How Long Does It Take to Heal a Broken Arm After a Car Accident?

How Long Does It Take to Heal a Broken Arm After a Car Accident?

Breaking your arm in a car accident makes life very difficult. Suddenly, you can’t drive to work, type emails, or even cook dinner without pain. Daily activities that once felt automatic now require careful planning and extra time. How long is this going to last?

At Roy Injury Law, we’ve worked with car accident victims for over 30 years. We’ve seen that healing takes time, and every person’s recovery looks different. Here’s a general idea of how long it takes to heal from a broken arm after a car accident:

• Mild to moderate fracture: about 6-8 weeks for the bone to heal
• Severe or surgical fracture: 10-16 weeks or longer
• Full strength and motion: often 3-6 months, depending on therapy progress

This timeline may seem disheartening, but a broken arm after a car accident requires more than patience; it often takes medical care, physical therapy, and time away from work. Knowing what goes into recovery helps you see the full scope of your damages and secure compensation that aids your healing. 

What Affects How Fast a Broken Arm Heals After a Crash?

How fast you heal comes down to several factors: 

• The type and severity of the fracture play the biggest role. Simple breaks in the forearm typically heal faster than complex shoulder or wrist fractures that involve multiple bone fragments.
• Whether surgery was needed adds months to recovery time. Surgical patients must heal from both bone repair and incisions, which means more doctor visits and follow-ups.
• Age and bone health matter significantly. Younger patients often heal within shorter timeframes, while older adults or those with osteoporosis may need longer.
• Following medical instructions and rest recommendations can make or break your recovery. Returning to work or driving too soon can delay healing and increase costs.

Each of these factors carries not just a physical cost but a financial one. Doctor appointments, follow-ups, therapy sessions, and missed workdays all add up. Having compensation that covers these realities allows you to focus on healing instead of worrying about bills.

Can Physical Therapy Help My Broken Arm Heal Faster?

Yes, and it is one of the most important stages of recovery. When your cast or brace comes off, stiffness and weakness are normal. Your muscles have been inactive for weeks, and your joints need help remembering how to move properly.

Physical therapy usually unfolds in phases:

1. Gentle range-of-motion exercises to restore flexibility
2. Strength training to rebuild lost muscle
3. Functional retraining to help you return to driving, lifting, and working safely

Most patients benefit from attending therapy two to three times a week for six to twelve weeks. It can be demanding physically, emotionally, and financially, but it is the step that turns short-term healing into long-term recovery. Compensation for your injury should include these therapy costs so you do not have to cut recovery short for financial reasons.

What If Your Broken Arm Isn’t Healing the Way It Should?

Sometimes, even when you do everything right, recovery does not go as planned. Delayed healing, improper bone alignment, or nerve damage can extend your recovery timeline and add new medical expenses.

Warning signs that something is not right include:

• Persistent swelling or pain beyond several weeks
• Numbness or tingling in your fingers
• Noticeable deformity or limited movement that is not improving

If these symptoms appear, your doctor may order additional imaging, prescribe longer therapy, or recommend corrective surgery. Every extra appointment or treatment represents more time off work and higher medical costs. This is another reason your settlement should account for potential complications, not just initial treatment.

When Should I Contact a Car Accident Lawyer About My Broken Arm?

Talking to a lawyer early protects your rights and helps document every medical treatment, therapy session, and lost paycheck. Insurance companies often move quickly to limit payouts, but a skilled lawyer can make certain your claim reflects the true cost of your recovery.

Let Us Support Every Stage of Your Healing

The time it takes to heal a broken arm after a car accident can be stressful, filled with physical, emotional, and financial challenges, but you’re not alone. At Roy Injury Law, we help people like you focus on healing instead of worrying about medical bills, lost income, or insurance battles. Reach out to us today and let us help you access the resources that make recovery possible.