Collarbone Fractures After a Dallas Car Accident: What Victims Need to Know

A collarbone fracture after a Dallas car accident can be extremely painful and disruptive. The collarbone, also called the clavicle, connects the breastbone to the shoulder. Because it sits near the seatbelt path and shoulder area, it can be injured when the upper body is violently restrained, twisted, compressed, or thrown during a crash.

Many car accident victims initially think they only suffered shoulder soreness, bruising, or chest pain. But a broken collarbone can cause severe pain, swelling, deformity, difficulty moving the arm, and long-term shoulder problems. Some clavicle fractures heal with a sling and immobilization. Others require surgery with plates, screws, or other hardware.

At The Wooley Law Firm, Dallas car accident lawyer Andrew J. Wooley represents injured crash victims with collarbone fractures, shoulder injuries, arm injuries, neck injuries, and other serious trauma. These claims may involve emergency room treatment, x-rays, orthopedic care, surgery, physical therapy, lost wages, pain and suffering, physical impairment, scarring, and future medical expenses.

Before accepting a settlement from an insurance company, it is important to understand the full extent of your collarbone injury, whether you may need surgery, how long recovery may take, and how the injury may affect your work and daily life.

If you suffered a broken collarbone in a Dallas car accident, call The Wooley Law Firm at 214-699-6524 or contact us through our website for a free case evaluation.

What Is a Collarbone Fracture?

A collarbone fracture is a break in the clavicle, the bone that runs across the upper chest between the sternum and shoulder. The clavicle helps support shoulder movement and connects important structures in the shoulder girdle.

A broken collarbone can range from a small crack to a displaced fracture where the bone pieces are out of position. In severe cases, the bone may break into multiple pieces, shorten, overlap, or threaten nearby nerves, blood vessels, or skin.

Collarbone fractures after a car accident should be taken seriously because the injury can affect the shoulder, arm, chest, neck, and upper back.

How Car Accidents Cause Collarbone Fractures

A collarbone fracture can happen in many types of Dallas car wrecks. The injury often occurs when force travels through the shoulder, upper chest, or arm during impact.

Common causes include:

• Seatbelt force across the shoulder and chest

• The shoulder striking the door, window, dashboard, or center console

• The body being thrown forward during a crash

• Bracing against the steering wheel

• Airbag deployment

• Side-impact collisions

• Head-on crashes

• Rollover accidents

• Motorcycle crashes

• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents

• Truck and commercial vehicle wrecks

Seatbelts save lives, but the force of the restraint during a violent collision can still cause serious injury. A seatbelt mark, chest bruising, shoulder bruising, or clavicle pain after a crash should not be ignored.

Symptoms of a Broken Collarbone After a Car Accident

Symptoms of a collarbone fracture may appear immediately after the crash. In some cases, pain and swelling worsen over the next several hours.

Common symptoms include:

• Sharp pain near the collarbone or shoulder

• Swelling

• Bruising

• Tenderness over the clavicle

• Pain when moving the arm

• Difficulty lifting the arm

• Shoulder drooping forward or downward

• Grinding, popping, or cracking sensation

• Visible bump or deformity

• Pain with breathing, coughing, or moving the upper body

• Numbness or tingling in the arm or hand

• Weakness in the shoulder or arm

• Skin tenting over the fracture site

A crash victim with collarbone pain, shoulder pain, visible deformity, numbness, tingling, or difficulty moving the arm should seek medical attention.

Why a Collarbone Fracture Should Not Be Minimized

Insurance companies may try to minimize a broken collarbone claim by arguing that the injury healed, surgery was not required, or the victim should have recovered quickly. But collarbone fractures can cause serious and lasting problems.

A clavicle fracture may affect:

• Shoulder movement

• Arm strength

• Ability to lift

• Ability to drive

• Ability to sleep comfortably

• Ability to work

• Ability to exercise

• Ability to care for children

• Ability to perform household tasks

Even when the bone heals, some victims continue to experience pain, stiffness, weakness, nerve symptoms, scarring, hardware irritation, or reduced range of motion.

Types of Collarbone Fractures After a Dallas Car Wreck

Not all collarbone fractures are the same. The location and severity of the break can affect treatment and recovery.

Common types include:

• Midshaft clavicle fracture: A break in the middle portion of the collarbone. This is one of the most common types.

• Distal clavicle fracture: A break near the shoulder end of the collarbone.

• Medial clavicle fracture: A break near the breastbone.

• Displaced fracture: The broken bone ends are out of alignment.

• Comminuted fracture: The bone is broken into multiple pieces.

• Open fracture: The broken bone punctures or threatens the skin.

• Shortened fracture: The bone fragments overlap, shortening the collarbone.

Displaced, shortened, or comminuted fractures are more likely to require orthopedic evaluation and possible surgery.

Diagnosing a Collarbone Fracture After a Car Accident

A collarbone fracture is often diagnosed with a physical exam and x-rays. A doctor may examine the shoulder, chest, arm, and neck for pain, deformity, swelling, bruising, and nerve symptoms.

Depending on the injury, medical providers may recommend:

• X-rays

• CT scan

• Orthopedic referral

• Neurological evaluation if numbness or tingling is present

• Follow-up imaging

• Surgical consultation

It is important to tell your medical providers how the crash happened, where the pain is located, whether symptoms are worsening, and whether you are having numbness, tingling, weakness, or trouble moving the arm.

Treatment for Collarbone Fractures

Treatment depends on the severity of the fracture. Some collarbone fractures can heal without surgery. Others require surgical repair.

Common treatment may include:

• Sling

• Shoulder immobilizer

• Pain medication

• Anti-inflammatory medication

• Activity restrictions

• Orthopedic follow-up

• Repeat x-rays

• Physical therapy

• Surgery

• Plates and screws

• Hardware removal in some cases

• Long-term rehabilitation

Recovery may take weeks or months. During that time, the victim may be unable to lift, drive, work, sleep normally, exercise, or perform daily tasks.

When Surgery May Be Needed for a Broken Collarbone

Surgery may be recommended when the fracture is severely displaced, shortened, comminuted, unstable, open, or not healing properly. Surgery may also be considered when the bone threatens the skin or when the fracture affects shoulder function.

Surgical repair may involve plates, screws, pins, or other hardware to stabilize the collarbone. After surgery, the victim may need follow-up appointments, physical therapy, scar care, work restrictions, and months of recovery.

Surgery can also leave permanent scarring or cause hardware-related pain. In some cases, a second surgery may be required to remove hardware.

Complications From a Collarbone Fracture

Some collarbone fractures heal without major complications. Others create long-term problems.

Possible complications include:

• Chronic pain

• Shoulder stiffness

• Reduced range of motion

• Weakness

• Numbness or tingling

• Nerve irritation

• Poor bone healing

• Malunion

• Nonunion

• Visible deformity or bump

• Scarring after surgery

• Hardware pain or irritation

• Post-traumatic arthritis

• Difficulty returning to work or sports

These future problems should be considered before accepting a settlement from the insurance company.

Collarbone Fractures and Shoulder Injuries

A collarbone fracture often overlaps with shoulder injuries. A crash victim may have a broken clavicle along with rotator cuff damage, AC joint injury, labrum injury, shoulder impingement, nerve symptoms, or soft tissue trauma.

Because the collarbone and shoulder work together, ongoing shoulder pain after a clavicle fracture should not be ignored. Some victims need additional imaging, orthopedic care, injections, therapy, or surgical evaluation.

For more information, visit our page on shoulder injuries after a Dallas car accident.

Arm Pain, Numbness, or Tingling After a Collarbone Fracture

A collarbone fracture can also be associated with arm symptoms. Swelling, trauma, shoulder injury, or nerve irritation may cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels into the arm, wrist, hand, or fingers.

These symptoms may be related to:

• Nerve irritation near the shoulder

• Brachial plexus trauma

• Neck injury

• Shoulder injury

• Swelling around the fracture

• Associated arm injury

Arm numbness or tingling after a wreck should be evaluated by a medical provider. For more information, visit our page on radiating arm pain, tingling, and numbness after a Dallas car wreck.

How a Broken Collarbone Can Affect Daily Life

A broken collarbone can make basic activities difficult. Many victims underestimate how much they rely on their shoulder and arm until they cannot use them normally.

A collarbone fracture may affect your ability to:

• Drive

• Work

• Lift objects

• Reach overhead

• Carry groceries

• Type or use a computer

• Sleep on the injured side

• Dress

• Bathe

• Cook

• Clean

• Exercise

• Hold a child

• Perform household tasks

• Participate in hobbies or sports

For workers who use their arms, shoulders, or upper body, a collarbone fracture can create serious wage loss and job limitations. This may include construction workers, nurses, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, restaurant workers, hairstylists, dental professionals, and office workers.

Compensation for a Collarbone Fracture After a Dallas Car Accident

A Dallas car accident claim involving a collarbone fracture may include compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.

Depending on the case, damages may include:

• Emergency room bills

• Ambulance bills

• Hospital bills

• Doctor visits

• X-rays and CT scans

• Orthopedic treatment

• Surgery

• Hardware placement

• Physical therapy

• Future medical expenses

• Lost wages

• Loss of earning capacity

• Pain and suffering

• Mental anguish

• Physical impairment

• Disfigurement from scarring or deformity

• Loss of enjoyment of life

• Out-of-pocket expenses

The value of the claim depends on liability, insurance coverage, diagnosis, treatment, surgery, future care, lost earnings, and how the injury affects the victim’s life.

Why You Should Not Settle Too Early

Insurance companies may try to settle a collarbone fracture claim quickly. This can be risky, especially if you have not completed orthopedic treatment or do not know whether surgery, therapy, or future care will be needed.

Before resolving your claim, you should know:

• Whether the fracture is displaced

• Whether surgery is recommended

• Whether the bone is healing properly

• Whether future treatment is needed

• Whether physical therapy is required

• Whether you have permanent limitations

• Whether scarring or deformity is present

• Whether you can return to work

• Whether you have arm numbness or shoulder problems

• Whether all medical bills and records have been obtained

Once a settlement is signed, you generally cannot reopen the claim later because the injury became worse or required additional treatment.

How The Wooley Law Firm Helps Dallas Car Accident Victims

The Wooley Law Firm helps injured car accident victims pursue compensation after serious wrecks. Depending on the facts of the case, we may help by:

• Investigating the crash

• Reviewing the police report

• Identifying all insurance coverage

• Communicating with the insurance company

• Gathering medical records and bills

• Documenting lost wages

• Evaluating future medical expenses

• Reviewing orthopedic recommendations

• Calculating pain, impairment, scarring, and loss of enjoyment damages

• Negotiating with the insurance company

• Filing a lawsuit when necessary

Insurance companies are not on your side after a wreck. Their goal is to pay as little as possible. Before giving a recorded statement, signing paperwork, or accepting a settlement, speak with a lawyer who can protect your rights.

For more information about car accident claims, visit our Dallas Car Accident Lawyer page.

Dallas Car Accident Lawyer for Collarbone Fractures

If you suffered a broken collarbone in a car accident in Dallas, Fort Worth, or anywhere in North Texas, The Wooley Law Firm may be able to help. Andrew J. Wooley represents car accident victims with collarbone fractures, shoulder injuries, arm injuries, neck injuries, and other serious injuries.

Call 214-699-6524 or contact us through our website for a free case evaluation.

You don’t pay unless we win.

Frequently Asked Questions About Collarbone Fractures After a Car Accident

Can a car accident cause a broken collarbone?

Yes. A car accident can cause a broken collarbone when the shoulder, chest, or upper body absorbs force during the crash. Seatbelt force, direct impact, airbag deployment, and bracing for impact can all contribute to a clavicle fracture.

What are signs of a collarbone fracture after a wreck?

Signs may include sharp collarbone pain, swelling, bruising, deformity, shoulder drooping, difficulty lifting the arm, grinding or popping sensations, and tenderness over the clavicle.

Does a broken collarbone require surgery?

Some collarbone fractures heal with a sling and immobilization. More serious fractures, including displaced, shortened, comminuted, or unstable fractures, may require surgery.

Can a collarbone fracture cause shoulder problems?

Yes. A clavicle fracture can affect shoulder movement and may be associated with shoulder injuries, AC joint injuries, rotator cuff problems, stiffness, weakness, and long-term pain.

Can a broken collarbone cause numbness or tingling in the arm?

Yes. Trauma, swelling, nerve irritation, shoulder injury, or related neck injury may cause numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand. These symptoms should be evaluated by a medical provider.

Should I settle my claim before my collarbone fracture heals?

It is usually risky to settle before you understand the full extent of your injury. If you later need surgery, therapy, hardware removal, or future care, the insurance company may not have to pay more after a settlement is signed.

What compensation can I recover for a broken collarbone after a Dallas car accident?

Compensation may include medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, physical impairment, mental anguish, disfigurement, scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Important Note

Andrew J. Wooley is not a healthcare provider. He is an attorney who primarily practices personal injury law. If you have questions about a collarbone fracture, medical treatment, symptoms, or your overall health, you should contact a qualified healthcare provider.