St. Louis Broken Bones Lawyer

St Louis Legal Support After a Serious Accident

Suffering a bone fracture in a car crash is more than a medical emergency—it’s a life-altering event. Between colossal medical bills, missed paychecks, and the physical toll of recovery, the road back to “normal” can feel impossible.  If you’ve suffered a broken bone in a car accident in the greater St Louis area, you will likely be transported to a Trauma Level One Center in St. Louis.

If your injury was caused by a negligent driver in Missouri or Illinois, you shouldn’t carry the financial burden alone. At The Cagle Law Firm, we help victims navigate the complexities of personal injury claims so they can focus on healing.

The Cagle Law Firm broken bones lawyer in St. Louis, MO, can help. We run the legal marathon for you in your case.

Common Types of Bone Fractures in St. Louis Accidents

Not all breaks are equal. Whether you were injured on I-70 or at a local retail center, the type of fracture dictates the value of your legal claim:

• Compound Fractures: Where the bone breaks the skin, requiring immediate surgery at facilities like Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJC) or Mercy Hospital St. Louis.

• Comminuted Fractures: The bone shatters into three or more pieces, often seen in high-impact truck accidents.

• Stress Fractures: Common in workplace injuries or repetitive motion cases.

Why “Simple” Broken Bones Are Legally Complex

In the legal world, a broken bone is often classified as a “serious injury.” This is because fractures—especially those requiring surgery—rarely heal perfectly. As well, once a bone is fractured, it is forever different, compromised in some instances.  For a similar example: You may develop a cavity in one of your teeth which your dental creates a filling. While the tooth stops decaying, that tooth is forever compromised.  The reason broken bones are serious injuries is because of the obvious—it takes a great deal of time for healing to occur, they often require surgical intervention and the permanent damage is unavoidable.

When calculating “damages” (the money you are owed), our attorneys look beyond the initial ER visit. We ask:

• Permanent Alteration: Is the limb or joint as strong as it was before the crash? Fractures that occur near joints are especially difficult and often require surgical repair.
• Future Care: Will you require hardware removal or future physical therapy? If you’ve broken a bone that required surgical repair, you hope that the surgery involves permanent hardware. In some scenarios, hardware has to be removed in a subsequent surgery. As well, as the body ages, those body parts can deteriorate above and below the hardware which may require future surgeries.
• Impact on Living: Has the injury prevented you from returning to your specific career path in St. Louis?  Serious injuries can have life-changing impact on victims.  Broken bones in any area of the body can lead to reduced or limited mobility as well as pain and stiffness.

Common Fracture Injuries from St. Louis Traffic Accidents

Car accidents involve extreme kinetic force. Even with modern safety features, certain bones are highly susceptible to trauma.

1. Spinal Vertebrae & Back Injuries

Vertebrae often fracture during high-impact rear-end or head-on collisions.  Any injury to the spine can have a cascading impact on your health.  As the spine is the center of your mobility, any damage can make standing, sitting, walking and laying down uncomfortable. Literally, there is very little movement of your body that does not involve your neck and spine.

• Symptoms: Intense back/neck pain, numbness, or muscle spasms. Fractured vertebrae are extremely painful due to the secondary symptoms.  As well, they can take 6-12 months to heal.
• Risk: A fractured vertebra can lead to a secondary spinal cord injury, potentially resulting in permanent paralysis.  When you suffer trauma impact enough to fracture a vertebrae, the most common other damage is your spinal discs.  Spinal disc injury often require surgical intervention, pain management and physical therapy.

2. Clavicle (Collarbone) Fractures

The clavicle is a thin bone that frequently snaps under the pressure of a seatbelt or an airbag deployment.

• Recovery: Often requires a sling for months; complex breaks may require surgical plates and screws.
• Financial Impact: Surgery and specialized physical therapy can cost thousands in out-of-pocket expenses.

3. Lower Extremity Fractures (Legs and Hips)

Side-impact (“T-bone”) or head-on crashes often crush the front of the vehicle, pinning the driver’s legs.

• Femur Fractures: These are medical emergencies that almost always require surgery (intramedullary nailing).
• Long-term Outlook: A leg fracture can sideline a worker for 3–6 months, leading to significant lost wages.

Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Fracture

Unfortunately, insurance adjusters often try to minimize the long-term impact of a broken bone. They may offer a “quick settlement” before you even know if the bone is healing correctly.  Honestly, if you break your arm in a motor vehicle crash and the medical solution is to put it in a cast or sling for 6-8 weeks, does the billing for two trips to the emergency room be completely representative of your injury?  No, those two bills from the hospital do not adequately reflect your damages and losses.

Before you sign anything, remember:

• A healed bone may remain weakened or susceptible to early-onset arthritis. At best, a fracture that is immobilized for several months requires rehabilitation and strengthening. More likely than not, more medical treatment is required.  You will want to know how you recover before you even start discussing the injury with any insurance adjuster.

You are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, not just medical bill receipts.

Missouri Law and Your Injury Claim

Under Missouri Revised Statute § 516.120, you generally have five years to file a personal injury lawsuit for a broken bone. However, Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system. This means even if you were 10% at fault for the accident, you can still recover 90% of your damages.

How long do I have to file my claim in Illinois?

Illinois law establishes a two-year (2) statute of limitations which means you must file your lawsuit in the correct court on or before the two-year anniversary of the date of the crash.  While there have been various house bills such as 735 ILCS 5/13-202 to shorted that timeline to 18 months, two years from the date of injury is still the law in Illinois. Involving an expert litigation attorney as soon as possible protects your right to compensation, access to evidence and a strategic plan.

How much is a broken bone worth in a Missouri car accident?

This is one of the most common questions we are asked.  Many people want to know the “formula” used by auto insurance adjusters.  Some good things to remember. 1) the auto insurance adjuster is not in the business of looking out for you and paying fair compensation 2) the adjuster’s goal is to limit the amount and look out for the insurance company’s bottom dollar, 3) no one else truly appreciates a person’s injury than the person experiencing the injury.  Honestly, when we negotiate with auto insurance carriers on behalf of one of our clients regarding their broken arm, we tend to think about what our broken arm would be worth to us.

We take your personal injury pretty personal.

Why You Need an Orthopedic Injury Expert

Insurance adjusters often try to downplay fractures as “simple breaks.” We work with medical experts to document the long-term impact, including:

• Post-traumatic arthritis.

• Future hardware removal surgeries.

• Permanent loss of range of motion.

Isn’t the insurance carrier obligated to offer me a fair settlement?

No. Insurance carriers have an obligation to “investigate the claim”. Their investigation can simply be reading the police report or a conversation wiht their insured.  Since auto insurance is a legally required purchase in order to legally operate a car, it seems they should have some obligations when there is a collision.  If the insurance adjuster decides their driver bears some fault, they will certainly work to devalue your injury claim–regardless of the severity of your injury.

If you have full coverage and you are in a crash that was the fault of another, your auto insurance has a contractual obligation to repair or replace your vehicle.  Often, the adjuster will redirect you and tell you that you have to pursue the other driver.  You can do both.  The other driver’s insurance carrier is not in a big hurry to resolve your property claim, so you may need to make the claim through your own insurance.  Sometimes people fret because they are afraid their rates will go up.  Honestly, whether or not you make a claim has little to do with raising your rates.  They can arbitrarily raise your rates simply because you were in a crash even if it was not your fault and you did not make a claim.

FAQ: “What is a herniated disc and how is it treated? AllinjuryAttorney.com,  Zane T. Cagle

FAQ: Why do I need an attorney? Allinjuryattorney.com, Zane T. Cagle

FAQ: Cervical Surgery Animation, Allinjuryattorney.com, Zane T. Cagle

Missouri Car Accident FAQ, allinjuryattorney.com, Zane T. Cagle

Hire Trial Lawyers with Proven Results

If you’ve broken bones in devastating crashes, don’t suffer alone. Call The Cagle Law Firm today toll-free at (1-800) 685-3302 or locally (314) 276-1681. Our attorneys have proven results in the greater St. Louis metro area and can be viewed on our Case Results page.

Author: Zane T. Cagle of The Cagle Law Firm has over 20 years of proven results and working with FMCSA regulations involving commercial vehicle crash injuries across Missouri and Illinois. Our firm serves accident injury clients in St. Louis and the greater metro area including St. Louis County, St Louis City, Jefferson County, Madison County, IL and St Clair County, IL. Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyer since 2015.