This page will look at the average settlement value you can expect for a broken leg in a personal injury lawsuit. We look at settlement compensation payouts for femur, tibia, and fibula fractures and how they differ. We also explain the factors that impact the settlement value of broken leg cases.
If you suffered a broken leg in an accident, call our lawyers today for a free evaluation. Call 800-553-8082 or contact us online.
Overview of Bones in the Leg
The leg contains several important bones, which can be divided into two major sections: the upper leg (thigh) and the lower leg.
The upper leg contains one large bone called the femur. The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the human body. It extends from the hip to the knee. The head of the femur fits into the pelvis to form the hip joint. The lower part of the femur articulates with the tibia and patella (kneecap) to form the knee joint.
The bones in the lower leg include the tibia, fibula, and the kneecaps. The tibia (commonly known as the shinbone) is the larger of the two bones in the lower leg and bears most of the body’s weight. It runs from the knee to the ankle and forms part of both the knee and ankle joints.
The fibula is the thinner, smaller bone located alongside the tibia. While it doesn’t bear much weight, it provides stability to the ankle and serves as an attachment point for muscles.
The patella (commonly known as the kneecap) is a small, triangular bone that sits in front of the knee joint. It helps protect the knee joint and enhances the leverage of the thigh muscles when the leg is extended.
Broken Legs in Personal Injury Cases
Fractures of one or more bones in the leg is a common injury in many different types of accidents such as auto accidents, workplace accidents, and even slip and fall or premises liability cases. Broken legs are actually one of the leading causes of short and long term disabilities caused by auto accidents.
The personal injury lawyers at our firm have seen thousands of broken leg accident cases. We have extensive experience in handling these cases and in getting maximum settlement value for leg fracture injuries.
Types of Damages Available for Broken Leg Injuries
The calculate the potential settlement value of a broken leg in a personal injury lawsuit, you need to understand the types of categories of money damages that plaintiffs can be awarded in these cases. There are basically 3 types of damages that can be awarded for broken leg injuries: (1) medical expenses, (2) lost income, and (3) pain and suffering.
Medical Expenses for Broken Leg Injuries
If a plaintiff in an injury case has a broken leg, they are entitled to recover money damages for all medical expenses incurred in the treatment of their broken leg injury. Medical expenses included not just the amount you pay out of pocket for co-pays, but the actual cost of your medical treatments even when they are covered by your health insurance. Plaintiffs are also entitled to damages for past medical expenses, and also future medical expenses.
For a broken leg injury, treatment usually involves orthopedic care such as resetting the bone and putting it in a cast. Some types of leg fractures may require extensive orthopedic surgery with the placement of internal fixation hardware. Treatment may also involve pain medication and physical therapy after the fracture has healed.
Lost Income for Broken Leg Injuries
Plaintiffs are entitled to recover damages for the amount of lost wages or lost income caused by their broken leg injury. For example, let’s say Joe is a roofer and he breaks his leg in an auto accident. The leg fracture leave Joe unable to work as a roofer for 3 months. Joe would be entitled to damages for the amount of income he would have earned during that 3 month period.
In addition to past lost income damages, plaintiffs can get damages for future lost income or loss of earnings capacity. If the broken leg injury leaves the plaintiff with some level of permanent disability, they can recover damages for the future impact of the injury on their earnings.
Pain and Suffering for Broken Leg
Finally, plaintiffs are entitled to get money damages to compensate them for the pain and suffering they endure as a result of their broken leg injury. This category of damages is much more subjective. The amount of pain and suffering damages will depend on the nature and the severity of the injury. More painful injuries with longer recovery times will usually drive up the pain and suffering damages.
Average Settlement Payout for Broken Leg Injuries
The average settlement payout for a broken leg injury varies significantly depending on whether it is in upper or lower leg fracture. The average settlement for a lower leg fracture (tibia or fibula) is $85,000. The average compensation for an upper leg fracture (femur) is almost double at $185,000. The reason for this is because a femur fracture is a more painful and more serious injury.
The average broken leg settlement amount can also increase depending on the type of the leg bone fracture. In cases involving comminuted fractures (when the bone splinters into fragments) or multiple fractures (where there is more than one break of the bone) the average compensation payout is around $195,000.
Factors That Impact Settlement Value
Aside from the location of the leg fracture (upper vs. lower) or the type of fracture, there are several other factors and circumstances that can significantly impact the potential settlement value.
The location of the bone break is often crucial in determining compensation payouts. For instance, a fracture in the lower third of the shin bone can be especially problematic for adults. Once the body has finished growing, blood flow to the tibia decreases, making it harder to keep the bone properly aligned during healing. Moreover, certain types of fractures, like tibial plateau fractures, carry a high risk of causing muscle and nerve damage.
The age of the plaintiff and whether the broken leg injury has any long-term impact on their life can also be a big factor in the potential settlement compensation of a case. Certain types of leg fractures can result in some level of permanent impairment in the individual’s mobility. If you have this type of long-term impact injury in a young plaintiff it can drive the value of the case up significantly.
Who the defendant is and what type of financial resources they have is also an important consideration in the potential settlement value, particularly for more serious leg fracture cases with high values. If the broken leg occurs in a car accident, the potential settlement amount for the lawsuit will often be limited by the amount of available insurance.
Broken Leg Settlements and Verdicts
Below are summaries of recent settlements and verdicts from cases in which a broken leg was one of the primary injuries.
- $95,000 Settlement (New York 2024): The plaintiff, a 6-year-old-boy, was at a trampoline jumping facility, and while on a trampoline specifically designed for younger jumpers, collided with an older patron and fell. He suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula.
- $25,000 Settlement (Nevada 2024): The plaintiff, a minor, was riding his bike when the defendant made a left turn and struck him. The plaintiff suffered a fractured right femur. This was likely a policy limits settlements because this injury would normally have a much higher settlement value.
- $1,000,000 Settlement (North Carolina 2024): The plaintiff, a teenage boy, was riding his bike in a crosswalk when he was struck by a commercial vehicle. The plaintiff reportedly suffered a femur fracture, a head injury, and vertebral fractures. The plaintiff asserted the defendant was negligent and grossly negligent in failing to reduce her speed, speeding in a school zone, and failing to yield the right-of-way.
- $250,000 Settlement (Pennsylvania 2024): The plaintiff was an elderly nursing home resident who suffered a fall causing her to sustain fractures in both of her femurs. The case settled for $250,000. The reason the settlement was so low was clearly because this was a fragile, elderly plaintiff.
- $100,000 Settlement (New York 2024): The plaintiff, a 13-year-old girl, was riding an electric scooter at an intersection when the defendant made an illegal u-turn and struck her. She suffered a fractured right tibia.
- $450,000 Verdict (Maryland 2023): The plaintiff was a pedestrian who was walking in between two cars when one of the cars was struck from behind, slamming it forward into the other car. The plaintiff was pinned in between the 2 cars and fracture in the tibial head of the right leg, along with lacerations, bruises, and swelling on both legs, which resulted in permanent scarring.
- $250,000 Settlement (New Jersey 2023): The plaintiff was riding his bike near an intersection when the defendant struck him while attempting to make a right hand turn. The plaintiff suffered right femur proximal one-third shaft fracture, as well as a fractured forearm.
- $2,458,000 Verdict (Maryland 2021): The plaintiff suffered fractures to his right femur and tibia in an accident caused by a large commercial truck. Also sustained nerve damage loss of feeling in right leg resulting in 46% impairment rating.
Contact Us About Broken Leg Injury Cases
If you suffered a broken leg in an accident, contact our national injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.