One of the most vulnerable parts of your body in a car accident is your head and facial area. While other parts of your body have the benefit of being somewhat protected by the frame of the vehicle, your head and face are both extremely fragile and susceptible to injury. When you factor in the impact of the collision, it often results in facial fractures.
Any car accident that results in a bone fracture offers a lot of difficulties. Not only can it result in fractures to multiple parts of your face, but it can also potentially be disfiguring. This means that on top of treatment and surgery to repair the fracture, you may also have to undergo surgeries to restore your appearance. When you’ve been involved in one of these unfortunate accidents in Spokane, it’s crucial that you get the medical and legal help you deserve.
Put Your Trust in CCD Law
If you or a loved one have suffered a facial fracture or any other injury in a Spokane car accident, you can put your trust in CCD Law. Since 1948, our team of experienced Spokane car accident lawyers has helped clients navigate the legal process to get the compensation and treatment they deserve under the law. With our experience and dedication, you can focus on your recovery and make sure you have what you need to move forward with your life. If you’d like to set up a free, no-obligation consultation, contact us today.
Understanding Facial Fractures in a Spokane Car Accident
Facial fractures are a common injury that can occur in a Spokane car accident. The reason for this is the face is a frequent point of impact by the vehicle’s interior or exterior. These fractures can range in severity and can affect different parts of the face. More importantly, these injuries can be painful and potentially disfiguring, depending on the severity of the fracture.
Some common types of facial fractures that can occur in Spokane car accidents include:
- Nasal fractures – This type of fracture involves the bones in the nose, and can cause swelling, bruising, and difficulty breathing through the nose.
- Orbital fractures – The bones surrounding the eye socket can be fractured in a car accident, leading to swelling, double vision, and limited eye movement.
- Maxillary fractures – The upper jawbone can be fractured in a car accident, leading to pain, swelling, and difficulty speaking or eating.
- Mandibular fractures – The lower jawbone can be fractured in a car accident, leading to pain, difficulty speaking or eating, and misalignment of the teeth.
- Le Fort fractures – This type of fracture involves the bones in the midface and can be particularly severe, potentially causing difficulty breathing, vision problems, and facial numbness.
Obviously, multiple facial fractures can impact you in a variety of different and increasingly difficult ways. Virtually every function that happens in your facial area–eating, speaking, breathing, seeing–will be impacted by a fracture injury. Then, on top of any surgery, you’ll likely require ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.
Repairing Facial Fractures
As with any injury, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately following a facial fracture to ensure the best possible outcome. Delayed treatment can result in complications and long-term consequences, such as chronic pain and difficulty with facial movements. That said, treatment for repairing facial fractures depends on the location and severity of the injury. Minor fractures may heal on their own or with the use of pain medication and a soft food diet.
However, more severe fractures may require surgical intervention. In some cases, surgery may need to be performed immediately after the injury, while in other cases, it may be postponed until the swelling subsides.
Surgical treatment for facial fractures may involve the use of plates, screws, or wires to hold the broken bones in place while they heal. In addition to surgery, patients may need to undergo physical therapy to regain the full functionality of their facial muscles.
Most Common Types Of Spokane Car Accidents That Result in Facial Fractures
When you consider how facial fractures happen in a car accident, it’s not surprising that they can occur in a number of different scenarios. Namely, your head and facial area making contact with any part of the interior or exterior of the vehicle is a common part of any type of car accident. Still, some types of accidents are more likely to result in facial fractures than others. Here are some of the most common types of Spokane car accidents that result in facial fractures:
- Head-on accidents – Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous types of car accidents, and they often result in severe injuries. When two cars collide head-on, the impact can cause the driver and passengers to hit their faces against the dashboard or steering wheel, resulting in facial fractures.
- Side-impact accidents – Also known as T-bone accidents, side-impact collisions occur when one car hits another car on its side. In these accidents, the driver and passengers on the side that was hit are particularly vulnerable to facial fractures, as the impact can cause their faces to hit the window or door.
- Rear-end accidents – In rear-end collisions, the driver and passengers of the car that was hit from behind may suffer facial fractures if their faces hit the dashboard, steering wheel, or headrest.
- Rollover accidents – Rollover accidents occur when a car flips over onto its side or roof. In these accidents, the driver and passengers may suffer facial fractures if their faces hit the interior of the car, such as the roof or door.
Not surprisingly, most of these accidents occur frequently throughout Spokane. As with any car accident that causes injuries, you’ll need to figure out liability before pursuing a claim for your damages. Our team of experienced Spokane car accident lawyers can assist you through the process.
Liability and Damages in a Spokane Car Accident
As it relates to your damages after a Spokane car accident, the first step is figuring out who is liable. This is done by establishing negligence on the part of the other driver that was involved in the accident.
Generally, every driver has a duty to operate their car in a safe manner. In cases where you are injured in an accident that was caused by the other driver’s breach of that duty–like if they were distracted or speeding–they will likely be at fault. With that established, you can move forward with filing a claim against their insurance company for damages, either through an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Damages
There are generally two categories of damages in a car accident claim: economic and non-economic. Economic damages refer to the actual financial losses suffered as a result of the accident, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Lost wages
Non-economic damages refer to the intangible losses you suffered, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
To determine the amount of your damages, you have to show evidence of your losses and injuries, such as:
- Medical bills
- Pay stubs and tax records
- Expert testimony
In the event of a facial fracture, your medical bills and lost wages will likely be extensive. Our team of experienced car accident lawyers can help you assess your damages and negotiate with insurance companies to obtain a fair settlement.
It is important to remember that Washington has a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim. You have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim in most cases. It is important to contact our team as soon as possible after an accident to protect your legal rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Work With Dedicated and Knowledgable Spokane Car Accident Lawyers
Since 1948, CCD Law has helped guide clients through the legal process. If you or a loved one have suffered a facial fracture or any other injury in a car accident, we’ll be there to help you also. Our team of experienced Spokane car accident lawyers are committed to getting you the compensation you deserve and we will work tirelessly to make sure that happens. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation and let our dedicated team go to work for you.
