What to Know About Recovery, Treatment, and Your Legal Rights
A broken bone is one of the most painful and disruptive injuries a person can experience. Bones such as the humerus, pictured above, can easily break and fracture during a serious accident. This particular X-ray was taken following an event where someone tripped and fell in one of our cases. However, similar injuries can and often do occur, including broken bones, during a car accident.
The humerus is the long bone that runs from your shoulder to your elbow, and when it fractures in a crash, it has the potential to affect nearly every aspect of your daily life. Even simple tasks like driving, dressing, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, bathing, and other activities can become impossible for weeks, months, or longer.
At The Scott Law Firm, PLLC, we help car accident victims throughout Vancouver and Southwest Washington recover the compensation they need and deserve to cover things like medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term care. Attorney Colin Scott understands the toll that serious orthopedic injuries can take on your physical health, finances, and peace of mind. If you’ve suffered a broken bone in a crash that wasn’t your fault, you have the right to pursue full and fair compensation for your injuries and damages.
Understanding How a Broken Humerus Happens in a Car Accident
The humerus can break in several ways, depending on the angle and force of impact during the crash. Common types of humerus fractures include:
- Proximal Fractures: Near the shoulder joint, often caused by high-impact collisions or seatbelt restraint force.
- Mid-Shaft Fractures: Along the middle of the bone, common in direct side-impact or rollover crashes. (This is the type of fracture sustained in the above X-ray image.)
- Distal Fractures: Near the elbow, often involving joint complications and nerve damage.
In a car accident, these injuries often occur when a driver or passenger is hit from the side, braces for impact using their arms, grips the steering wheel tightly, or is thrown against a door or window.
Symptoms and Immediate Care After a Car Accident
A broken humerus typically causes:
- Intense pain at the location of the fracture, which may radiate in the upper arm or shoulder
- Swelling and bruising
- Deformity or inability to move the arm
- Numbness or tingling (from nerve involvement)
If you suspect a fracture, seek medical attention immediately. Do not try to realign your arm or “tough it out.” Emergency treatment may include immobilization with a splint or sling, X-rays, and in many cases, surgical repair through a process referred to as orthopedic reduction and internal fixation (ORIF).
Prompt care not only prevents further injury but also provides crucial documentation for your potential personal injury claim.
Broken Humerus Treatment and Recovery Time
The recovery process depends on the severity and location of the break.
- Non-Surgical Treatment: Some fractures heal with immobilization in a brace or sling, which might typically take place over 6–8 weeks, followed by physical therapy.
- Surgical Repair (such as Open Reduction and Internal Fixation or “ORIF”): More complex fractures may require metal plates, screws, or rods to stabilize the bone, especially when a bone is broken into several pieces. Healing after this kind of surgery may take three to six months or even longer and is often accompanied by physical therapy.
- Rehabilitation: Once the bone starts healing, physical therapy may be prescribed to help restore range of motion, rebuild muscle strength, and reduce stiffness in the shoulder and elbow joints.
For many people, returning to work or regular activities depends on the severity of their injuries, occupational requirements, and the progress of their recovery. Labor-intensive jobs or roles that involve heavy lifting may result in extended medical leave or some amount of permanent disability.
Common Complications That Affect Humerus Fracture Healing
Even with proper care, a broken humerus may lead to long-term complications:
- Nerve damage (especially the radial nerve) causing weakness or numbness in the hand or wrist
- Joint stiffness, arthritis, or frozen shoulder
- Chronic pain or muscle loss from immobility
- Improper bone alignment (malunion) or failure to heal (nonunion)
These issues may prolong your recovery or require additional surgeries. They may also increase the value of your injury claim, as any ongoing care needs and future medical costs should be factored into any proposed settlement.
Average Settlement Value for a Broken Humerus After a Car Accident
While no two cases are identical, settlements for broken bone injuries typically depend on:
- Clear responsibility for who caused the accident
- The severity of the fracture and whether one or more surgeries are required
- The length of recovery time and its impact on your ability to work and resume normal day-to-day activities
- Pain and suffering, including any long-term physical limitations
At The Scott Law Firm, PLLC, we calculate every aspect of your loss to demand maximum compensation — not just for what you’ve already paid, but for the challenges you’ll face moving forward.
How Insurance Companies Undervalue Bone Injuries
Insurance adjusters may treat broken bones from car accidents as straightforward injuries that are easy to diagnose and easy to settle. But a humerus fracture isn’t just a line on an X-ray. It’s often associated with months of discomfort, therapy, and the frustration of not being able to live your normal life.
What most people don’t realize is that insurers rely heavily on medical coding and quick recovery timelines that don’t tell the whole story. They may point to a “standard” six-week healing window, ignoring complications such as nerve damage, stiffness, or lingering pain that can persist far longer. They may also use computer software to determine how much they are willing to pay for an injury – based on limited input and information.
We’ve seen how this kind of oversimplified thinking can grossly undervalue claims and cost injured people thousands. Understanding, and being able to articulate, the full picture of your injuries is what makes the difference between a low settlement and the compensation you fairly deserve.
Why You Shouldn’t Accept an Insurance Settlement Too Soon
Insurance companies often rush to offer early settlements before the full extent of your injuries and damages is known. They move fast after a crash, but their goal isn’t to help you heal — it’s to shut the door on your claim before you even find your footing. If you accept their offer, you could be left covering thousands in unpaid bills later, especially if complications arise.
Attorney Colin Scott has seen firsthand how insurers minimize valid claims by questioning the severity of a crash, who is responsible, or downplaying the seriousness of injuries.
How The Scott Law Firm, PLLC Helps Car Accident Victims Recover
After a serious car accident, your focus should be on healing, not on paperwork, negotiations, or legal stress. We handle every part of the process for you:
- Investigating the crash to establish fault and preserve important evidence.
- Monitoring your medical care and helping to submit bills and denied claims to insurance for payment.
- Calculating the full extent of your economic and noneconomic damages.
- Negotiating aggressively with insurance companies.
- Taking your case to court if the insurance companies refuse to pay fairly.
With decades of experience and a proven record of results, Colin Scott stands up to insurers who try to undervalue serious injuries, such as one or more broken bones caused by a car accident.
Get Help After a Car Accident in Vancouver
If you suffered a broken humerus or another serious orthopedic injury in a car accident, don’t wait to get legal guidance. The sooner you contact us, the faster we can take steps to protect your legal rights and start building your case.
At The Scott Law Firm, PLLC, we’re in your community and in your corner — ready to fight for the results you deserve.
If you were injured in a car accident in Vancouver or anywhere in Southwest Washington, contact us today for a free consultation. There are no upfront fees, and you don’t pay unless we recover money in your case.
"I highly recommend Colin Scott for anybody who is looking for a personal injury lawyer who is considerate, responsive, listens to your needs, and thinks outside the box." - Laura, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disclaimer
Web content is not legal advice. Using this website does not establish an attorney-client relationship. If you have questions about a legal matter, you should consult with an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the appropriate jurisdiction and is familiar with the facts in your situation. To learn more about how The Scott Law Firm, PLLC can assist you with a personal injury-related matter, contact our office today for a free consultation: (360) 718-3640.