SANTA CLARITA HIP INJURY ATTORNEY

​Hip injuries are a significant concern in personal injury cases due to their potential to cause long-term pain, disability, and reduced mobility. The hip joint is essential for movement and weight-bearing, making injuries in this area particularly serious — especially for older adults, for whom a hip fracture is a genuinely urgent medical event, not just a painful one.

How Hip Injuries Commonly Occur

• Motor vehicle accidents: the force of a collision can cause severe trauma to the hip joint, leading to fractures, dislocations, or soft tissue injuries
• Slip and fall accidents: falls are a leading cause of hip injuries, particularly in older adults; falling on a hard surface or from a height can cause fractures or dislocations
• Workplace accidents: heavy lifting, awkward movements, repetitive stress, or machinery accidents can cause fractures, strains, or sprains
• Sports injuries: collisions, falls, or sudden twists in high-impact sports can lead to strains, sprains, or fractures
• Pedestrian accidents: being struck by a vehicle or falling due to uneven surfaces can cause significant hip damage

Why Hip Fractures Are a Medical Priority, Especially for Older Adults
Hip fractures are not simply painful injuries that heal over time — for older adults in particular, they carry a meaningfully elevated risk of serious complications, including reduced mobility, loss of independence, and increased risk of other health complications in the year following the injury. This is one reason prompt medical evaluation and treatment matter so much after a fall, and it's also a significant factor insurance companies and courts consider when evaluating the true severity and long-term impact of a hip fracture claim.

Common Types of Hip Injuries

• Hip fractures: breaks in the femur (thigh bone) or the acetabulum (hip socket), classified as intracapsular (inside the joint capsule) or extracapsular (outside the joint capsule)
• Hip dislocations: occurring when the femoral head is forced out of the acetabulum, usually from severe trauma
• Hip strains: stretching or tearing of muscles or tendons around the hip
• Hip sprains: stretching or tearing of ligaments in the hip joint
• Labral tears: tears in the ring of cartilage that cushions and stabilizes the hip joint, causing pain, instability, and reduced range of motion
• Bursitis: inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs around the hip joint, causing pain and swelling

Serious and Long-Term Hip Injuries

• Complex hip fractures: multiple fractures or severe breaks often requiring surgical intervention and carrying long-term mobility risk
• Severe hip dislocations: involving damage to surrounding tissues, nerves, or blood vessels
• Osteonecrosis: disruption of blood supply to the femoral head, leading to bone death, which can result from severe trauma and may require surgical intervention
• Fracture complications: nonunion (failure of the bone to heal) or malunion (healing in an incorrect position), resulting in chronic pain and functional limitations
• Post-traumatic arthritis: developing in the injured joint over time, causing chronic pain and reduced mobility

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Diagnostic imaging: X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to assess the extent of the injury
• Conservative treatment: rest, ice, pain relievers, physical therapy, and bracing or supportive devices for less severe strains and sprains
• Injection therapy: corticosteroid injections to manage pain and inflammation, particularly for bursitis or labral tears
• Mobility aids: crutches or walkers to reduce stress on the hip joint during recovery

​Surgical Options

• Hip fracture surgery: internal fixation (screws or plates) or hip replacement, depending on the fracture's type and location
• Hip replacement (arthroplasty): replacing the damaged joint with an artificial implant, often used for severe fractures or advanced joint degeneration
• Hip arthroscopy: a minimally invasive procedure to repair damaged tissue or remove debris
• Labral repair surgery: repairing or removing a damaged labrum to restore stability and reduce pain
• Osteotomy: cutting and repositioning bone to correct alignment or improve joint function

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a hip fracture treated as more urgent for an older adult than a younger person?

Hip fractures in older adults carry a meaningfully elevated risk of serious complications and loss of independence in the year following the injury, which is why prompt medical evaluation and treatment are so important, and why these injuries are often treated as especially significant in a personal injury claim.

Can I still have a claim if I had a pre-existing hip condition, like arthritis?

Possibly. If an accident aggravated a pre-existing but previously manageable condition, that aggravation may still be compensable, though it can be a harder case to prove without clear medical documentation of the change.

What if my hip injury happened in a slip and fall at someone else's property?

Hip injury slip-and-fall claims fall under premises liability law, which requires showing the property owner knew or should have known about a hazardous condition and failed to fix it or provide adequate warning.

How long do I have to file a hip injury claim in California?

In most cases, California law gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim.

Talk to a Santa Clarita Hip Injury Attorney Today

Hip injuries, whether resulting from automobile accidents, falls, workplace incidents, sports activities, or pedestrian accidents, can have profound impacts on your life. Robert Mansour can help advise you regarding your case.  He serves the entire Santa Clarita Valley including Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, and surrounding communities. Call Santa Clarita personal injury attorney Robert Mansour at (661) 414-7100 for a free consultation and evaluation of your case.  You can also fill out our Free Case Evaluation form.

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