There are several injuries that can occur when you are struck by a vehicle. If the car hits a pedestrian in the hip area or if the pedestrian falls on his or her hip, it is possible that he or she will suffer from a hip fracture. While many people might hear the word “fracture” and assume that these injuries aren’t serious, they are actually very serious.
There are two main types of hip fractures that occur — intertrochanteric and femoral neck. These two types of hip fractures account for around 90 percent of hip fractures. In most cases, the intertrochanteric fractures are less serious than the femoral neck fractures.
Intertrochanteric fractures occur below the neck of the thighbone and don’t affect blood flow. Because this fracture occurs below the hip joint, it is often easier to repair than a femoral neck fracture.
A femoral neck fracture occurs when the neck of the thighbone is fractured. This type of fracture is located within the hip socket. A femoral neck fracture can cut off the blood supply to the ball that keeps the bone within the socket. This can cause very serious problems.
Hip fractures often require the hip to be replaced or repaired through surgery. This means that you not only have to deal with the excruciating pain of the injury, you also have to deal with the issues that are common after a surgical procedure.
If you suffered any injury, including a hip fracture, in a pedestrian-vehicle accident, you might choose to seek compensation for the injury. Learning how to do so can help you decide what to do.
Source: University of Chicago Medicine, “Hip Fracture,” accessed Nov. 27, 2015
