Motor vehicle accidents in New York sometimes involve pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. While all crashes can result in serious injuries, pedestrians and cyclists have greater injury risks because of the lack of protection that they have from the forces in collisions. Some of the most severe types of injuries that can happen in these types of accidents are femur fractures. Recovering from a femur fracture can take a long time, and depending on the severity of the fracture, people may suffer ongoing mobility problems.
What is the femur?
The femur is a long, strong bone that runs from the hip to the knee. At the hip, the ball of the femur attaches to the pelvis in its socket. A long bone shaft continues from the ball or head of the femur to its attachment at the knee. It takes a significant amount of force to fracture a femur. People who suffer femur fractures frequently also suffer other serious injuries because of the forces involved.
Susceptibility of pedestrians and cyclists to femur fractures
When the occupants of motor vehicles are involved in collisions, they have a degree of protection from the metal cab that surrounds them. The metal shell of vehicle cabs helps to absorb some of the shock in collisions. By contrast, pedestrians and cyclists do not have anything to protect them when they are struck by cars or trucks. Depending on the height of the vehicle, the point of impact may be directly on the upper legs of the victims, causing the femur to break.
People who suffer femoral fractures will require medical treatment. The treatment regimen that may be used will depend on the location of the fracture and its severity. After people seek medical care for a femur fracture that happened in an accident, they may want to talk to experienced personal injury attorneys. An attorney may help determine the liability of the motorist who struck an injured victim and explain whether there are legal grounds to file a legal claim against the motorist.