Compensation for Broken Wrist Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents in Indiana
Slip and fall accidents are a leading cause of injury in America. Every year, millions of fall injuries are reported, including head, hip, and back injuries. But some of the most common types of injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents are wrist injuries — particularly broken wrist injuries.
If you slip and fall and injure your wrist on your own property due to your own carelessness, then you will likely only be able to rely on your health insurance to cover your injury. However, if you slip and fall on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation for your broken wrist if the accident was the result of the property owner’s negligence.
In Indiana, property owners have a responsibility to maintain a safe premise that is free from hazards. If a known hazard causes you to slip and fall, you could potentially hold the property owner liable.
That being said, proving liability in Indiana slip and fall accident cases is not easy. If you want to ensure that the property owner is held liable and that you are awarded the settlement you deserve, you will need to work with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer.
How Do Broken Wrist Injuries Happen in Slip and Fall Accidents?
Wrist fractures, or broken wrist injuries, can happen in any number of situations. You can break your wrist while playing a sport, riding a bike, performing everyday tasks, and even in car accidents. But some of the most common causes of broken wrist injuries are slip and fall accidents.
When you slip and fall, it is instinctual to put your arms and hands out to catch yourself. Unfortunately, this action is often what leads to a broken wrist. The force or pressure placed on the wrists when you fall, especially if you fall hard or at an odd angle, can easily cause the bones in your wrist to break.
Common causes of slip and fall accidents that lead to broken wrist injuries include:
- Slipping and falling on spilled liquids
- Slipping on recently mopped floors
- Tripping and falling on broken or uneven surfaces
- Tripping over objects cluttering the floor
- Tripping over loose carpeting or cords
- Slipping and falling on icy pavement
- Falling down stairs that are poorly lit or missing railings
Treating a Broken Wrist After a Slip and Fall Accident
Though a broken wrist might not seem like that big of a deal, these injuries can still be costly to treat, especially if they lead to complications. When you break your wrist, the doctor will first need to get scans of your wrist to determine where the break is and it’s severity.
From there, they may be able to set the wrist with a brace or a cast. But if the break is severe, it could require surgery to reset the bones. You might also need to be put on medications to help with pain and swelling, and to prevent infection if the break resulted in an open wound or required surgery.
In some cases, you might even need to undergo physical therapy to get the full function of your wrist back. And occasionally, some complications could develop after a broken wrist injury that could require additional treatment, such as nerve damage, circulation problems, and osteoarthritis.
So depending on how severe your broken wrist is and the treatments necessary, the costs could easily pile up, resulting in a significant amount of medical debt. Fortunately, if the property owner was responsible for your accident, then you may be able to file a claim against them to recover compensation to help pay for your medical bills and other damages.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, your wellbeing should be your number one priority. So the first thing you should do is seek medical attention if your injuries are serious.
Aside from getting medical attention, you should also report the incident to the property owner or whoever is available, such as a manager or an employee, if you were injured at a place of business. Proof that the accident occurred and that a report was filed will help support your claim when you file for compensation.
After reporting the incident and attending to your injuries, you should get in contact with a slip and fall accident lawyer. A lawyer can help you gather evidence and build a strong case that supports your claim and proves that the property owner is liable for what happened.
Slip and Fall Broken Wrist Settlements
Slip and fall accident settlements vary from one case to the next. There is no set amount awarded for broken wrist injuries in slip and fall accident cases. Instead, insurance companies and the court will carefully review the case and the individual circumstances to determine how much your settlement should be.
Things that can affect how much money you are awarded for a broken wrist injury can include:
- The severity of the injury
- Where or how you were injured
- Your medical bills and treatment costs
- If you require compensation for lost wages
- If you suffered emotional distress as a result of the accident
- The amount of physical pain & suffering you have had to endure
Poynter & Bucheri Accident Recovery — Indianapolis Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer
If you have sustained a broken wrist injury in a slip and fall accident, the Indianapolis personal injury lawyers at Poynter & Bucheri can help. No matter how minor the incident is, if you injure yourself on someone else’s property due to the property owner’s negligence, you have the right to file a claim to recover compensation.
Don’t hesitate — one of our experienced slip and fall lawyers can assist you right away. Call 1-800-265-9881 for a free case review.