Nasal bone fracture accounts for the largest number of facial fractures due to the location of the nose as the most protruding part of the face.
In an article by Radiopaedia titled Nasal Bone Fracture, it was confirmed that while nasal bone fractures are the most common form of facial fractures, they account for “45% of facial fractures, and are often missed when significant facial swelling is present.”
Even though nasal fractures may not seem serious because they affect a least regarded part of the body, no one wants a broken nose. They can lead to appalling complications in victims which can be made visible with a nasal bone fracture x-ray. These complications and injuries sometimes lead to court cases where the victim seeks compensation for damages.
Nasal Bone Fracture in Court: The Case of Gerber v. Springfield Board of Education
Even though laced with legal technicalities and definitions, this case accurately exemplifies the plight of a victim of a fractured minor broken nose.
In this case, the plaintiff was a junior high school student who other students had continually bullied to the knowledge of the school management without any effort being made to put a stop to it. She suffered several “degrading and tormenting acts” at the hands of her classmates.
One day, while under the supervision of a teacher, she was thrown against a wall, picked up by the hair, and had her face repeatedly smashed against the chalkboard. She was also punched in her face and stomach by her assaulter.
Consequently, she was rushed to an emergency room of a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fracture to her nasal bone.
The doctor in charge of her treatment gave a long diagnosis of what she had suffered. The effect of the fracture left her with some disfigurement and difficulty breathing. Even with a series of nasal bone fracture surgeries for correction, the doctor in charge testified that “her injuries are permanent. In time her symptomatology will most likely become worse. She may develop increased airway impairment, nasal dryness, and epistaxis. The patient’s headaches may also increase in both frequency and intensity, the endpoint of which may be chronic rhinitis and sinusitis.”
The plaintiff in the case was permanently plagued by a continual shifting of her nasal septum, permanent difficulty breathing, headaches, facial pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This is why nasal bone fractures should not be handled with levity both medically and in legal terms.
Using Courtroom Animation to Illustrate the Complications of a Fractured Nasal Bone
Various circumstances can cause a nasal bone fracture. Some of the causes of nasal bone fractures include falls, car accidents, assault, abuse, and direct impact. Thus, nasal bone fracture can be seen as a result of the act or omission of another person.
For instance, in the case of People v. Nava, the victim sustained a broken nose bone because the appellant struck her in the face. Nasal bone fractures can lead to complications and can be demonstrated using courtroom animations. They are as follows:
- Deviated Septum
One of the complications that the victim in the case of Gerber v. Springfield Board of Education encountered was deviated septum, which caused her to have some difficulty breathing.
Deviated septum is a condition where the thin wall dividing the nostrils is displaced, narrowing the nasal passage. More often than not, surgery is required to correct this complication. Considering the three-dimensional nature of the nose and the location where the deviated septum is located, courtroom animation will play a notable role in demonstrating the havoc caused to the nose to the jury.
- Cartilage fracture
The nasal cartilages are structures that provide support and form in the nose. When the cartilage is fractured, the support and form the nasal cavities should be getting are compromised.
This condition primarily arises when there is a forceful impact on the nose. The impact and the resultant effect leading to a broken nasal bone would be better portrayed when using courtroom animations.
- Septal Hematoma
If this condition is not promptly treated, it will lead to difficulty breathing and possible cartilage damage. It is a condition whereby pools of clotted blood gather in a broken nose, blocking one or both nostrils. It is a collection of clotted blood in the nostril. What easier way to portray this complication than through courtroom animation?
However, it must be noted that whatever may be the complication being experienced, the animation must be done by an experienced courtroom animation company.
