one may develop into post-traumatic arthritis, require a second surgery, or result in permanent impairment that wasn’t apparent during early treatment. Accepting a settlement before your condition has stabilized can leave you responsible for future medical costs that should have been the at-fault party’s obligation.
At Grayson & Grayson, we counsel our clients on the right time to settle and work with medical professionals to ensure we fully understand the long-term trajectory of your injuries before agreeing to any resolution. We negotiate aggressively with insurance companies, and when a fair outcome cannot be reached at the table, we are prepared to take your case to court.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fracture and Dislocation Injury Claims
Q: Are broken bone injuries worth pursuing as personal injury claims?
A: Absolutely. Serious fractures – particularly those requiring surgery, hardware, or resulting in long-term complications – can generate substantial medical bills and long recovery periods with lost income. Even fractures that appear straightforward can develop complications. An attorney can help you evaluate whether the full value of your claim, including future costs, is reflected in any settlement offer you receive.
Q: What if the insurance company says my fracture was pre-existing or age-related?
A: This is a common tactic used to minimize or deny claims, particularly for older adults. Under Missouri law, defendants are responsible for the full harm caused to you even if a pre-existing condition made you more susceptible to injury – a principle sometimes called the “eggshell plaintiff” rule. An experienced personal injury attorney can counter these arguments with appropriate medical evidence.
Q: How long will it take to resolve my fracture injury claim?
A: It depends on the severity of the injury and the complexity of the case. Simpler fracture cases that heal fully may resolve in a matter of months. Cases involving surgical complications, permanent impairment, or disputed liability may take longer. We generally advise against settling until your medical condition has stabilized and your long-term prognosis is clear, so that your settlement reflects your complete damages.
Q: Can I pursue a claim if I was partially at fault for the accident?
A: Yes. Missouri follows a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning you can still recover damages even if you share some responsibility for what happened. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovery.
Q: What if my fracture required surgery but I’ve since been told I’ll make a full recovery?
A: Even injuries with favorable prognoses can carry significant value as personal injury claims. Surgery, hospitalization, hardware implantation, physical therapy, and weeks or months of missed work all represent real economic losses – and the pain and disruption of that recovery process is compensable as well.
Contact a Jefferson City Fracture and Dislocation Injury Attorney Today
If you or a family member has suffered a serious fracture or dislocation because of someone else’s negligence, Grayson & Grayson is here to help. We offer free consultations for personal injury claims and will evaluate your case, explain your legal options, and fight to recover the full compensation you deserve.
Call us today at 573-255-8997 or reach out via email. From our Jefferson City office, we serve injury victims throughout Central Missouri. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can protect your rights and begin building your case.