The intersection of 67th Avenue and Camelback Road is bustling with activity. Cars weave in and out of the parking lot, pedestrians cross the street, and the hum of the city fills the air. You’re driving home from work, thinking about dinner plans, when suddenly—bam!—a car runs a red light and slams into your vehicle. The force of the impact sends a shockwave through your body, and you immediately feel a sharp pain in your arm and chest. The adrenaline masks the full extent of your injuries, but as you sit on the curb waiting for emergency responders, you realize something isn’t right.
At the hospital, X-rays confirm your worst fears: multiple broken bones. Your arm is fractured in two places, your ribs are bruised and cracked from the seatbelt’s force, and you’ll need weeks—if not months—of recovery. The physical pain is overwhelming, but so is the emotional toll. How will you pay for these medical bills? How long will you be out of work? And what about the insurance company already pressuring you to accept a quick settlement that barely covers your hospital stay?
This is where Garrick McFadden and GAMESQ, PLC come in. As a Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones, McFadden understands that these injuries are more than just physical—they disrupt every aspect of your life. With his extensive experience, insider knowledge of insurance tactics, and commitment to personalized client care, McFadden is uniquely qualified to help you navigate this challenging time and secure the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Broken Bones in Car Accidents
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of broken bones in Phoenix and across Arizona. These injuries can range from minor fractures that heal with time to severe breaks requiring surgery and long-term rehabilitation. Here are some of the most common types of broken bones caused by car accidents:
1. Arm Fractures
Your arms are often your first line of defense during a car accident, as instinct drives you to shield yourself from the impending impact. This natural reaction, while protective, can lead to significant injuries, particularly fractures in the humerus (upper arm), radius, or ulna (forearm). These injuries are not only painful but can also have long-term consequences, affecting your ability to work, perform daily tasks, or even enjoy life as you once did.
Extending Your Arms to Brace for Impact
When you see a collision coming, your immediate response may be to throw your arms forward to shield yourself or brace against the dashboard or steering wheel. While this instinctive action might prevent more severe injuries to your head or chest, the force of the impact can transfer directly to your arms. The bones in your upper and lower arms are not designed to absorb such sudden and extreme pressure, often resulting in fractures. These injuries can range from simple breaks that require a cast to complex fractures needing surgery and months of rehabilitation.
Airbag Deployment Injuries
Airbags are life-saving devices designed to protect you during a crash, but their rapid deployment can also cause harm. When an airbag deploys, it does so with explosive force—often at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. If your arms are positioned near the airbag at the time of deployment, they can be struck with enough force to fracture the humerus, radius, or ulna. These injuries are particularly common for drivers gripping the steering wheel or passengers with their hands resting on their laps.
Crushing Forces Within the Vehicle
In more severe car accidents, such as rollovers or high-speed collisions, parts of the vehicle may crumple or collapse inward. Your arms can become trapped between crushing vehicle components like the door frame and seat or between the dashboard and your body. These types of injuries often result in complex fractures that may require surgical intervention and extensive physical therapy to regain full function.
Understanding how these injuries occur is critical for building a strong legal case. As a Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones, Garrick McFadden of GAMESQ, PLC ensures that every detail of your injury is documented and presented effectively. He works closely with medical professionals to demonstrate how these fractures impact your life—both immediately and in the long term—so you receive the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
2. Wrist Fractures
The delicate bones in your wrist are particularly vulnerable during a car accident, often bearing the brunt of the impact in ways you might not expect. These small but essential bones—the radius, ulna, and carpal bones—are responsible for the intricate movements of your hands and wrists, making them critical to daily life. Unfortunately, their fragility and location leave them highly susceptible to fractures during a collision.
Gripping the Steering Wheel Tightly During Impact
In the moments before a crash, your instincts kick in. You grip the steering wheel tightly, bracing yourself for the inevitable impact. While this reaction might feel protective, it can actually transfer the force of the collision directly to your wrists. The sudden jolt can cause fractures as the delicate wrist bones absorb the shock. This type of injury is especially common in rear-end and front-end collisions where drivers have little time to react.
Hands Hitting the Dashboard or Other Hard Surfaces
Another frequent cause of wrist fractures occurs when your hands are thrown forward during a crash. Whether you’re a driver or a passenger, the momentum of the collision can propel your hands into hard surfaces like the dashboard, door panels, or even the windshield. The force of this impact can easily break one or more bones in your wrist, leaving you with limited mobility and significant pain.
Wrists Caught Between Crushing Vehicle Components
In more severe accidents, such as rollovers or high-speed collisions, parts of the vehicle may crumple or collapse inward. Your wrists can become trapped between crushing components like the steering wheel and dashboard or between your seatbelt and armrest. These types of fractures are often more complex and may require surgical intervention, such as pins or plates, to stabilize the bones during healing.
Wrist fractures are not just painful; they can also lead to long-term complications if not properly treated. Reduced range of motion, chronic pain, and even permanent disability are possible outcomes if these injuries are not addressed promptly and thoroughly. This is why seeking immediate medical attention after a car accident is critical—not just for visible injuries but also for those that may not be immediately apparent.
As a Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones, Garrick McFadden at GAMESQ, PLC understands how debilitating wrist fractures can be. He works closely with medical professionals to ensure that every aspect of your injury is documented and accounted for in your claim. By fighting for compensation that covers medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages, and pain and suffering, McFadden ensures that you have the resources you need to recover fully—both physically and financially.
3. Leg Fractures
Leg fractures are among the most common and debilitating injuries sustained in car accidents, particularly in front-end collisions. The immense forces generated during a crash can cause severe damage to the lower extremities, leaving victims with long-term physical, emotional, and financial challenges. These injuries often result from the unique dynamics of a collision, including knees striking hard surfaces like the dashboard, legs being crushed between vehicle structures, or high-impact forces transmitted through the floorboard.
Knees Striking Hard Surfaces Like the Dashboard
In a frontal collision, the sudden deceleration propels your body forward, causing your knees to slam into hard surfaces such as the dashboard or steering column. This impact can lead to fractures of the patella (kneecap), femur (thigh bone), or tibial plateau (the upper surface of the shinbone). These injuries are not only excruciatingly painful but can also require complex surgical interventions, such as knee reconstruction or joint replacement. Additionally, knee fractures are often accompanied by ligament damage, such as ACL tears or meniscus injuries, which further complicate recovery and may necessitate extensive physical therapy.
Legs Being Crushed Between Vehicle Structures
In more severe accidents, such as high-speed collisions or rollovers, parts of the vehicle may crumple inward, trapping your legs between seats, the dashboard, or other structural components. This type of injury is commonly referred to as a “crush injury.” Crush injuries can result in multiple fractures along the femur, tibia, and fibula (the bones of the upper and lower leg). In extreme cases, these injuries may lead to compartment syndrome—a dangerous condition where swelling cuts off blood flow to the muscles and tissues in the leg—requiring emergency surgery to prevent permanent damage or even amputation.
High-Impact Forces Transmitted Through the Floorboard
The floorboard of a vehicle often absorbs significant energy during a collision. This energy is transmitted upward through your feet and legs, causing fractures in the lower extremities. For example, drivers who instinctively brace themselves by pressing their feet against the floorboard during an accident are at high risk of sustaining fractures in their tibia or fibula. These injuries can be particularly devastating because they may not be immediately apparent. Victims might mistake them for minor bruising or sprains until the pain worsens over time, requiring X-rays or CT scans to confirm the extent of the damage.
The Long-Term Impact of Leg Fractures
Leg fractures from car accidents are not just immediate medical emergencies—they can have lasting consequences that affect every aspect of a victim’s life. Recovery often involves months of immobilization, physical therapy, and potential complications such as chronic pain, reduced mobility, or arthritis. In severe cases involving multiple fractures or crush injuries, victims may face permanent disability that limits their ability to walk, work, or engage in activities they once enjoyed.
4. Rib and Sternum Fractures
While seatbelts are life-saving devices that significantly reduce the risk of fatal injuries in car accidents, they can also cause serious injuries to the chest, particularly to the ribs and sternum, during sudden deceleration. These injuries occur when the force of a collision transfers directly to the chest area through the seatbelt, which is designed to restrain your body and prevent more catastrophic harm. However, the same force that keeps you in place can compress your chest with enough intensity to cause fractures or other trauma.
Seatbelt Pressure Compressing Your Chest During Impact
The primary function of a seatbelt is to restrain your body during a crash, preventing you from being ejected from the vehicle or colliding with hard interior surfaces like the dashboard or windshield. However, this restraint comes at a cost. In high-speed collisions or sudden deceleration, the seatbelt can press tightly against your chest, concentrating immense force on the ribs and sternum. This pressure may cause fractured ribs or a fractured sternum—injuries that are not only painful but also dangerous due to their proximity to vital organs like the heart and lungs. Fractured ribs can lead to sharp pain when breathing, coughing, or moving, while sternal fractures may result in tenderness and difficulty taking deep breaths.
Airbag Deployment with Significant Force
Airbags deploy at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour and are designed to work in tandem with seatbelts to absorb the energy of a crash. However, this rapid deployment can also contribute to chest injuries. When an airbag inflates, it does so with explosive force that can push against your chest if you’re seated too close to the steering wheel or dashboard. This impact can exacerbate the pressure already exerted by the seatbelt, leading to rib fractures, bruising of the chest wall, or even internal injuries. In some cases, defective airbags that deploy with excessive force—such as those involved in recalls—can cause even more severe damage.
Chest Striking Hard Surfaces
In more severe collisions where seatbelts fail to fully restrain movement or when they malfunction, your chest may strike hard surfaces like the steering wheel or dashboard. This direct impact can result in multiple rib fractures or compound sternal fractures. These injuries are particularly concerning because they increase the risk of damage to internal organs protected by the ribcage and sternum, such as punctured lungs or cardiac contusions.
The Long-Term Implications of Rib and Sternum Fractures
Rib and sternum fractures are not just painful; they can have long-term consequences if not properly treated. Fractured ribs may tear connective tissue or cartilage between them, leading to chronic pain and limited mobility. Sternal fractures may result in complications such as spinal cord injuries or damage to underlying organs like the heart and lungs. Recovery from these injuries often requires weeks of rest, physical therapy, and sometimes surgical intervention.
5. Clavicle (Collarbone) Fractures
The clavicle, or collarbone, is one of the most commonly fractured bones in car accidents due to its location and vulnerability during high-impact collisions. This slender bone connects the shoulder blade to the sternum, playing a crucial role in arm and shoulder movement. Unfortunately, its position near the surface of the body makes it particularly susceptible to fractures in car accidents, especially during side-impact collisions or when seatbelt pressure crosses the chest at an angle.
In side-impact collisions, the force of the crash often transfers directly to the shoulder and chest area. If the impact occurs on the driver’s or passenger’s side, the clavicle can absorb a significant amount of force as the body is jolted sideways. This force can cause the bone to snap or fracture, leading to intense pain, limited arm mobility, and difficulty performing daily tasks. Similarly, seatbelts—while lifesaving—can exert immense pressure across the chest during sudden deceleration. If the seatbelt crosses diagonally over the shoulder and chest, as it is designed to do, it can compress the clavicle with enough force to cause a fracture.
Clavicle fractures are not just painful; they can also lead to long-term complications if not properly treated. Misaligned healing can result in chronic pain and reduced range of motion in the shoulder. In severe cases, surgery may be required to realign the bone using plates or screws. Understanding the mechanisms behind clavicle fractures in car accidents underscores why it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention and legal representation from a skilled Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones. Garrick McFadden of GAMESQ, PLC ensures that victims not only receive proper medical care but also secure fair compensation for their injuries and long-term recovery needs.
6. Facial and Skull Fractures
Head injuries in car accidents are among the most serious and life-altering injuries a person can endure. These injuries often result from the immense forces generated during a collision, which can cause the head to strike hard surfaces like steering wheels, dashboards, or windows. When the head collides with these solid objects, the impact can lead to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), concussions, or skull fractures. For example, a direct blow to the head may cause a coup-contrecoup injury, where the brain is damaged both at the site of impact and on the opposite side as it rebounds within the skull. These injuries can result in symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to severe cognitive impairments and long-term disability.
Loose objects inside the vehicle also pose a significant risk during a crash. Items like cell phones, water bottles, or even groceries can become dangerous projectiles when propelled by the force of a collision. These objects travel at high speeds and can strike occupants in the head or face, causing lacerations, contusions, or even penetrating injuries. For instance, shattered glass from windows or windshields can embed in the scalp or skull, leading to severe bleeding and requiring immediate surgical intervention. The unpredictability of these secondary impacts makes them particularly dangerous and underscores the importance of securing loose items in a vehicle.
Airbags, while designed to save lives, can sometimes contribute to head injuries when they deploy with excessive force. Airbags inflate at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, and if an occupant is seated too close to the airbag or improperly positioned, the force of deployment can cause blunt trauma to the face or skull. In some cases, defective airbags may inflate with even greater force than intended or release shrapnel upon deployment, exacerbating injuries. Victims of such incidents may suffer facial fractures, broken noses, or traumatic brain injuries. While airbags are essential safety devices, their improper function highlights the complexity of head injuries in car accidents and emphasizes the need for skilled legal representation to address these multifaceted claims effectively.
7. Spinal Fractures
Rear-end collisions or rollovers are among the most dangerous types of car accidents, often resulting in severe injuries to the spine, including fractured vertebrae. These fractures occur when the spine is subjected to sudden, forceful movements or compression forces that exceed its natural limits. The violent whiplash-like motion during a rear-end collision can cause hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck and back, leading to fractures in the cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back), or lumbar (lower back) regions of the spine. Similarly, in rollover accidents, the body is subjected to extreme gravitational forces as it twists and compresses under the weight and motion of the vehicle, putting immense pressure on the vertebrae.
The mechanisms behind these injuries highlight how fragile the spine can be under such traumatic conditions. During a rear-end collision, for instance, the head is rapidly thrown backward and then forward, creating a snapping motion that can fracture cervical vertebrae. This type of injury is particularly dangerous because it may also damage surrounding soft tissues, such as ligaments and discs, as well as pinch or sever nerves. In rollovers, the spine may endure axial compression forces as the body is pressed against hard surfaces like the roof of the vehicle or seatbelt restraints. This can result in burst fractures, where bone fragments from shattered vertebrae may press against or sever the spinal cord, leading to paralysis or other permanent disabilities.
The aftermath of a spinal fracture is life-altering for many victims. Pain is often immediate and severe, but other symptoms may develop over time, including numbness, tingling sensations, loss of mobility, or even paralysis if the spinal cord is involved. Recovery from these injuries can take months or years and often requires extensive medical intervention such as surgery to stabilize the spine with rods, screws, or plates. For less severe fractures, bracing and rest may be sufficient to allow healing, but even then, victims must often endure prolonged periods of immobility followed by physical therapy to regain strength and flexibility. These injuries not only disrupt daily life but also carry significant financial burdens due to medical bills, lost wages, and long-term care needs.
As a Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones, Garrick McFadden at GAMESQ, PLC understands how devastating spinal fractures can be for victims and their families. He works closely with medical experts to document every aspect of your injury—ensuring that your legal claim accounts for both immediate costs and long-term impacts like reduced earning capacity and diminished quality of life. With his extensive experience handling complex personal injury cases involving spinal injuries, McFadden fights tirelessly to secure maximum compensation so you can focus on your recovery without financial stress.
Why Choose Garrick McFadden as Your Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer for Broken Bones?
When dealing with broken bones after a car accident, hiring an attorney who understands both the medical and legal complexities of these injuries is crucial. Garrick McFadden offers a unique combination of expertise, experience, and personalized care that sets him apart from other lawyers in Phoenix:
1. Extensive Experience
With over a decade of experience handling car accident cases, McFadden has successfully represented numerous clients with broken bone injuries. His deep understanding of Arizona personal injury law ensures that no detail is overlooked in building a strong case for maximum compensation.
2. Insider Knowledge
As a former in-house attorney for a major insurance company, McFadden knows how insurers operate—and how they try to minimize payouts for serious injuries like broken bones. This insider knowledge allows him to anticipate their tactics and fight effectively on your behalf.
3. Comprehensive Case Building
McFadden works closely with top orthopedic specialists and medical experts to fully document your injuries and their long-term impact on your life. This comprehensive approach strengthens your case and ensures all aspects of your damages—medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering—are accounted for.
4. Personalized Attention
Unlike large advertising firms where clients are treated like case numbers, McFadden personally oversees every aspect of your claim at GAMESQ, PLC. He takes the time to understand how your broken bone injury has affected your life and tailors his legal strategy accordingly.
FAQ About Broken Bones After Car Accidents
Q: How long does it take for broken bones to heal after a car accident?
A: Healing times vary depending on the severity of the fracture and individual factors like age and overall health. Minor fractures may heal within 6–8 weeks, while more severe breaks requiring surgery could take several months or longer to recover fully.
Q: Can I still file a claim if I had pre-existing conditions affecting my bones?
A: Yes! Arizona follows the “eggshell plaintiff” doctrine, which means defendants are responsible for all damages caused by their negligence—even if pre-existing conditions made you more susceptible to injury.
Q: What damages can I recover for broken bones?
A: Damages may include immediate medical expenses (ER visits, surgeries), future medical costs (rehabilitation), lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Q: Why shouldn’t I go to a chiropractor for my broken bone injury?
A: Chiropractors are not equipped to treat fractures properly, and seeking chiropractic care can harm your case by signaling to insurance companies that your injuries aren’t serious.
The Stakes: What Happens If You Don’t Act?
Failing to hire an experienced Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones—or sticking with an advertising firm that prioritizes quick settlements—can have devastating consequences:
- Accepting a lowball settlement that doesn’t cover long-term medical needs or lost wages
- Missing critical deadlines for filing claims
- Failing to document injuries properly, weakening your case
- Struggling financially while dealing with prolonged recovery
The GAMESQ Advantage
With Garrick McFadden as your guide, success looks like this:
- Fair compensation that reflects both immediate costs and long-term impacts
- Peace of mind knowing an experienced attorney is fighting for you
- A return to normalcy—getting back to work and family life with financial stability
Contact GAMESQ
Don’t let another day pass feeling overwhelmed by medical bills or undervalued by insurance companies. Contact GAMESQ today at (623) 233-4416 for a free consultation with Garrick McFadden—the Phoenix car accident lawyer for broken bones who will fight tirelessly for justice on your behalf.
Your injuries. Our fight. Your win.
