Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture After a Slip & Fall

Over 30 Years Representing Indiana Slip-and-Fall Victims. Never Lost a Jury Trial.

A bimalleolar ankle fracture is among the most serious injuries a slip and fall can produce. Surgery, months off work, significant medical bills, and a real risk of permanent complications are all on the table. When the fall happened on someone else’s property because of a hazardous condition they failed to fix, Indiana premises liability law may entitle you to compensation for those losses. Shaw Law has represented Indiana injury victims for over 30 years, and we handle these cases on a contingency basis, meaning you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you.

If you’re dealing with a serious ankle fracture and wondering whether you have a case, we can answer that question at no cost to you. Call Shaw Law at (260) 777-7777 for a free consultation with our Indiana slip-and-fall attorneys.

Common Types of Ankle Fractures After a Slip & Fall in Indiana

Not all ankle fractures carry the same severity. Understanding where a bimalleolar fracture sits on this spectrum helps explain why these cases tend to involve lengthy treatment and significant financial impact.

• Lateral Malleolus Fracture: A break of the fibula at the outer ankle, the most common ankle fracture type and often the least severe.
• Medial Malleolus Fracture: A break of the tibia at the inner ankle.
• Posterior Malleolus Fracture: A break of the back portion of the tibia where it meets the ankle joint.
• Bimalleolar Fracture: Breaks to both the fibula and the tibia, making the ankle unstable and typically requiring surgery.
• Trimalleolar Fracture: All three malleoli fractured simultaneously, the most severe type on this list.

Bimalleolar and trimalleolar fractures are the most serious of these categories and are the most likely to require surgical intervention and extended recovery.

What Is a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture?

The ankle joint is made up of three bones: the talus (the bone that connects to the foot), the fibula (the smaller lower leg bone running along the outer ankle), and the tibia (the larger lower leg bone forming the inner ankle). Ligaments hold all three together, providing the stability needed for weight-bearing movement.

A bimalleolar fracture is a break involving both the fibula and the tibia at the ankle. With two of the three bones compromised, the joint becomes mechanically unstable, which is why surgical stabilization is the standard course of treatment for most patients.

Causes of a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture

A bimalleolar fracture typically results from a sudden, high-force load on the ankle joint. Common mechanisms include:

• A slip, trip, or fall
• Rolling the ankle sideways
• Rotating or twisting the ankle
• A forceful direct impact to the ankle area

If you or a loved one suffered a personal injury (including bimalleolar ankle fractures after a fall on the property of another person, business, or government entity), call Shaw Law at (260) 777-7777 to schedule a FREE consultation with our slip and fall lawyers in Indiana.

Medical Treatments for a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture

Because both bones of the ankle are fractured, the joint is unstable, and most patients require surgery to restore proper alignment and allow healing. The standard surgical technique is Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF), in which a surgeon repositions the fractured bone segments and holds them in place using metal plates, screws, or rods. These implants remain in the ankle during healing and sometimes permanently.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Not every patient is a surgical candidate. Those for whom the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits, including patients with significant underlying health conditions or those who are non-ambulatory, may follow a nonsurgical pathway instead. A doctor will make that determination based on the individual’s overall health.

The nonsurgical pathway progresses through several stages. The ankle is first immobilized with a splint to control swelling and prevent movement. Once swelling decreases, a low-leg cast is applied. Patients often require more than one cast as swelling continues to reduce over approximately six weeks. When the fracture shows sufficient healing, the cast is replaced with a soft brace, which may eventually be discontinued as recovery progresses.

Prognosis After a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture

Recovery timelines and restrictions vary by patient, but several consistent benchmarks apply to most cases.

• Weight-bearing restrictions: Patients must avoid weight-bearing activities, including driving, until their physician clears them.
• Return to activity: Many people return to their prior activities and to work within approximately four months with consistent treatment.
• Physical therapy: Structured physical therapy supports restoration of ankle strength and flexibility.
• Ongoing protection: Ankle braces may be worn during work or physical activity even after formal recovery is complete.

Complications from a Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture

Recovery from this injury isn’t always straightforward. Patients and their legal counsel should understand the full range of potential complications when evaluating a claim’s long-term value.

• Surgical risks: Nerve and tendon damage, pain, bleeding, infection, and blood clots are recognized complications of ankle surgery.
• Elevated risk groups: Frail and elderly patients, smokers, and diabetics carry a higher risk for post-surgery complications and longer healing times for both wounds and bone.
• Malunion: When a fracture heals before the bone is properly repositioned, the resulting misalignment can cause lasting functional problems.
• Hardware pain and removal: Metal plates, screws, and rods can cause ongoing discomfort and may require a second surgery for removal.
• Post-traumatic arthritis: Orthopedic research identifies post-traumatic arthritis as a recognized long-term complication of ankle fractures, and a substantial share of patients develop it over time. This potential future condition may be a meaningful factor in calculating full compensation.

Indiana Premises Liability Law & Your Legal Rights

When a slip and fall occurs on property someone else owns or controls, Indiana premises liability law governs whether the property owner can be held responsible. Property owners are required to maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors. When they fail to do so and that failure causes injury, they may be liable for the resulting harm.

Establishing Negligence

Establishing negligence in a slip-and-fall case typically requires showing that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to correct it or warn visitors before the fall. That analysis applies whether the property is a business, a private residence, or government-owned land.

Two Indiana Laws Every Claimant Should Know

Two provisions of Indiana law are particularly important for anyone considering a claim. First, Indiana follows a modified comparative fault rule under Indiana’s Comparative Fault Act (Indiana Code 34-51-2). If an injured person is found partially at fault for the fall, their recovery is reduced proportionally, but they can still recover as long as their share of fault doesn’t reach 51% or more. Second, Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4 sets a two-year deadline from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Waiting too long can permanently bar a claim, regardless of how serious the injuries are.

We have represented Indiana slip and fall victims for over 30 years, handling cases against businesses, private property owners, and government entities throughout the state. We have never lost a slip-and-fall injury jury trial.

Compensation You May Be Able to Pursue

A bimalleolar ankle fracture generates economic losses that accumulate quickly and, in some cases, extend years into the future. Recoverable economic damages can include emergency room and hospital costs, orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, future medical care such as hardware removal or arthritis treatment, and wages lost during recovery. If the injury reduces your capacity to earn in the future, that loss may also be compensable.

Non-economic damages, including pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, can be substantial in ankle injury cases given the duration of recovery and the risk of permanent complications like post-traumatic arthritis. Because long-term consequences may not be fully apparent immediately after the injury, settling quickly before the complete prognosis is known can leave you significantly undercompensated.

Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for Indiana injury victims, including a $3,040,000 verdict for a client who suffered a slip and fall on ice in Gary, Indiana. Under Indiana’s comparative fault rule, even if you bear some share of responsibility for the fall, you may still be entitled to recover damages as long as that share falls below 51%.

Why Indiana Slip-and-Fall Victims Choose Shaw Law

Bimalleolar ankle fracture cases require a lawyer with direct experience in premises liability, not general personal injury work. Connecting a specific hazardous condition to a specific injury, preserving evidence before it disappears, and countering insurance company efforts to dispute the claim all require a lawyer who has done this work repeatedly in Indiana courts.

We have never lost a slip-and-fall injury jury trial. That record reflects over three decades of focus on exactly this kind of case. Our clients also have access to the EZ Case smartphone app, which provides real-time visibility into case progress and estimates throughout the legal process so you’re never left wondering where things stand. We handle these cases on a contingency basis: no upfront costs, no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

If you or a loved one suffered serious personal injuries such as broken bones or a bimalleolar ankle fracture after a slip and fall in Indiana, call Shaw Law to speak with our slip and fall lawyers at (260) 777-7777 or message us to learn how we can help protect your rights.