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Guide · Car accidents · All states

A broken bone after a car accident

Updated By the Counselworthy teamGeneral information, not legal or medical advice

Short answer

  • MedlinePlus says to call emergency services for a suspected break in the head, neck, back, hip, pelvis or upper leg.
  • No public source we can check reports an average settlement for broken bones.
  • In New Jersey, your own PIP pays treatment first, and a displaced fracture passes the lawsuit limit.

Checked October 21, 2026.

Sources: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b). Every fact cites a source

Health facts here come from MedlinePlus, not from a doctor who knows you. They aren't medical advice. If you're hurt, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 911.

Illustration: an X-ray of a broken forearm on a lightbox in an exam room
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What did your doctor say?

Pick the closest one. It shows how New Jersey's lawsuit limit treats it. Only your doctor can say what your injury is.

It's a displaced fractureListed in the law
What it is
One of the injuries the lawsuit limit names.
Why it matters
With the limit, pain and suffering is available only for the listed injuries.
The rule
The listed injuries include displaced fractures.
What you can do now

Get a copy of the imaging report that describes the fracture.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
It's broken, but not displacedDepends on how it heals
What it is
A fracture the law doesn't list by itself.
Why it matters
It can still qualify if it turns out to be a permanent injury.
The rule
An injury is permanent when the body part hasn't healed to function normally and won't with further treatment, certified on objective clinical evidence.
What you can do now

Keep follow-up appointments and ask what each exam shows.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
It needed surgeryAsk what kind of fracture
What it is
Treatment, not a category in the law.
Why it matters
The law lists displaced fractures and permanent injuries, not surgery itself.
The rule
The listed injuries include displaced fractures and a permanent injury.
What you can do now

Ask your surgeon how the operative report describes the fracture.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
I can't workPIP pays some lost income
What it is
Lost income while you heal.
Why it matters
A standard policy's PIP pays part of it.
The rule
Up to $100 a week and $5,200 in all, never more than your normal net income, unless the benefit was dropped.
What you can do now

Keep pay stubs and a note from your doctor about work.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide

When to call for help

MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, says to call emergency services for a broken bone when any of these is true.

  1. The person isn't respondingOr is losing consciousness.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  2. A break in the head, neck or backEven if it's only suspected.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  3. A break in the hip, pelvis or upper legEven if it's only suspected.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  4. You can't keep the injury stillAt the scene, by yourself.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  5. There's severe bleedingCall right away.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  6. The skin below the joint changesIt turns pale, cold, clammy or blue.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  7. Bone is coming through the skinCall right away.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone

NJWho pays for treatment and missed work

In New Jersey, your own auto policy's PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, up to $250,000 unless a lower amount was chosen in writing.

  1. Lost incomeA standard policy's PIP pays up to $100 a week and $5,200 in all, unless the benefit was dropped.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
  2. Help at homeUp to $12 a day for things you'd normally do yourself.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
  3. Bills and income past PIPThey can be recovered from the person at fault.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-12; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(k)
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g)

NJWhy a displaced fracture matters

Unless a driver chose otherwise in writing, a New Jersey policy limits pain and suffering claims to the injuries the law lists. A displaced fracture is one of them.

  1. Death
  2. Dismemberment
  3. Significant disfigurement or significant scarring
  4. Displaced fractures
  5. Loss of a fetus
  6. A permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement

A broken bone that isn't displaced can still qualify as a permanent injury, if a doctor certifies on objective clinical evidence that it hasn't healed to function normally and won't.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)

What broken bone claims settle for

No public source reports an average for broken bones that we can check. Nationally, insurers paid an average of $28,278 per auto injury liability claim in 2024, every injury mixed. Firms post their best results. In New Jersey, the model jury charge says the law gives no table or formula for pain and suffering.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Auto insurance; Model Civil Jury Charge 8.11E (revised May 2017)

NJThe deadlines

  1. Sue the person at fault, in generalN.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)2 years
  2. A claim against a public entityN.J.S.A. 59:8-8Notice within 90 days
Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a); N.J.S.A. 59:8-8; N.J.S.A. 59:8-9

Sources

General information, not legal or medical advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.

What to do next

Questions people ask

What is the average settlement for a broken bone from a car accident?

No public source reports one we can check. Nationally, the average auto injury liability claim paid was $28,278 in 2024, every injury mixed. In New Jersey, whether the fracture is displaced or permanent matters most.

When should I call for help for a broken bone after a crash?

MedlinePlus says to call emergency services for a suspected break in the head, neck, back, hip, pelvis or upper leg, severe bleeding, or bone coming through the skin.

Do I need a lawyer for a broken bone from a car accident in New Jersey?

A consultation can help sort out how the lawsuit limit applies, since a displaced fracture is one of the injuries it lists. A lawyer looks at your facts; you decide after.

Does a broken bone meet the verbal threshold in New Jersey?

A displaced fracture does: it's one of the injuries the law lists. A fracture that isn't displaced can qualify if it's certified as a permanent injury.

Who pays for a broken bone after a car accident in New Jersey?

Your own PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash. A standard policy also pays some lost income and help at home.

Can I get paid for missed work with a broken bone in New Jersey?

A standard New Jersey policy's PIP pays up to $100 a week, $5,200 in all, unless the benefit was dropped. Lost income past that can be claimed from the person at fault.

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