One of the most common car accident injuries is a wrist fracture. But why are broken wrists in crashes so common? What causes them? How much money can you recover from a broken wrist in a car accident? And who's responsible for your wrist fracture expenses?
Remarkably, a nationwide scientific study reveals that around 12 percent of adults aged over 50 have experienced wrist fractures, often due to falls. However, severe car accidents also emerge as a significant cause of these fractures, shedding light on the convergence of motor vehicle accidents and wrist injuries.
What causes car accident wrist fractures?
The reason wrist fractures are so common in car accidents is that a collision's force can break the bones in someone's wrist in an instant. Specific reasons why include:
- Wrist hitting the dashboard or windshield on impact, breaking the wrist due to the extreme force of someone's body hitting the car's interior in an accident.
- Airbag deploying in a crash and fracturing the driver's or front-seat passenger's wrist.
- Someone putting out their arms to try to brace for the impact of the crash, resulting in a broken wrist. This reaction is often called "fall on outstretched hand" or FOOSH. Broken wrist injuries due to FOOSH are especially common in accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Types of wrist fractures
There are several different types of wrist fractures, all of which can occur in a car accident:
- Stable Fracture – Wrist fracture in which the bones remain in place.
- Unstable Fracture – Wrist fracture in which the bones have been moved or displaced. When this happens, the bones must be pushed back into place and secured with a splint or cast.
- Open Fracture – Wrist fracture in which the bone pierces the skin. It is also sometimes called a compound wrist fracture.
- Comminuted Fracture – Severe wrist fracture involving the wrist joint being broken into several pieces.
- Distal Radius Fracture – Wrist fracture involving the radius bone breaking in the forearm about one inch from the wrist.
Common symptoms of a broken wrist
See a doctor right away and have them diagnose your wrist injury to determine if it's a wrist fracture. Common symptoms of a wrist fracture include:
- Pain in the wrist.
- Difficulty moving wrist.
- Swelling in the wrist.
- Numbness in fingers.
- Bruising on the wrist.
Make sure you take your wrist fracture symptoms seriously. Have a doctor examine you and run the necessary diagnostic tests. Often, doctors diagnose a wrist fracture by taking an X-ray, CT scan, or another imaging test to determine the severity and location of the wrist fracture.
What is the average wrist fracture car accident settlement?
This question can be a bit misleading. That's because there's no set dollar amount for how much money someone receives for their wrist fracture expenses due to a car accident. Some injury victims might get a few thousand dollars. Others might be paid a lot more.
The difference often depends on different factors, including the severity of someone's injuries and how much time is needed to recover. You should always be careful if someone tells you an average settlement amount for a car accident wrist fracture. Each case is unique.
The best way to know how much money you deserve for your wrist fracture is to talk to an attorney who handles car accident injury claims in your state. That's because every state, like Connecticut, has its unique compensation system for car accident injuries.
The bottom line is you should be paid for all your accident-related expenses and financial losses due to your wrist fracture, such as:
- The cost of all medical care, including emergency medical treatments, future anticipated medical expenses, follow-up medical treatments, and surgery.
- Physical therapy, especially if you have chronic pain due to your wrist fracture.
- If it's a total loss, money to repair damage to your vehicle or buy a new car.
- Replacement income if you need time off from work to rest and recover due to your wrist fracture and other injuries.
- Lost future income if you cannot do your job or find a different job that pays less due to your wrist injury.
Who's responsible for paying for my wrist fracture?
Connecticut has an at-fault car insurance system. This usually means the at-fault driver's insurance company must pay for your injury-related expenses. But just because they should do so does not mean they will automatically pay you the money you deserve. You often need an experienced attorney who knows how to deal with insurance companies and can demand the money you need to pay for your injury expenses.
Should I accept a settlement claim for my wrist fracture?
The short answer? Maybe. But you need to carefully consider any car accident settlement claim offer before you agree to accept it. If you sign and accept a settlement offer, that's it. Your case is settled, and you cannot ask for more money in the future, even if you suddenly have additional expenses due to your wrist fracture.
Vishno Law Firm fights for crash victims
A claim involving a broken wrist can quickly turn into a complicated legal case. When this happens, it's critical that you have someone who knows how to deal with insurance companies, build strong cases, and advocate for the compensation you deserve.
At Vishno Law Firm, our dedicated legal team can help you every step of the way. We know how to counter insurance company tactics to pay you less, and if push comes to shove, we aren't afraid to take your case to court and fight for your rights in front of a judge and jury.
If you or someone you love suffered a fractured wrist in a car accident due to negligence, put your trust in a Connecticut law firm that knows how to get results. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney you can count on. We have two offices conveniently located in Fairfield and New Haven, Connecticut.