Orthopedic Injury Attorney in Portland, Oregon

Comprised of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints, the musculoskeletal system plays a critical role in the human body. The system supports the weight of our bodies and helps us engage in all types of motion, including walking, standing, working, and others. Many people take their mobility and musculoskeletal systems for granted without realizing how much of an impact an orthopedic injury can have on their lives. 

Orthopedic injuries can be life-changing and often require extensive and costly treatment, and some people never fully recover from them. When an orthopedic injury is the result of someone else’s negligence, the injured victim may be entitled to financial compensation. As an orthopedic injury attorney at Injury Lawyer PDX, LLC, I represent people who suffered trauma in car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, and other traumatic events. My law office is based in Portland, Oregon, but I serve injured victims throughout the counties of Washington, Lincoln, Clackamas, Marion, Tillamook, and Multnomah.  

Understanding Orthopedic Injuries 

Injuries to one or more parts of the musculoskeletal system are called “orthopedic injuries.” These injuries can range from minor, which may take days or weeks to heal, to severe, which can take months or years to recover from. An orthopedic injury can be life-altering, as it can restrict the victim’s ability to move and do even the most basic tasks such as showering, toileting, dressing, and others.  

Depending on the severity of the orthopedic injury, treatment may include surgery, medications, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. In some cases, the victim may never fully recover and will have to deal with the effects of the injury for the rest of their life.  

Common Causes of Orthopedic Injuries 

Individuals can suffer an orthopedic injury any time an external force is applied to the body. Common causes of orthopedic injuries include but are not limited to: 

• Slip and fall and trip and fall accidents 

• Motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle accidents 

• Violent acts (e.g., assault) 

• Being injured while playing sports 

• Being injured while working 

In many of these traumatic events, the victim is injured due to negligence. If someone else was negligent in causing your orthopedic injury, you may be entitled to compensation.  As an orthopedic injury attorney in Portland, Oregon, I can investigate the facts of your accident and determine if you have a case to obtain compensation.  

Types of Orthopedic Injuries 

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, more than 7 million Americans are diagnosed with orthopedic injuries per year, with falls accounting for more than half of hospital trips for these injuries. There are dozens of different types of orthopedic injuries which vary in location and severity, but some of the most common ones are: 

• Carpal tunnel caused by pressure on nerves that run through the wrist; 

• Meniscus tear caused by the tearing of the cartilage in the knees that helps cushion the knee joints; 

• Rotator cuff tear caused by repeated shoulder motions; 

• Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous tissue in the foot;  

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear caused by a sudden force that hits the knee when the leg is straight or slightly bent; 

• Tennis elbow caused by overuse of the muscles in the forearm, hand, and/or arm;  

• Ankle and foot sprains caused by an abrupt twisting and turning of the foot or ankle; 

• Shoulder dislocation, when the upper arm bone comes out of place from the shoulder socket; and 

• Wrist fracture, when there is a break or crack in one or more of the bones of the wrist. 

Regardless of what type of orthopedic injury you have, contact Injury Lawyer PDX, LLC. I can walk you through all of your legal options and help you pursue the compensation to which you are entitled if your injury was the result of someone else’s negligent act or omission.  

Legal Considerations of Orthopedic Injury Cases 

In many cases, orthopedic injuries occur due to the negligence of another person or entity. For example, a driver fails to yield the right of way and hits a pedestrian who suffers a bone fracture or a property owner who fails to fix a known hazardous condition on their property, which causes a visitor to trip and fall and sustain shoulder dislocation.  

In any case involving negligence, the injured party must be able to establish the four elements of negligence: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages. Once all of these elements are established, the victim may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages: 

• Economic damages include past and future medical bills, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, and other tangible losses; and 

• Non-economic damages include loss of consortium, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and other intangible losses.  

Another thing to keep in mind when pursuing an orthopedic injury claim is that you have a limited amount of time to initiate legal action. In Oregon, the statute of limitations for injury cases, including those involving orthopedic injuries, is two years from the date of the traumatic event.