Despite efforts from government officials and law enforcement to make the roads safer, hundreds of people are still killed in car crashes every year in Alabama. On top of that, there are even more severe injuries.
One frequent type of injury resulting from collisions is damage to the wrists. How does this happen? How serious is a wrist injury and what are your options in terms of pursuing compensation?
What causes wrist injuries?
During a crash, humans have a natural instinct to protect themselves as much as possible. If you’re a passenger, then this may involve leaning over and putting your hands over your head and face. If you’re driving, then you may grip the steering wheel as tightly as possible to brace yourself for impact.
Both of these actions have the potential to cause serious wrist injuries. If your arms and hands are the first points of impact, then they are likely to suffer the most damage. When holding on to the wheel, the amount of force that runs from your arms could be unsustainable for your wrists.
The wrist consists of numerous bones, some of which are more delicate than others. Severe fractures can require surgery, leaving a person unable to function each day for several months. These types of injuries can also be severely painful, and it can take a while to get pain management sorted out.
A fracture also has the potential to damage soft tissues such as tendons. A person may need to undergo several months of physical therapy before the movement in their wrist is restored.
If you’ve been seriously hurt in a crash and the collision was caused by negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Getting in touch with someone with experience in personal injury law will give you a better idea of your options.