Naperville Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
A slip and fall accident can cause much more than bruises or minor soreness. One of the most painful injuries victims may suffer is a broken tailbone, also known as a coccyx fracture. Although the tailbone is relatively small, it plays an important role in supporting your body while sitting, stabilizing certain muscles and ligaments, and helping distribute weight. A fractured coccyx can make even the simplest daily activities, including sitting, driving, working, or sleeping, extremely painful.
Broken tailbone injuries frequently occur when someone slips on a wet floor, icy sidewalk, uneven pavement, or another dangerous property condition and lands directly on their buttocks. In many cases, these accidents are preventable and occur because a property owner failed to maintain reasonably safe premises.
According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), falls account for more than 8 million emergency room visits each year, making them one of the leading causes of injury in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also reports that falls are a leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries, particularly among older adults. While hip fractures and head injuries often receive the most attention, coccyx fractures and severe tailbone bruises can result in chronic pain that lasts for months or even years.
If your broken tailbone resulted from a property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation through a premises liability claim.
What Is a Broken Tailbone?
The coccyx, commonly referred to as the tailbone, consists of three to five small fused vertebrae located at the base of the spine. Although small, the tailbone serves several important functions:
- Supports body weight while sitting
- Provides attachment points for muscles and ligaments
- Helps stabilize the pelvis
- Assists with balance during certain movements
A slip and fall can cause the coccyx to:
- Fracture
- Crack
- Become displaced (dislocated)
- Sustain severe bruising
Because tailbone injuries are located at the very end of the spine, even a relatively small fracture can produce intense pain whenever pressure is placed on the area.
How Do Slip and Fall Accidents Cause Tailbone Injuries?
Most broken tailbones occur when a person unexpectedly falls backward and lands directly on a hard surface. Common causes include:
- Wet grocery store floors
- Ice-covered sidewalks
- Snow-covered parking lots
- Recently mopped floors without warning signs
- Uneven sidewalks
- Broken stairs
- Loose flooring
- Poor lighting
- Spilled liquids in retail stores
- Apartment complex walkways
Unlike falls where people catch themselves with their hands, backward falls often cause the full force of the body’s weight to be absorbed by the tailbone. The harder the landing surface, the greater the likelihood of a fracture.
Symptoms of a Broken Tailbone
Many people initially believe they simply bruised themselves after a fall. However, symptoms that persist or worsen may indicate a fractured coccyx. Common symptoms include:
- Severe pain when sitting
- Pain while standing from a seated position
- Tenderness over the tailbone
- Bruising and swelling
- Pain during bowel movements
- Pain during sexual activity
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty driving
- Sleep disturbances due to discomfort
Pain often becomes worse after prolonged sitting and may continue for several weeks or months.
Diagnosing a Coccyx Fracture
Diagnosing a broken tailbone can sometimes be challenging because the coccyx is a small structure that does not always show clearly on routine X-rays. A physician may use:
- Physical examination
- Medical history
- X-rays
- CT scans
- MRI scans
In some cases, imaging may appear normal even though the patient experiences significant pain due to ligament damage, bruising, or a subtle fracture. Insurance companies sometimes attempt to minimize tailbone injuries because they are difficult to visualize on diagnostic imaging. Thorough medical documentation is therefore essential.
Treatment for a Broken Tailbone
Unlike many broken bones, a fractured tailbone generally cannot be placed in a cast. Treatment usually focuses on relieving pain while allowing the injury to heal naturally.
Common treatments include:
- Rest
- Ice therapy
- Prescription pain medication
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Special coccyx cushions or donut pillows
- Physical therapy
- Activity modification
- Stool softeners to reduce discomfort during bowel movements
Most fractures heal over several weeks, but some individuals develop chronic coccydynia, a condition involving long-term tailbone pain that can persist for months or even years. In rare situations involving severe displacement or persistent pain, surgery to remove part or all of the coccyx (coccygectomy) may be considered.
How a Broken Tailbone Can Affect Your Daily Life
Although some people assume a tailbone fracture is a “minor” injury, the reality is often quite different. A broken coccyx can interfere with nearly every aspect of daily living. Victims frequently experience difficulty:
- Sitting through work meetings
- Driving to work
- Traveling
- Caring for children
- Exercising
- Sleeping comfortably
- Performing household chores
- Returning to physically demanding jobs
Office workers may struggle to remain seated throughout the workday, while construction workers, nurses, delivery drivers, and others with physically demanding jobs may be unable to perform their regular duties for weeks or months. The physical pain is often accompanied by emotional frustration, particularly when recovery takes longer than expected.
Long-Term Complications of a Broken Tailbone
While many coccyx fractures heal within several weeks, some victims continue to experience pain long after the initial injury. Chronic tailbone pain, known medically as coccydynia, can significantly interfere with a person’s quality of life.
Potential long-term complications include:
- Chronic pain while sitting
- Persistent lower back pain
- Difficulty driving long distances
- Pain during exercise
- Reduced mobility
- Muscle spasms in the pelvic floor
- Depression or anxiety related to chronic pain
- Permanent limitations on work and recreational activities
For some individuals, even routine activities such as sitting through a movie, attending a meeting, or traveling by airplane become extremely uncomfortable. These ongoing symptoms may increase the value of a personal injury claim because they demonstrate the lasting impact of the injury.
Proving Liability for a Slip and Fall Accident in Illinois
Simply suffering a broken tailbone does not automatically entitle someone to compensation. Under Illinois premises liability law, an injured person generally must prove that a property owner or occupier acted negligently.
To establish liability, you typically must show:
- A dangerous condition existed on the property.
- The property owner knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard.
- The owner failed to repair the hazard or provide an adequate warning.
- The hazardous condition directly caused your fall.
- You suffered injuries and damages as a result.
Examples of dangerous conditions include:
- Wet or freshly mopped floors without warning signs
- Snow- and ice-covered sidewalks
- Uneven pavement
- Loose carpeting
- Broken handrails
- Poor lighting
- Cracked stairs
- Spilled liquids that were not cleaned up promptly
Evidence such as surveillance video, photographs of the accident scene, witness statements, maintenance records, and incident reports can be critical in proving negligence.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
A broken tailbone may not require surgery in most cases, but it can still result in substantial financial losses and significant pain. If another party’s negligence caused your slip and fall accident, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Prescription medications
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of normal life
- Permanent disability or chronic pain
Every case is different, and the value of a claim depends on factors such as the severity of the injury, the length of recovery, whether permanent symptoms develop, and the impact on the victim’s daily life.
Illinois Comparative Negligence Rules
Property owners and their insurance companies often argue that the injured person was partially responsible for the accident.
For example, they may claim you:
- Were distracted by your phone
- Failed to watch where you were walking
- Ignored warning signs
- Wore inappropriate footwear
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, an injured person may still recover damages as long as they are not more than 50% at fault for the accident. However, any recovery is reduced by the person’s percentage of fault. Because insurance companies frequently attempt to shift blame to injured victims, speaking with an experienced premises liability attorney early in the process can help protect your claim.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall Accident?
The actions you take immediately after a fall can make a significant difference in both your medical recovery and your legal case. If possible, you should:
- Report the accident to the property owner or manager.
- Request that an incident report be completed.
- Take photographs of the hazardous condition before it is repaired.
- Photograph your injuries.
- Obtain the names and contact information of any witnesses.
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Keep copies of all medical records and bills.
- Avoid giving recorded statements to the insurance company without first speaking to an attorney.
Prompt medical care not only protects your health but also creates important documentation linking your injuries to the accident.
“Insurance companies sometimes dismiss a broken tailbone as a minor injury, but anyone who has suffered one knows how debilitating it can be. Chronic pain, missed work, and limitations on everyday activities can affect every part of a person’s life. If your injury was caused by an unsafe property condition, you deserve to have your claim taken seriously.”
— John J. Malm, Naperville Premises Liability Attorney
Frequently Asked Questions about Broken Tailbones in Slip and Fall Accidents
Can I sue if I broke my tailbone in a slip and fall accident?
Yes. If your injury was caused by a property owner’s negligence, such as failing to clean up a spill, remove ice, repair uneven flooring, or warn of a dangerous condition, you may have a premises liability claim under Illinois law.
How long does a broken tailbone take to heal?
Most coccyx fractures heal within 8 to 12 weeks, although severe injuries or chronic coccydynia can result in symptoms that last much longer. Recovery varies depending on the extent of the injury and the individual’s overall health.
Do broken tailbones always show up on X-rays?
No. Some coccyx fractures are difficult to detect on standard X-rays. In certain cases, physicians may order a CT scan or MRI, or diagnose the injury based on the patient’s symptoms and physical examination.
How much is a broken tailbone case worth?
There is no standard settlement amount. The value of a claim depends on factors such as the severity of the fracture, medical expenses, lost income, permanent pain, and whether the injury affects your ability to work or enjoy daily activities.
What if the property owner says the accident was my fault?
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Even if you were partially responsible for your fall, you may still recover compensation as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. An experienced attorney can evaluate the facts of your case and help counter unfair allegations of fault.
Contact the 5-Star Rated Naperville Injury Attorneys at John J. Malm & Associates After a Slip and Fall Accident
A broken tailbone may not be as visible as other injuries, but its effects can be profound. Victims often endure weeks or months of severe pain, difficulty sitting or driving, missed work, and limitations on nearly every aspect of daily life. When these injuries result from a property owner’s negligence, you should not have to bear the financial burden alone.
At John J. Malm & Associates, we have extensive experience representing victims of slip and fall accidents throughout Illinois. Our legal team understands how to investigate dangerous property conditions, preserve critical evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and pursue the full compensation our clients deserve. We recognize that injuries like coccyx fractures are often underestimated, and we work diligently to ensure that the true impact of your injury is fully documented and presented.
If you or a loved one suffered a broken tailbone in a slip and fall accident, contact John J. Malm & Associates today for a free consultation. We will explain your legal rights, answer your questions, and fight to help you recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages so you can focus on healing.