Hip Pain Causes, Signs, and Compensation

Experiencing hip pain is a very common incident after a car accident. The pain can go from mild to severe and sometimes linger for months. For some people, pain in the hips may not be apparent right away.

Whether the hip pain is felt immediately after the collision or begins manifesting only a few days, take prompt action to avoid possible problems in the future.

Common Causes Of Hip Pain from Car Accidents

Pain in the hip can be any feeling of tenderness or ache in or around the hip joint. On a typical day, the hips can withstand repeated motion due to a cushion of cartilage that helps prevent friction of the hip bones. However, despite its durability, the hips may not be able to stand the sudden impact caused by vehicular collisions.

Car collisions can cause damage to the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, soft tissues, and other body structures surrounding the hip joint.

Types Of Hip Injuries Following Car Accidents

Some of the most common hip injuries following a car accident include the following:

Hip fractures

The hip bones are divided into three sections. These are the ilium (top part of the hip bone and crest of the pelvis), pubis (lower part), and ischium (back part). A hip fracture occurs when there is a break or crack in any of these three sections of the hips.

Hip dislocation

This happens when the ball joint of the hip is pushed out of its socket due to sudden, violent movement like a car crash. A dislocated hip is very painful and always requires prompt medical attention.

Hip bursitis

The hip bones are cushioned by small, fluid-filled sacs called bursae. Bursitis results when these bursae become inflamed and irritated.

Acetabular fracture

Hip fracture acetabular happens when the socket portion of the hip joint breaks. Simply put, it is a fracture in the hip socket brought about by violent incidents like vehicular collisions.

Hip labral tear

A labral is a soft tissue covering the socket of the hip. Torn labral tissue can lead to severe pain and mobility issues since the labral is responsible for the smooth movement of the head of the thigh bone.

What You Need To Know About Your Hip Joint

The joint on your hip connects the femur and the pelvis. It is a ball and socket joint and one of the largest joints in the body. It connects the torso to the lower extremities. It supports the upper body and provides balance to it. It also allows the body to hold its weight. In addition, the legs can flex, rotate, extend, and move back and forth because of this joint.

The body has two hip joints found above each of the thigh bones. Hip joints are usually very strong and stable.

However, the hips can be put at risk, such as when a person is involved in a car accident. There are also medical conditions that can cause the weakness of hip joints.

Symptoms Of Hip Injuries

Hip injuries are painful. Some symptoms may appear immediately after the car accident; others may take a few days. Among the most common symptoms of a hip injury after a car accident include the following:

Understanding Delayed Injuries And Delayed Pain After a Car Accident

An injured hip may go unnoticed for hours or a day following a car crash.

There is a reason why some people suffer delayed pain after a car accident. The body’s fight or flight response is immediately activated when a car crash happens. The fight-or-flight hormone called the adrenaline causes the body to react quickly during a stressful or dangerous situation.

Because of the adrenaline rush, a person involved in a car accident may experience the following:

Only when your body starts to settle down after the trauma that you start the feel the pain and the other effects of the car accident.

Complications Related To a Hip Injury

Always seek medical attention promptly after a car accident, especially if a serious injury occurs. A person experiencing excruciating pain or any hip injury pain should visit a medical doctor as soon as possible. If not immediately attended to, a minor hip fracture may result in a broken hip or inability to move permanently.

For instance, a dislocated hip can have damaging and long-term complications like nerve damage, arthritis, and avascular necrosis.

Treatment For a Hip Injury After a Car Accident

Different treatment options exist for injuries involving the hips after a car accident. Consult a medical doctor and have the doctor evaluate your injury. This way, you are assured that a proper diagnosis is made. Usually, you will be asked to undergo an MRI, a CT, or an X-ray in order to determine the extent of the hip injury.

The following treatments may be advised for those experiencing hip pain:

By seeking medical treatment right away, you will have the peace of mind knowing that you will get better in the coming days. Furthermore, you can avoid future medical expenses brought about by complications if the injuries were left unattended.

Pain In Your Hip Joints After An Accident? Here’s What To Do Next.

Seek medical attention immediately after a car crash. This is true even if you do not feel any pain right away. Make sure to report all the injuries to the first responders and document every symptom or ache that you feel during the time of the accident and even afterward.

Proper documentation of your injuries, no matter how minor they are, will be helpful when you decide to file a claim with the insurance company.

Why Seeking Medical Care Right Away Is Crucial To Your Case

An insurance company will try as much as possible to lower the amount of your claim. There will even be times when the insurance company will argue that your hip injury is unrelated to the car accident.

If you go to the doctor right away after the accident, no matter how minor your injury is, the more likely that you will be able to recover your claim from the insurance company.

What Is Hip Dislocation?

A hip is dislocated when the ball joint of the hip falls out of its socket. It is usually a medical emergency because it can cause excruciating pain and the inability to move the legs if left untreated.

What Is Stress Fracture?

Bones in the hips are subjected to repetitive strain or impact. Over time, a stress fracture may develop due to micro-trauma caused by the impactor due to the inability of the body to keep up with the repetitive strain. This type of fracture particularly occurs in the ball and socket part of the joint.

What Are Hip Ligament Sprains Or Strains?

Sometimes, you stretch or tear the ligaments around the hips. This does not normally happen on a regular day, as most hip strains or sprains are caused by car accidents or trauma that directly affect the hips. Other possible causes of strains on the hip muscles are overstretching and failure to do warm-up activities before exercise.

How Is Hip Pain Treated?

There are different ways of treating hip pain depending on the type of injury and its severity. For instance, the doctor may prescribe pain medication to address not just the pain but also the inflammation. If hip pain is minor, you may be advised to take some rest and apply some ice wrapped with a towel on the painful part.

Physical therapy may be required depending on doctor’s evaluation. Often, therapy can assist in determining the underlying causes of hip pain, especially if the prescribed medicines cannot address the root cause of the pain.

Can You Make a Personal Injury Claim For Your Hip After a Car Accident?

Yes. If you have suffered a hip injury after a car accident, get treatment as soon as possible. Aside from the fact that you have to ensure that you are safe after the car accident, getting treatment is important in making a personal injury claim after.

What Compensation Is Available To Victims Of Car Accident Hip Pain?

If you suffered from hip dislocation or other hip injuries because of a car accident, you might be entitled to economic and non-economic damages

To claim economic damages, you can file a No-Fault claim from your insurance company. Regardless of who is at fault, the insurance company will pay for the economic damages, subject to the limitations of the law. Beyond the coverage of the no-fault benefit, you can recover from the at-fault driver, including the non-economic damages you suffered.

Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today For a Free Consultation.

Michigan laws can be overwhelming to victims of vehicular collisions. Talk to an experienced car accident attorney to determine the steps to increase your chances of recovering compensation.

If you have questions, call The Clark Law Office at (517)-347-6900, email us at info@theclarkawoffice.com, or fill out our online contact form.  Initial consultations are completely free and you pay no fees unless you win your injury case.