Chicago Fracture Lawyer

Representing Clients With Bone Fractures Caused by Negligence in Chicago

Chicago Injury Center is the premier law firm for broken bone cases throughout Cook County. With a Chicago fracture lawyer at your side, you have a much higher chance of receiving maximum compensation for your injuries. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation with our top-rated law firm.

Fracture Injury Settlements & Verdicts Recovered by Our Chicago Law Firm

$5,000,000: Frank, a window washer, sustained bilateral leg fractures after he fell while cleaning a Wabash Avenue high-rise building. We proved that the safety harness failed due to defective webbing.

$1,500,000: Mia, a toddler, was allowed into a Humboldt Park bounce house with older children and teenagers, which resulted in a broken leg. Our Chicago personal injury attorneys demonstrated that the bounce house attendants were negligent for allowing her in.

$805,500: Tom, a physical education teacher, was cycling in a marked bike lane along Milwaukee Avenue when a truck made a right turn directly into his lane. He suffered from a broken clavicle and torn rotator cuff that required multiple surgeries. He missed one year of school but was able to resume work after we secured him fair compensation that covered his physical therapy.

Why Choose Chicago Injury Center

We are the top-rated personal injury lawyers in Chicago and greater Cook County, having earned the prestigious Super Lawyers rating after over 5,000 successful cases. With 25 years of service to our communities, we are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. You can expect aggressive negotiation, compassionate service, and no out-of-pocket legal fees.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Fracture Injuries in Chicago?

Car Accidents

In 2023 alone, there were 101,023 car accidents in Chicago. Auto accidents are a common cause of pelvic bone fractures due to the tremendous speed and rapid deceleration. Car accident victims may also break their arms by attempting to brace against the dashboard and rib fractures when their seatbelt tightens.

Typically, accidents involving semi-trucks and industrial vehicles will result in more serious injuries than those involving passenger sedans or light trucks.

Slips and Falls

Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of injury in older adults, as they often suffer from osteoporosis or balance issues that make them more prone to falls. However, people of any age may suffer these accidents. Serious injuries can result from slip and fall accidents, including broken bones in the legs, wrists, ankles, and pelvis.

Workplace Accidents

Fall injuries, including broken bones, are common among construction workers and others who must work at height for extended periods of time. Other common causes of broken bones in workplace accidents include crush injuries from heavy machinery and motor vehicle accidents.

What Are the Most Common Types of Fractures?

Bone fractures are classified by whether it is a clean break or a more complex one, and whether the skin has been broken. Common fracture types include the following.

Closed/Simple Fractures: These injuries occur when the bone does not break through the skin. The bone fracture may be displaced, requiring manual realignment by a surgeon.

Open/Compound Fractures: With these injuries, the broken bone pierces the skin. This increases the risk of infection as the bone is now exposed to the outside environment.

Comminuted Fractures: These bone fractures occur when the bone is broken in three or more places. Typically, these occur due to high-speed car accidents or fall accidents from a significant height. Communited bone breaks are very serious, often requiring major surgery and long recovery times.

Stress Fractures: A stress fracture is a tiny break in the bone, often due to overuse, repetitive stress, or osteoporosis. While not usually a serious injury like a compound fracture, they can result in significant pain and lengthy recovery times.

Greenstick Fractures: A greenstick fracture is an incomplete bone break, typically only impacting one side of the bone. They are more common in children, whose bones are softer and more fragile.

Avulsion Fracture: These bone fractures happen when a tendon or ligament pulls off a piece of bone. Such fractures often occur with sudden, forceful movements, like being tackled in sports. Young athletes are more prone to avulsion fractures because their bodies are still growing and they may engage in rigorous activities like jumping or sprinting.

What Damages Can Injured Victims Recover in Chicago?

Our personal injury lawyers will fight hard for maximum compensation, which includes both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover the financial losses from broken bones, which include:

• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Funeral and burial expenses for fatal bone fractures

Non-economic damages consider the emotional and social impact of serious injuries like broken bones on your life. Injured victims can recover compensation for these damages:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of normal life
• Inconvenience

What Is the Average Payout for a Bone Break in Chicago?

The average payout for a broken bone claim is $2,372,890. The median is $300,444. Payouts range from $4,082 to $43,825,000.

Multiple factors determine what compensation you may receive. These include:

• Type of bone fracture, such as a simple fracture or avulsion fracture
• Whether you require surgery or rehabilitation
• Whether you suffer from permanent disability or chronic pain
• Length of recovery time
• Comparative fault and negligence

Example Cases Filed in Cook County

Marc C. Jacobs, a real estate attorney, was in a Yellow Cab on I-294 when the driver attempted to exit on the Ogden Avenue ramp. The taxi veered out of control, flew 32 feet, and slammed into a concrete barrier. Jacobs suffered a traumatic brain injury and hip fracture, remaining in the hospital for three months. He was unable to return to his high-stress job and now can only practice law in a limited capacity. A jury awarded him $29,487,831.00.

Michael Parsons, a conductor for Norfolk Southern Railway, was working at the 51st Street yard in Chicago when a train ran over his left foot. In addition to a degloving injury, he also suffered a fracture of his left heel and tears to the Achilles tendon. Parsons was hospitalized for five weeks and underwent multiple surgeries to regain function. He was awarded $22,474,102.00 by a jury.

Charles E. Tiedje, a police officer, was on duty when a hearse ran a red light and slammed into him. Evidence demonstrated that the hearse was going 63 miles per hour at the accident, despite a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour. Tiedje suffered a fractured femur, pelvis, and hip, requiring 19 surgeries and extensive physical therapy. Additionally, he had to be placed in a medically induced coma for a month. He settled with the funeral home for $10,000,000.00.

Why You Need a Chicago Fracture Attorney

Insurance agencies frequently devalue broken bones, insisting that they are not a serious injury. Additionally, our personal injury lawyers must prove liability and negligence through evidence, such as medical reports, expert testimony, and accident reconstruction.

Our highly experienced law firm can manage multiple claims, such as workers’ compensation and third-party liability, and will retain the most prestigious experts to support your case.

How Common Are Fracture Injuries in Chicago?

There are approximately 6.8 million bone fractures per year in the United States. One out of every six fractures treated in the emergency room involves a broken wrist, making this one of the most common types of bone breaks.

UChicago Medicine notes that fragility fractures – those caused by osteoporosis or other bone disorders – are three times more common than heart attacks, making them one of the most significant health issues facing Americans. A third of girls and one-half of boys will experience a broken bone in childhood.

Workplace injuries are a significant cause of broken bones, with OSHA reporting 31 bone fractures in Chicago alone since 2024.

Where Do Fracture Injuries Occur Most Often in Chicago?

Common locations for broken bone accidents include:

• High-crash intersections, such as Ashland & Division, Cicero & I-55, and 79th & Stony Island Avenue.
• Construction zones on the Dan Ryan Expressway, Stevenson Expressway, and Jane Byrne Interchange.
• CTA station platforms, particularly the Red Line and Blue Line.
• Retail and grocery store aisles in the South Loop, Gold Coast, and River North areas.
• Icy sidewalks along State Street, Wabash Avenue, and Milwaukee Avenue.

What Laws Govern Fracture Injury Claims in Chicago?

Injured workers can recover compensation for their medical bills and lost wages through the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305). This is a no-fault system, so you only must prove that you were hurt during the course of your employment.

Those hurt in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence can prove liability through the Illinois Vehicle Code, which regulates Illinois motorists (625 ILCS 5/). Common arguments include speeding, driving while intoxicated, or failing to signal before turning.

If you were hurt on someone else’s property, you may use the Illinois Premises Liability Act to prove fault (740 ILCS 130/). This law requires property owners to take reasonable caution in preventing injury to invited guests by rectifying any known hazards.

How Long Do Broken Bone Victims Have to Take Legal Action in Illinois?

In Illinois, personal injury claims have a statute of limitations of two years in most cases (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Workers’ compensation has a statute of limitations of two years after the last payment from the employer or three years from the date of the broken bone, whichever is later (820 ILCS 305/6(d)).

Who Is Liable for a Broken Bone Accident in Chicago?

Our top-rated attorneys will identify all potentially liable parties to ensure that we recover the highest possible compensation for you. Potentially liable parties can include the following.

Negligent Drivers: Those who suffer broken bones in a car accident may sue the responsible driver. Negligent acts can include speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, or reckless driving.

Property Owners: A property owner has a responsibility to fix any issues that they are aware of and that may cause harm to invitees. For example, if their stairwells are poorly lit, this could cause a fall accident and a subsequent broken bone.

Employers: Injured workers can receive workers’ comp even if they were entirely responsible for the accident, as long as they were injured while performing their duties for the employer.

Manufacturers: Workplace accidents are often caused by faulty products, such as defective punch presses that result in crush injuries. Our attorneys can file personal injury claims against these negligent manufacturers.

Common Defenses in Chicago Fracture Cases

Insurers will work hard to reduce their liability and prevent you from recovering compensation. Using our 100 years of combined legal experience, our personal injury lawyers will skillfully counter these common defenses using strong evidence.

Comparative Negligence: Illinois uses modified comparative negligence, which only allows you to sue if you are less than 50% responsible (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). Insurers will argue that you were the primary cause of the accident, but we can refute this using expert testimony, accident reconstructions, or eyewitness statements.

Preexisting Conditions: If you have a stress fracture, the insurer could argue that the broken bone was due to other activities, such as sports, or that you suffered from osteoporosis that caused the fracture. We can use medical reports and testimony from medical professionals to disprove their claims.

Dispute Over Causation: While a clean break due to a traumatic accident may be obvious, other bone fractures may not be clearly connected to an accident. As such, insurance agencies will insist that other injuries or accidents caused the broken bone, dismissing their liability. However, expert testimony can explain how the broken bone is attributed to a particular type of accident.

No Prior Notice: In a premises liability lawsuit, you must demonstrate that the property owner was aware of the issue, called actual notice, or they would have identified the problem if they were maintaining their property, called constructive notice. Insurers will claim that they could not have known about the issue, but we can prove otherwise through site inspections, photos of the accident scene, and any previous complaints.

Open and Obvious Hazard: The Illinois Supreme Court Case Cope v. Doe clarified that property owners cannot be held accountable for open and obvious hazards, such as retaining ponds, that may result in injury. We can use testimony from eyewitnesses or property assessments from safety experts to show that the hazard was not apparent to the average person.

Assumption of Risk: Whether at a workplace, a club, or a recreational facility, defendants will insist that you knew there was a risk of a broken bone when you entered the property. This is especially true if you had to sign a contract or waiver before entering the facility. However, we can demonstrate that this is not an acceptable level of risk by consulting with occupational experts and doctors.

No Duty of Care: To prove negligence, you must demonstrate that the defendant owed you a duty of care. For example, a fellow motorist must prevent accidents by driving safely. The insurer may claim that its client did not owe you a duty of care. However, we can argue that they owe you a duty of care using case law and witness statements.

How to Strengthen Your Fracture Injury Case in Chicago

Your actions after a bone break can significantly impact whether you receive full and fair compensation. Take these steps as soon as possible to ensure our personal injury lawyers can build a strong case for you.

• Document the accident scene and your injuries, including any potential hazards that may have contributed to the accident.
• Gather witness information so that our attorneys can contact them for an interview.
• Seek immediate medical treatment at the closest emergency room, such as UChicago Medicine or Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
• Follow all treatment recommendations and document your recovery process.
• Keep detailed records of your treatments, medical expenses, and lost wages.
• If you were injured at work, report the incident to your supervisor and request a copy of the incident report.
• Do not speak to insurance companies or third parties. Avoid posting on social media about the accident.
• Contact our experienced broken bone lawyers for a free case evaluation.

How Our Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help

Our award-winning attorneys will guide you through every aspect of your case, from investigation to settlement. We can provide you with the following assistance in seeking fair compensation.

Evidence Preservation: Some evidence may be quickly lost without prompt investigation. We will send preservation letters to the defendants, ensuring that information like maintenance records, surveillance footage, and broken equipment is kept safe.

Investigation: Broken bones may be due to a variety of causes, so we must connect your injuries to the cause. We can do this by consulting safety experts, orthopedic surgeons, and other professionals who can attest to the specific fracture’s features and potential causes.

Claims: Our attorneys will determine what type of case you have, whether that is a third-party liability suit or a workers’ comp claim, and file it with the correct court system. This could be either the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission or the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Negotiations: Insurers will fight to avoid accountability and diminish your claim. Using strong evidence and legal precedent, we will ensure that you are treated fairly and receive the highest possible compensation.

Trial Representation: Many broken bone cases are settled out of court, as it is faster and less expensive than a lawsuit. However, some insurers will refuse to pay their fair share. If this occurs, we will file a lawsuit, communicate with third parties, and represent you in front of a judge and jury.

FAQs

How much does a Chicago broken bone injury lawyer cost?

Chicago Injury Center works on a contingency fee basis. You owe us nothing unless we earn you compensation.

How long does a broken bone case take?

A bone fracture personal injury claim could take several months to a year or more. Typically, insurance companies will wait until you make a full recovery before negotiating, as this helps to assess what future medical treatment you may need.

Factors that contribute to the timeline include whether multiple parties are involved, what other injuries and medical expenses you may have, and how clear the liability is.

What if I sustained an avulsion fracture in an auto accident and the driver doesn’t have insurance?

Illinois requires all drivers to have uninsured motorist insurance (215 ILCS 5/143a-2), which should cover your needs. However, if your insurance company refuses to pay, our personal injury lawyers can file a lawsuit against the uninsured motorist to recover compensation.

Book a Free Consultation

Our skilled attorneys have an unwavering commitment to recovering full and fair compensation for all injured victims. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to working with us. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with a Chicago bone fracture attorney.