When a person is injured because of someone else’s actions or negligence, they can take legal action to pursue financial compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit. These cases can address multiple types of catastrophic injuries. Broken bones are one issue that may need to be addressed, and depending on the severity of a fracture, a person may require extensive medical treatment, and their ability to work and perform daily tasks may be affected. By understanding the different types of bone fractures, their causes, and the forms of treatment that may be needed, an injury victim can take steps to ensure that they will be properly compensated for their damages.

Treatment for Different Types of Broken Bones

Bone fractures can range from relatively mild to severe. Common types of fractures include:

• Stable fractures - In some cases, a bone may cleanly break into two pieces, with the pieces staying in the same position and remaining in alignment. These are often the easiest and simplest fractures to treat, since immobilizing the bones through the use of a cast will allow them to heal properly. 

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A car accident can cause a great deal of trauma to a person’s body. The impact that occurs when one vehicle collides with another may force body parts into unnatural positions or cause jolting or wrenching motions that can lead to multiple types of bodily injuries. Some of the most serious injuries that can occur in a collision may affect the spinal cord, and they may lead to chronic pain, loss of range of motion, or paralysis. If a spine injury results in herniated discs, a person will want to understand how this may affect their long-term health, the types of treatment that may be necessary, and their options for receiving compensation for their damages.

What Is a Herniated Disc?

The vertebrae in the spinal cord are separated by soft discs that provide a cushion and allow a person to move their upper body into different positions. When a person experiences trauma, such as the impact of a car accident, these discs may be damaged. Torn or ruptured discs may result in a loss of cushioning, causing the bones in the spine to grind together and potentially resulting in pinched nerves. Damage to discs may cause them to bulge, placing pressure on the spinal cord or other nerves.

Depending on the location of herniated discs, a person may experience different types of symptoms. Herniated discs in the lower back may result in back pain, numbness or tingling in the legs and feet, or weakness of the muscles in the legs and lower body. Herniated discs in the neck can cause pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands, numbness or tingling in the arms, and restrictions in motion of the neck and upper body. Damage to discs in the spine can also lead to issues such as muscle spasms, problems with balance, delayed reflexes, difficulty standing up from a seated position, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Even though childbirth is a common medical procedure that is performed in hospitals on a daily basis, there are a variety of issues that can arise during labor and delivery that may result in birth injuries. If doctors, nurses, or other personnel that assist with childbirth do not take the correct measures to address complications or respond to potential concerns, a child or mother may suffer serious harm. Meconium aspiration is one issue that staff members should be aware of, and it can lead to a variety of health concerns for a child.

What Is Meconium Aspiration?

The first stool that a child passes after being born consists of meconium, which is a thick, tar-like substance. In some cases, a child may pass meconium while still in the womb. When meconium becomes mixed with the amniotic fluid, the child may inhale or aspirate this substance into their lungs during labor and delivery. This can lead to a condition known as meconium aspiration syndrome.

Meconium that is inhaled can block a child’s airways or coat the surface of their lungs, affecting their ability to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream. A lack of oxygen can lead to multiple types of injuries and health issues, including damage to a child’s brain that may result in cerebral palsy. If meconium aspiration syndrome is not treated properly, a child may also experience infections such as pneumonia, lung injuries that affect their ability to breathe, and increased blood pressure that may cause other ongoing health concerns.

For the past several decades, members of the military who are on active duty have been unable to pursue personal injury lawsuits against the U.S. government based on injuries or other forms of harm they suffered during their service. However, this changed in 2019 when Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which contained provisions allowing service members to file claims seeking compensation for medical malpractice. In June of 2021, the Department of Defense issued new regulations detailing the procedures that will be followed in these types of claims.

Pursuing Compensation for Medical Malpractice at a Military Hospital

Active-duty service members can pursue medical malpractice claims for most injuries or illnesses that occurred because of treatment at a medical facility from a health care provider working for the Department of Defense, as long as the injury was “incident to service.” This includes treatment provided at hospitals or medical centers, but not treatment provided in the field, such as on a ship or plane or at a battalion aid station. 

When making a claim, a person will need to show that a military health care provider failed to exercise the proper standard of care that would be provided by a person in the same field and in a similar setting. This failure to follow the correct standard of care must have caused the patient to suffer harm. Claims must generally be filed within two years after medical malpractice occurred.

There are multiple types of injuries that can occur in a car accident, and whiplash is one of the most common issues that can affect victims. These types of injuries may affect a person’s back and neck, as well as other parts of their body, and they can lead to a number of ongoing health issues. While whiplash often occurs in rear-end collisions, it can also affect drivers and passengers in multiple other types of accidents, including high-speed collisions or those involving relatively low speeds. By understanding the effects that whiplash can have on a person’s life and health, victims can make sure they will be able to pursue compensation that fully addresses their damages.

Effects of Whiplash

When one vehicle collides with another, the occupants of the vehicle that is struck may be suddenly and unexpectedly thrown forward, backward, or to the side. This can cause a person’s head to snap back and forth, putting a great deal of pressure on the neck and forcing it into unnatural positions. When this happens, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck may be damaged. A person may also experience nerve damage, fractures to cervical vertebrae, or herniated discs.

The symptoms of whiplash may not occur right away, and a person may not begin to experience issues until hours or days after an accident. In some cases, symptoms may be temporary, and they may get better after a few weeks. However, symptoms can also persist for an extended period of time, affecting a person’s ability to work and complete daily tasks. These symptoms may include: