Hip injuries connected with a fall are generally associated with older adults. Still, you can sustain a painful and life-changing hip injury at any age. Hips are one of the largest joints in the body, which bear the bulk of your body weight. Any injury to this area will likely have far-reaching consequences, making it hard to walk, ascend and descend stairs, and sleep. Hip injuries sustained in a fall can range from mild to fatal, particularly in older adults.
When you've suffered a substantial hip injury, you will face expensive medical costs. You may have no way to pay for them, especially if you can't work or don't have adequate health insurance. While this predicament is hard for anyone to deal with, it's even worse if the fall resulted from someone else's negligence.
At Morgan and Morgan, our slip and fall lawyers have extensive experience handling personal injury claims that involve premises liability. You might have grounds to recover compensation from a property owner if their negligence was the reason for your fall, resulting in a hip injury. Let's examine the different types of hip injuries that can be sustained from a fall, recommended medical treatment, and your legal options to recover compensation.
Contact us today to learn more with a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
Hip Injuries From a Fall
The hip comprises two primary parts: the ball at the end of the femur and the socket that sits in the pelvis. Combined, they form a ball and socket joint joined together by other body parts, such as ligaments and tendons, which are bound to other muscles in the groin, buttocks, and spine. Because the hips form one of the widest parts of the skeleton, these ball and socket joints are more likely to bear the brunt of force upon impact from a fall. Here are some of the most common hip injuries and treatment options that may be recommended by a doctor.
Hip bursitis - We have small, jelly-like sacs throughout the body that reduce friction between bones and surrounding tissues called bursae. When we experience a hard impact on the hip area, bursae can become inflamed with blood, leading to a painful condition known as bursitis. The symptoms include pain outside the hip area, thigh, or buttocks. Pain can intensify when lying on the affected side, applying pressure, or performing basic activities like walking up stairs or getting up from a chair.
Hip labral tear - Lining the hip joint socket is a cup-shaped cartilage that keeps joints aligned during movement and stabilizes fluid in the joint that assists in frictionless movement. Injury to this area, such as trauma from a fall, can result in a labral tear which causes pain, reduces the range of motion, causes stiffness, and may produce a feeling of "clicking” or “locking up" in the hips.
Hip dislocation - A heavy impact, such as from falling from a height, can cause the femur to dislodge from its socket in the pelvis. Generally, the severity will depend on the extent of the force involved when the impact took place. Hip dislocation can cause severe pain, swelling, discoloration, inability to move or use the adjoining leg, loss of feeling in the affected limb, muscle spasms, and may be visually apparent.
Hip fracture - A hip fracture is bone breakage in the upper section of the femur. A fractured hip is a common injury for elderly individuals whose bones are weakened by osteoporosis. However, persons of any age are susceptible if they fall from a substantial height or endure a significant impact. Symptoms include intense pain, inability to walk or place weight on the leg on the side of the affected area, swelling and bruising, and visible displacement.
Hip strain - When muscles that support the hip joint are overly stretched from a fall or other heavy impact, they may tear, resulting in hip strain. Symptoms include a limited range of motion, tenderness in the hip, swelling, weakness, and pain during movement.
Snapping hip syndrome - If you fall and then begin to hear a snapping sound or feel a snapping sensation, you may have developed snapping hip syndrome. If pain, feelings of tightening, weakness, and limited range of motion accompany the syndrome, it may require treatment.