A hip injury caused by a Pennsylvania car crash can be extremely debilitating. These injuries are often incredibly painful and may dramatically affect your mobility.
Schmidt Kramer discusses some of the most common hip injuries caused by collisions, as well as the symptoms, treatment options and long-term complications that may result.
Those who suffered hip injuries in a car crash should consider speaking to an experienced Harrisburg car crash lawyer. The attorneys at Schmidt Kramer have decades of experience representing auto accident victims. Our goal is to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve, allowing you to focus on your physical recovery and rehabilitation. We charge no upfront fees for our services.
Schedule a free consultation by calling our firm: (717) 727-1837.
Hip Injuries That Can Occur in Car Crashes
Your hips are essential for your mobility and stability. That is why hip injuries can be incredibly debilitating, including those caused by the impact of a car crash.
Here are some of the most common hip injuries that occur in car accidents in Harrisburg.
Hip Fractures
The hip bone, or pelvis, is divided into three sections: the ilium, pubis, and ischium. A high-impact crash can fracture any of these sections. Crashes can also damage the acetabulum, which is the socket that connects your hip to your thigh bone.
Some hip fractures are more severe than others, but these injuries should never be dismissed. The severity and site of the break have a significant influence on your long-term recovery.
Dislocated Hip
A dislocated hip occurs when the femur is forced out of its socket, often tearing or straining the surrounding soft tissues. This injury usually results from blunt force trauma to the leg.
Hip Labral Tear
The hip joint has a labrum, like the shoulder, that can tear during an accident. This cartilage is vital for smooth movement and stability of your hip.
Bursitis
Bursitis occurs when the fluid-filled sacs in your hip joint become inflamed. These sacs help cushion your hip, but if they become inflamed, it can cause significant pain and discomfort.
Hip Tendonitis
Tendonitis involves inflammation of the tendons in the hip. Tendons are the soft tissues that connect muscle to bone.
Sprains or Strains of Soft Tissues
Ligaments in your hip can get overstretched (sprained) or torn (strained) in a crash. Sprain and strain soft-tissue injuries are extremely painful injuries that cause instability in your hip joint.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve is often caused by another injury, such as a bone break or soft-tissue damage.
Symptoms That May Indicate a Hip Injury
Pain in the hip is just one of many symptoms of a hip injury. These are some of the other symptoms that may spring up after being involved in a car crash:
Different Kinds of Pain
Crash victims may experience sharp, burning, shooting or tingling pain in the hip, buttocks or leg, which may indicate nerve damage.
If you have bursitis, you may experience severe discomfort in your outer thigh.
In addition to hip pain, you may feel additional inflammation and discomfort elsewhere, such as in your:
- Groin
- Abdomen
- Knee
Physical Limitations
If one of your hips suffers damage in a crash, you may experience a range of physical limitations, such as
- Difficulty moving the hip
- Inability to put weight on the affected joint
- Limping or altered gait
- Overwhelming pain during attempts to walk or stand up
- Weakened muscles around your injury
- Tenderness or bruising
- Noticeable swelling around the hip area
Additional Symptoms
Crash victims who sustain hip injuries may experience numbness, which may indicate nerve damage. Additional symptoms may including clicking or popping noises when you move the joint.
Immediate medical attention is essential. If you wait to seek treatment you may be more likely to have long-term complications.
How Crash Victims May Suffer a Hip Injury
Car crashes can subject your body to blunt-force trauma. For example, you could hit your head, one of your limbs or your abdomen. The impact of a crash could cause your hips to get hit hard enough to cause injury.
Hip injuries could happen in many types of car crashes, but they may be more likely in a side-impact collision. The other vehicle could push the door of your car inward, hitting your hip or pinning your leg under the dashboard.
Vehicle occupants often get violently twisted during a crash, which can lead to a severe hip injury, especially catastrophic collisions.
Treating Hip Injuries Caused by Collisions
When you go to the hospital and report symptoms of hip pain, doctors are likely to order tests to determine what is going on. For example, they may order X-rays, CT scans or MRIs.
Once doctors diagnose the injury, they can determine the appropriate treatment. Severe hip injuries or injuries with irreparable damage often require surgery. For example, the affected hip may need to be replaced.
In cases where the injury is less severe, non-surgical treatments can be effective. These may involve:
- Limiting physical activity to prevent further damage and facilitate healing.
- Doing physical therapy to rebuild strength and restore mobility, which is critical for recovery.
- Getting steroid injections and anti-inflammatory medications to manage pain and reduce swelling.
Recovery from a hip injury can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months or more. The rehabilitation process often takes up a significant amount of that time.
Possible Long-Term Complications
One risk factor with any hip injury is a blood clot. The risk of forming a clot after this type of injury is higher because you need to limit physical activity during your recovery. Blood clots can form in your legs, and if they travel to your chest, they could become life-threatening.
Another long-term risk factor is falling more often. You need to follow your doctor’s orders about physical therapy, as this process can help you rebuild strength. This strength is vital to your ability to walk and reduce your risk of falling.
Compensation For a Hip Injury From a Car Crash
One of the advantages of living in Pennsylvania is that you can seek compensation for car crash medical care from your own insurance company. Any reasonable or necessary medical treatment should be covered by your car insurance policy. Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, which means each driver must purchase personal injury protection.
However, insurance companies are committed to paying out the least possible amount of compensation, no matter how severe the injury. That is why victims should seriously consider calling an experienced lawyer to help them seek full compensation for their damages. The attorneys at Schmidt Kramer have a proven record of securing compensation for crash victims, both in negotiations and in the courtroom.
Call Schmidt Kramer To Discuss Legal Options
Hip injuries often have a lengthy recover, requiring long-term physical therapy and rehabilitation. If the injury resulted from another driver’s negligence, you may be eligible to file legal action to recover compensation for your damages.
Contact Schmidt Kramer to discuss your crash and your legal rights in this situation. We do not charge upfront fees and there are no fees while working on your case.
Proven results. Free legal consultation. Phone: (717) 727-1837.