Tibia or Fibula Fractures After a Slip & Fall

Jeff Shaw Has Never Lost a Premises Liability Jury Trial in Over 30 Years

A tibia or fibula fracture is among the most serious leg injuries that can result from a slip and fall on business premises. Often mislabeled as “ankle fractures,” these injuries involve the two bones of the lower leg below the knee and can keep a person off their feet for weeks to months, affecting their ability to work, care for their family, and manage daily life. When a hazardous condition a business owner failed to address caused your fall, you may have a premises liability claim under Indiana law. Shaw Law has represented injured Hoosiers for over 30 years from four locations across the state, and we handle slip and fall cases on a contingency basis: no fee unless we win.

Ready to find out where your case stands? Call (260) 777-7777 or reach us through our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.

How Tibia & Fibula Fractures Happen on Business Property

Tib/fib fractures typically occur when a person’s foot slips, catches, or twists on a condition the property owner failed to identify or fix. Under Indiana premises liability law, customers on business property are classified as invitees and are owed the highest duty of care. That means businesses must actively inspect for and remediate dangerous conditions within a reasonable time. The larger the business and the more resources at its disposal, the more readily courts hold it to that standard.

Common hazardous conditions that cause these fractures include:

• Poorly lit areas
• Untreated ice and snow
• Loose floorboards or uneven flooring
• Wet or dry spills left without cleanup
• Freshly mopped or waxed floors without caution signs
• Gravel or debris on the floor
• Stairs that are not up to code
• Other causes of slip and fall accidents in Indiana

Learn more about our slip and fall lawyers in Indiana and how we can help you by scheduling a FREE consultation by contacting us today.

Symptoms of a Tibia or Fibula Fracture

If you experienced any of the following after a fall, seek emergency medical evaluation immediately:

• Inability to bear weight or stand
• Inability to walk or severe instability when walking
• Pain in the lower leg
• Numbness or tingling
• Impaired range of motion
• Bruising or skin discoloration at the fracture site
• Visible deformity such as abnormal bending or apparent shortening of the leg
• Bone protruding through the skin in open fractures

Diagnosis & Treatment: What to Expect

Diagnosis begins with a physical exam and X-rays. Complex fractures may also require a CT scan or MRI to assess soft tissue and nerve involvement. Treatment depends on how severe and displaced the fracture is:

• Closed reduction and immobilization: A non-surgical approach for non-displaced fractures, setting the bone in place under a cast or brace. Immobilization duration varies based on fracture type, location, severity, and individual healing progress.
• Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF): Surgical repair using plates, rods, screws, or nails placed under the skin. ORIF is used for displaced or comminuted fractures and involves a longer recovery and higher medical costs.
• Percutaneous pinning: Wires inserted to hold fractured fragments in place until healed, then removed.
• External fixation: Rods, clamps, and pins attached outside the skin to stabilize severe or open fractures.

Open fractures, where bone breaks through the skin, require emergency surgery and carry elevated infection risk. Long-term complications can include non-union (failure to heal), malunion (healing in a misaligned position), post-traumatic arthritis, compartment syndrome, nerve damage, chronic pain, and hardware issues such as implant loosening or infection. Physical therapy is typically required after surgical repair. These complications matter directly in determining the value of a premises liability claim.

Tibia Fractures vs. Fibula Fractures: Why the Distinction Matters

The tibia is the larger, weight-bearing bone of the lower leg. The fibula is smaller and doesn’t carry primary body weight, though it provides ankle stability. Because the tibia is structurally central to walking, a tibia fracture typically causes greater functional impairment than an isolated fibula fracture. It can also damage surrounding ligaments, tendons, and structures near the knee joint, compounding recovery complexity. Many tibia fractures simultaneously fracture the fibula due to the structural relationship between the two bones. The degree of displacement, whether permanent hardware was implanted, and whether complications develop are the primary drivers of both recovery length and the value of a legal claim. In some cases, the injury results in permanent disability.

Recovery Time for a Broken Tibia or Fibula

Recovery generally ranges from six weeks for minor non-displaced fractures to several months or longer for fractures requiring surgery. Non-displaced fractures treated with a cast or brace may require immobilization for 11 to 17 weeks. During that period, patients must keep weight off the injured leg. This is a real hardship for anyone whose work requires standing or physical activity. Age, overall health, fracture severity, bone displacement, and surgical complications all affect how long recovery takes. Following the prescribed treatment plan, including physical therapy, is essential to avoid setbacks that extend the process.

Indiana Law & Your Tib/Fib Slip & Fall Claim

To pursue a premises liability case in Indiana, you must prove the property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition and failed to address it within a reasonable time. Indiana follows modified comparative fault under IC 34-51-2: you can still recover compensation as long as your own fault doesn’t exceed 50 percent, though your recovery is reduced proportionally by your share of fault. Insurers routinely argue you were partially responsible for the fall. Building a strong liability case on preserved evidence is the most effective counter to that strategy.

Filing Deadlines & Government Property

The filing deadline is two years from the date of injury under Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4. Missing that deadline permanently bars recovery. If the property where you fell was owned or controlled by a government entity, a notice of tort claim must be filed before a lawsuit can proceed. For claims against a city, county, or other local government body, that notice must be filed within 180 days of the loss. For claims against the State of Indiana itself, the deadline is 270 days.

Why Evidence Preservation Starts on Day One

Evidence degrades fast in slip and fall cases. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, maintenance records disappear, and witness recollections fade. When the property is publicly accessible, we visit the site within 48 hours of signing on as a client and file preservation demands immediately. Rather than waiting near the two-year deadline, we file lawsuits promptly and use a set of firm-designed court motions, filed immediately after the initial complaint, that can accelerate case scheduling and reach a settlement conference at the earliest court opportunity.

What Compensation Is Available for a Tib/Fib Fracture in Indiana?

Recoverable damages in an Indiana premises liability claim include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and costs associated with permanent impairment or disability. For tib/fib fractures specifically, several factors raise claim value:

• Whether surgery was required, particularly ORIF with plates, rods, or screws
• The presence of permanent hardware with future maintenance costs
• Long-term complications such as chronic pain or post-traumatic arthritis
• Inability to return to prior employment or physical activities
• Younger plaintiff age due to the longer projected life impact

Non-economic damages like pain and suffering are often the largest component of a serious fracture verdict, and how well the impact on your daily life is documented and presented to a jury matters enormously. Since 2012, Jeff Shaw has recovered over $18,000,000 in verdicts and settlements for clients, including a $5 million bicyclist verdict upheld on appeal ($4.4 million paid) and a $600,000 verdict against Walmart in Hamilton County. Past results don’t guarantee a future outcome, but they reflect what thorough preparation and willingness to try a case can produce.

Why Tib/Fib Fracture Victims Across Indiana Choose Shaw Law

Our practice is built around premises liability in Indiana. Jeff “JJ” Shaw has never lost a jury trial on a premises liability matter in over 30 years of practice and more than 100 bench and jury trials. He began his career at the largest insurance defense firm in northern Indiana, which means he knows exactly how insurers evaluate these claims and where they look for weaknesses. The Indiana Trial Lawyers Association recognized him with its 29th Lifetime Achievement Award.

We maintain relationships with expert witnesses across the country, including floor slipperiness measurement experts, OSHA experts, and industry standards experts for hotels, restaurants, and stores. These experts establish what duty of care a business owed you and where it fell short.

Clients who sign with our firm get access to the EZ Case app, available on iOS and Google Play. It shows you the estimated value of your case, the projected completion date, and every step taken and remaining (accessible 24 hours a day). We’re one of the few Indiana personal injury firms that handle premises liability cases on a contingency basis: you pay nothing unless we win.

If you suffered a tibia or fibula fracture in a slip and fall on someone else’s property, contact Shaw Law today for a free consultation. Call (260) 777-7777 or reach us through our online contact form.