What you’ll learn from this article:

• Hand injuries are common in car accidents and can be severely disabling.
• With a lawyer’s help, you can pursue a broken hand car accident settlement.
• Include the full value of your losses and the damage to your lifestyle from losing the use of your hands temporarily or permanently.

Your fingers, hands, and wrists can easily be fractured in the force of a car accident. During the crash, you might suddenly grab the dashboard or brace yourself against the door without realizing you’re putting your hands at risk. 

Even if you weren’t the driver, you could be suffering from severe hand or arm injuries. Injured people are often entitled to significant accident compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and many other types of losses from car accidents.

What are the Most Common Hand Injuries in Car Accidents?

A study by the National Institutes of Health found that 28.6% of all car accident injuries are to the hands or wrists. Below are some of the most common upper limb extremity injuries from car accidents.

Broken Bones

Broken bone injuries come from strong impacts and crushing forces during car crashes. Subconsciously tensing up can also lead to broken bones in your arms and shoulders as you slam against the sides of the vehicle.

Common symptoms of broken bones include intense pain, weakness, and mobility issues. You will likely have swelling and bruising throughout the areas that were injured. Proper treatment for broken hand bones is essential or you could end up with crooked fingers or lifetime mobility and dexterity issues.

Extensor Injury

An extensor tendon injury in the hand involves the tendons just under the skin along the bones in the back of the hand. Rips or tears in this area can cause severe and persistent deformities like drooping finger end joints, permanently bent fingers, ongoing pain, or difficulty extending the fingers fully.

Joint Dislocation

Although joint dislocation is commonly associated with shoulder and hip injuries, hand dislocations are surprisingly common. Any jointed area can suffer a sudden dislocation during a car crash.

Keep in mind that you can also acquire a dislocation from a car accident in the days after the crash when your hand bones are still in a vulnerable state. The middle finger knuckles are especially prone to this type of post-crash dislocation. Stay on the lookout for red flags like swelling, numbness, redness, and pain.

Scarring

Hand scarring and disfigurement are legitimate concerns after car accidents. You may have cuts or burns that leave your hands tight and sensitive for months after the crash. Scars can also heal improperly and create dexterity problems.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Do you have soft tissue injuries in your hands? Painful sprains, strains, and other injuries aren’t always visible from the outside. Ask a doctor to evaluate whether you may have soft tissue injuries to your muscles, nerves, tendons, or skin.

Torn Ligaments

The ligaments that hold your hand bones together are complex and easily damaged in a car accident. If this network of ligaments and bones doesn’t work correctly, you could struggle to regain the movement you need in your hands for work, hobbies, and living your normal lifestyle.

Wrist Injuries

Your wrists serve the key functions of twisting and supporting your hands as you do things like drive, type, cook food, play music, and communicate with other people. A wrist injury is not only painful but reduces your ability to live an active and full life.

How Do I Pursue a Broken Hand Car Accident Settlement?

If you have injuries like a broken hand in a car accident, there’s no need to cover your costs on your own. The responsible party and their insurance company can be held responsible for your losses.

Start your case by speaking to a qualified Indiana car accident lawyer. Share the details of the accident and how it has impacted your life. Bring your medical bills, a copy of the police report, and all other documentation related to the case.

Gather witness statements and contact information, including insurance company details. Talk to your lawyer about the process for securing video footage from dash cams and nearby businesses. The more evidence you have, the better. 

Indiana allows you to collect compensation for your pain and suffering. Give proper value to the suffering you’re experiencing, particularly if you have a job or hobby that relies heavily on the normal function of your hands.

Poynter & Bucheri Accident Recovery – Indianapolis Accident Attorneys

A broken hand car accident settlement could be just what you need to move forward from your accident. Contact the Indiana attorneys at Poynter & Bucheri Accident Recovery at 1-800-265-9881 for a free broken hand car accident case review.