Wrist pain after a bad car accident should not be ignored. While some mild types of wrist pain can go away on their own, traumatic wrist injuries in a crash should be taken seriously right away. That means seeing a doctor after an accident, then contacting an experienced car accident attorney to protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve under New York law.
How do I know if my wrist injury is serious?
Wrist pain after a car accident is often described as uncomfortable or agonizing swelling, bruising, numbness, and/or tingling that has the potential to reduce the range of motion and interfere with hand coordination. There are many car accident scenarios that can lead to wrist pain.
Maybe the delicate joint was struck by something hard, such as the steering wheel or dashboard. Even the force of an airbag can be enough to fracture or otherwise injure a wrist. If the hand and wrist were bent at an awkward angle at the time of impact, the risk of injury is also increased. Older cars with less crumple zone protection are more likely to cause wrist injuries in a crash.
In some cases, wrist pain after a car accident may indicate a more serious underlying injury - such as a fracture or wrist tendonitis.
Underlying car accident-related wrist injuries
In addition to tendonitis, a number of other underlying wrist injuries can be caused by a car accident. These include:
- Stable wrist fracture - A break in one of the bones in the wrist that does not cause the bones to move out of place.
- Unstable wrist fracture - A break in the wrist that causes the bones to move out of place.
- Comminuted fracture - When one of the bones in the wrist is broken into multiple pieces of bone, it's called a comminuted fracture.
- Open fracture - When the bone breaks through the skin.
- Distal radius fractures - There are many types of distal radius fractures - this is the wrist bone closest to the hand. Types of distal radius breaks include extra-articular displaced or non-displaced fractures and intra-articular displaced or non-displaced fractures.
- Scaphoid fracture - The scaphoid bone is a small bone in the wrist on the thumb side.
- Sprains - Injuries to the ligaments that connect the bones in the wrist can be pulled, stretched, torn, or sprained.
- Hand injuries - Hand injuries, such as cuts, bruises, and fractures, can also cause wrist pain.
Recovering compensation for a broken wrist
It can be expensive to medically treat a wrist fracture after a car accident in NYC. The cost of treatment will vary depending on the severity of the fracture, the type of treatment required, and the medical provider.
At Giampa Law, our car accident attorneys use in-depth legal knowledge, powerful resources, and aggressive strategies to get results. We never accept less than you're entitled to, and we always fight to recover the maximum compensation you deserve.
If you have wrist pain after a crash in NYC, Westchester, or the surrounding area, contact the experienced Bronx car accident lawyers at Giampa Law for a free consultation. At no cost to you, a member of our team can review your case, answer your questions, and explain your potential legal options.