Broken Pelvis Injury After a Pedestrian Accident in Georgia
Why Pelvic Fractures from Pedestrian Crashes Demand Special Legal Care
A stroll across a crosswalk, a moment of inattention by a driver, and your life can be forever altered. Among the most severe injuries a pedestrian can sustain is a fractured pelvis. Unlike a broken finger, a pelvis fracture often means weeks or months of immobility, serious internal damage, and a long, painful recovery. In Georgia, where pedestrian accidents continue to rise, broken pelvis injuries present especially complex legal challenges.
At the Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C., we’ve seen how a broken pelvis injury can devastate a person’s body, finances, and family. Victims must contend with mounting medical bills, lost income, and the fight to prove liability before critical evidence disappears. If you or a loved one suffered a pelvic injury in a pedestrian accident, here’s what you must know about recovery, legal claims, and how a lawyer can help protect your rights.
Understanding Pelvic Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents often result in lower‑body trauma: fractures to legs, hips, ribs, and pelvis are common. According to pedestrian injury research, pelvic injuries frequently occur due to the bumper or wheel striking the victim’s hip region.
These fractures are among the most serious of orthopedic injuries due to the complexity of the pelvic ring and the vital organs nearby. A fractured pelvis is not just a broken bone. It often involves internal bleeding, nerve damage, and long hospital stays.
The pelvis is central to walking, sitting, and balance, so recovery is often slow and complicated. That makes fair compensation not just important but essential to preserving your quality of life.
Anatomy and Types of Pelvic Fractures
The pelvis is a ring of bones that connects the spine to the lower limbs, supports internal organs, and bears the weight of the upper body. Pelvic fractures vary in severity and risk:
- Stable Fractures: One break line, minimal disruption to the ring, lower bleeding risk.
- Unstable (Ring) Fractures: Displacement at two or more locations, which can compromise the structural integrity and lead to serious internal damage.
- Open Fractures: Where the bone breaks through the skin, raising infection risk.
- Acetabular Fractures: Involving the socket where the femur meets the pelvis, affecting hip joint function.
Due to the pelvis’s proximity to major vessels, nerves, organs, and the lower urinary and reproductive systems, fractures often carry high stakes beyond bone repair.
How Pelvic Fractures Occur in Pedestrian Crashes
In a pedestrian accident, pelvic fractures typically result from:
- The vehicle bumper striking the pelvis or hip area
- The pedestrian’s body being dragged or crushed by a wheel
- The force of being thrown against another object (car, curb, ground)
- Secondary impacts, such as the head or torso striking first and then the pelvis absorbing force
High-energy collisions, such as a car turning or striking a crossing pedestrian, can impart enough force to shatter pelvic bones or cause multiple fractures.
Medical Treatment, Complications, and Recovery
Fixing a broken pelvis is not just about setting a bone. Treatment and complications often include:
- Stabilization: In emergency settings, controlling bleeding, stabilizing the pelvis with external fixators or braces, and managing organ injuries
- Surgery (ORIF – open reduction, internal fixation): Placing plates, screws, rods to realign bone
- Blood transfusions and management of internal bleeding
- Monitoring for Complications: Deep vein thrombosis, infections, nerve injury, bladder, urethral, or bowel damage
- Long Rehabilitation: Physical therapy, gradual weight bearing, gait training, assistive devices
- Chronic pain, limp, mobility impairment, or arthritis later in life
The costs are often staggering, not just in hospital bills, but also in lost wages, home modifications, long-term care, and emotional toll.
Building a Strong Legal Claim for a Broken Pelvis Injury
Pelvic fractures often coexist with other serious injuries and delayed symptoms, so a well‑developed legal strategy is crucial. Here are the essential elements:
1. Early and Accurate Medical Documentation
Go to a Level I trauma or hospital with pelvic specialists. Document imaging (CT scans, X-rays), surgical reports, rehab notes, and long-term prognosis thoroughly.
2. Crash Investigation and Mechanism Reconstruction
You need to prove that the force of the crash could produce the fracture. Experts in accident reconstruction, biomechanics, and orthopedic trauma can model how the impact aligned with the injury.
3. Expert Medical Testimony
Orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists, rehabilitation doctors, and pain specialists explain the nature of the fracture, prognosis, complications, and future needs. Their opinions anchor your claim.
4. Damage Quantification
Your claim must include damages for:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of mobility or permanent disability
- Home modifications, attendant care, assistive devices
Because pelvic injuries may affect everyday life indefinitely, claims should reflect lifetime needs.
5. Preservation of Evidence
Photographs of the vehicle, collision site, skid marks, vehicle damage, traffic camera footage, expert reports, and witness statements must be secured quickly. Delay can lead to the loss of crucial evidence.
Liability, Comparative Fault & Georgia Law
In Georgia, you generally have a two‑year statute of limitations to file most personal injury claims. While that may sound like a long time, the longer you wait, the more difficult it can be to track down witnesses, preserve evidence, and build a strong claim.
Liability often falls to the driver who failed to yield, ran a red light, was distracted, speeding, or violated pedestrian right-of-way laws. But in complex cases, liability can extend to vehicle owners, fleet companies, or municipalities due to poor signage or infrastructure.
Keep in mind that Georgia also follows a modified comparative fault system. That means if you are less than 50% at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
It’s also worth noting that there is typically no cap on pain and suffering in injury cases, though courts balance reasonableness.
Let a Georgia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Be Your Voice For Justice
Recovering from a fractured pelvis can feel like rebuilding your life from the ground up. But you don’t have to do it alone. If you or someone you love sustained a pelvic injury in a pedestrian accident, contact us today for a free case evaluation. Let our legal team help you pursue the resources and justice you deserve.
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