Arm Fracture Not Realigned
If your arm or wrist fracture was not properly realigned and you now suffer ongoing problems, you need to talk to a solicitor about the options available. You could be entitled to pursue a compensation claim for the damages you have incurred.
Often such claims can be very valuable, particularly if the individual affected can no longer work or use their dominant hand. The compensation awarded will reflect the damages incurred, covering the physical, emotional and financial injuries sustained.
For more information on claiming compensation for an arm fracture not realigned, please get touch with our team of solicitors today. We will be more than happy to discuss your case with you.
Arm fracture
Arm fractures are a common injury, often sustained while falling onto an outstretched arm or during sporting accidents.
The arm and wrist are made up of numerous bones, one of more of which can fracture. For instance, a fracture may arise in the:
- Humerus – the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow
- Radius – the forearm between the elbow and the inner wrist
- Ulna – the forearm between the elbow and the outer wrist
- Scaphoid – in the wrist
When a fracture occurs, there will be an intense pain at the site of injury, along with tenderness and swelling. If the bone has punctured the tissue, there may be bleeding and the bone may even be visible.
Diagnosing an arm fracture
If someone has the aforementioned symptoms and has a recent history of trauma, an x-ray should be arranged. An x-ray is the most useful tool for diagnosing a fractured bone and should be visible on the images produced.
However, some fractures cannot be seen immediately on an x-ray. Scaphoid fractures can be especially difficult to detect in the weeks after the break. If there is any suspicion that there is a hidden fracture, the patient's arm/wrist should be immobilised and a follow-up appointment made. The injury can then be reviewed at a later date.
Treating an arm fracture
If the patient has a simple fracture – meaning the bone has remained in-line and has not damaged any tissue – a plaster cast can be applied. This will immobilise the limb and allow the two ends of the bone to knit back together.
But if the bone has become displaced, it must be realigned or the bone will knit back together in a strange position. This will cause pain and reduce function. In such cases the bone must be manipulated back into its correct position.
Surgical realignment of an arm fracture
Depending on how bad the break is, realignment can be achieved via either open reduction or closed reduction.
Closed reduction is when the bone is re-set without the need for surgery. The patient will be given anaesthetic to block the pain and the clinician will pull/push the bone back into place. A plaster cast can then be applied.
Open reduction is when the bone is re-set during a surgical procedure. This will be required for more complex breaks, including when the bone breaks in several pieces (comminuted fracture) or damages the surrounding skin (compound or open fractures).
Delaying treatment of arm fracture on purpose
Normally the surgical realignment of a bone will not be delayed as the fracture can begin to knit back together almost immediately.
Nevertheless, there are some occasions when treatment will be deliberately delayed. As mentioned above, some fractures cannot be seen initially on imaging tests. Therefore it may be necessary to wait for a few weeks until the full extent of the injury can be diagnosed.
Failure to diagnose arm fracture
But there are also times when a fracture is not treated due to medical mistakes. For example, some patients will attend A&E with a suspected fracture, only to be diagnosed with a sprain (or other injury) and discharged. Sometimes an x-ray will not even be done to confirm a diagnosis.
Failure to treat arm fracture
Alternatively, it may be that the fracture is correctly identified, but medical practitioners do not realign the bone properly. The bone may only be manipulated back into position, rather than surgically realigned. Or the surgical procedure may be of a poor quality.
Malunion of the bone
Whatever the reason, if a fracture is not realigned, it will affect the long-term union of the bone. When a bone breaks it will naturally join back together. If it has not been realigned it will still heal but in the wrong position. This is called 'malunion'.
The malunion of a bone can be extremely problematic as it can be painful and limit mobility. Some will find that their fingers become fixed in a claw-like position and may develop complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
This can have serious knock-on effects for the patient with day-to-day activities becoming almost impossible. This is especially true if the fracture was sustained in the patient's dominant arm/hand (i.e. your writing hand).
Tasks such as dressing, driving and cooking can become difficult to achieve, and the patient's employment prospects may also be adversely affected. Further surgery may be need to correct the defect, although sometimes a patient will be told that nothing further can be done.
Arm fracture not realigned – medical negligence
If a fracture is not realigned and the patient suffers the effects of malunion, there could be grounds for a medical negligence claim. This will apply if medical practitioners failed to diagnose the fracture, failed to treat the fracture or failed to properly realign the bone.
There will be grounds for a claim because a reasonably competent practitioner should be able to detect a fracture and treat it effectively – including realigning the bone back into position. A failure to achieve this standard of care will be deemed a breach of duty. This breach will undoubtedly cause a patient pain, inconvenience and possibly financial loss. A patient has a legal right to be compensated for these damages which have been wrongfully incurred as a result of medical error.
Contact us today
To make a claim for medical negligence, please get in touch with our team of solicitors today.
Free, no obligation enquiry about arm fractures.
We offer everyone a free, no obligation enquiry. This means you can talk to a solicitor completely free of charge. After this consultation you will be given expert legal advice, during which you will be told whether you have grounds to make a claim.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
Make An Enquiry
Why Choose Us
- Specialist medical negligence solicitors
- Free initial enquiries
- No win, no fee available
Reviews
"I would like to say a big thank you to you for making this whole process easy and relatively painless. You kept me informed throughout and you were always polite and courteous in all forms of communication. I would not hesitate to recommend you to friends and family, so a really big thank you and I wish you all the best in the future."
Mr A.
Our Expertise
Helping Clients Across England & Wales
Free Medical Negligence Guide
'7 Questions You Must Ask Before Choosing A Medical Negligence Solicitor'