The delicate bones, ligaments, muscles and other parts of the wrist can be easily injured in a car accident. Wrist injuries may lead to lasting pain and side effects that disrupt your daily life, health and ability to work.
Simien & Simien’s licensed Baton Rouge car accident lawyers know how wrist injuries affect you now and in the future. We help car accident victims pursue the compensation they are entitled to for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact us now for a free, no obligation consultation.
Common Types of Wrist Injuries
Car accidents can cause a variety of wrist injuries ranging from minor to severe, including:
Fractures
The wrist and hand contain 27 bones, 13 extending from the wrist to the palm and 14 in the fingers and thumb. Blunt trauma during a car accident can easily cause fractures in any of these delicate bones. Blunt trauma can occur if the wrist or hand collides with the steering wheel, windshield, air bag or other interior components of the vehicle upon impact.
Some common types of fractures from a car accident include:
Scaphoid fractures
Broken wrists
Fractured knuckles
Broken fingers
Crushed hands
Sprains
A wrist sprain occurs when the ligaments that hold the wrist’s bones together are damaged. Sprains often occur when the wrist is bent backwards or hits items in the vehicle.
Sprains can cause pain, swelling and reduced movement. If a sprain is left untreated, you could suffer long-term damage.
Wrist sprains are categorized by their severity:
Grade one is a mild sprain that stretches the ligaments, but does not tear them.
Grade two is a moderate sprain causing partial ligament tears and possible loss of function in the wrist.
Grade three is a severe sprain where the ligaments are entirely torn. This requires medical or surgical treatment to correct. This level of sprain can also result in pieces of bone being carried away when the ligament tears. This is called an avulsion fracture.
Dislocations
These injuries occur when linked bones are moved out of their natural position during an accident. Dislocations commonly occur when vehicle occupants grab the steering wheel or dashboard to brace themselves during impact.
Dislocations can damage bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves within the wrist. If medical treatment is not obtained immediately long-term or permanent damage can result.
Tendon Damage
Tendons within the wrist connect bones to surrounding muscles. Blunt trauma from a car accident can cause painful injuries like tendonitis, which is an inflammation of the tendons.
What to Do After Suffering a Wrist Injury
Wrist injuries can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
Inflammation
Numbness in the wrists, hands or fingers
Pain
Difficulty holding or grasping items
However, you should always seek medical treatment after a car accident, even if you do not notice symptoms of a wrist injury. A trained medical professional can evaluate your condition and order needed imaging or diagnostics to accurately diagnose your wrist injury.
Always follow the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. This is critical to your recovery because if your wrist does not heal properly you could have long-term pain and complications. This could have a devastating effect on your life because your wrist is involved in so many daily tasks.
Get Help with Your Car Accident Claim
Wrist injuries resulting from car accidents can be very painful, disrupting your life and ability to work while requiring costly medical treatment. Working with a skilled car accident attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers of Simien & Simien have many years of combined experience assisting injury victims. We have a successful track record of recovering fair compensation to help victims move forward with their lives.
Schedule a free, no obligation consultation and learn the legal options available for pursuing compensation. We charge no upfront fees, and payment is only owed if you receive compensation in your case.
Call (800) 374-8422 or complete our Free Case Evaluation form now.
