A fractured wrist can be more than a painful inconvenience, especially if it involves your dominant hand. Whichever hand it is, if you or a family member fractured a wrist in an accident in California, you’ll want to contact a skilled and proficient personal injury lawyer.
Contact Maison Law for a free consultation as soon as possible after your accident.
Common Causes of Wrist Fractures
The wrist is a complex hinge joint that consists of eight bones along with muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves that all work together to help us button a shirt or take a shower. We tend to take our wrists for granted until such time as we’ve injured one of them. Wrist fractures are commonly a result of auto, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, slip-and-falls, trip-and-falls or construction accidents.
Symptoms of a Broken Wrist
The symptoms of a wrist fracture are painfully obvious. Aside from that pain, the wrist is likely to be swollen, red or bruised. There’s likely to be a tingling sensation in the hand and fingers, visual deformity of the affected wrist and stiffness in the hand and fingers.
Types of Wrist Fractures
According to Johns Hopkins Medical, a distal radius fracture is the most common type of wrist fracture. They occur at the far end of the arm’s radius bone next to the wrist. Falls, auto accidents and sports injuries are the most common causes of such a fracture. Here are some other common types of wrist fractures:
- Colles’ Fracture: The broken end of the radius is bent backward. This fracture can damage the median nerve.
- Smith’s Fracture: These are usually caused by a fall on the back of the hand. Volar displacement results with the wrist joint rests in front of where it belongs.
- Scaphoid Fracture: These occur just below the base of the thumb, usually when victims try to break a fall. Victims have difficulty grabbing or grasping an object.
- Barton’s Fracture: This involves a shearing fracture of the distal radius, usually from a fall on an outstretched wrist.
- Chauffer’s Fracture: A chauffer’s fracture has nothing to do with modern motor vehicles. It’s an antiquated description that describes a fracture of the radial styloid process of the wrist.
Diagnosing a Wrist Fracture
An emergency room physician will inquire as to how and when you injured your wrist. He or she will note any symptoms, and if a fracture is suspected, x-rays or a CT scan will be ordered. Upon confirming a fracture, a treatment plan will be formulated discussed.
Treatment of Wrist Fractures
A doctor might try to manipulate bones back to their natural position. As this is quite painful, a general anesthetic is typically used. In the context of surgery, plates, rods or screws might be used to hold bones in place until they heal. Surgery is a frequent alternative in open fractures when bone has penetrated the skin. It’s also used to treat fractures that extend to the joint or when there is ligament, nerve or circulatory system damage. In any case, the wrist will be immobilized with a splint or cast for about six weeks. Patients can expect a course of therapy after that.
Permanency
The wrist is such a complicated piece of the skeleton that there is always a question of whether a fracture injury will cause permanent symptoms. This is particularly worrisome when surgical hardware has been implanted. Even an athlete in his or her prime might experience arthritic changes, deformity and nerve issues as a result of an old wrist fracture. In any personal injury claim or lawsuit, permanency should be included as a part of the damages suffered especially if a victim’s dominant hand is affected.
Wrist Fracture? Contact Maison Law, your California Personal Injury Law Firm.
If you or a family member suffered a fractured wrist in an accident, contact our offices as soon as can after seeking medical care. We’ll be pleased to provide you with a free consultation and case evaluation at no cost or obligation. Your questions will be answered truthfully, and all of your legal options will be fully explained. If we’re retained to represent you, no legal fees are even due unless we obtain a settlement or award for you. Our goal is to obtain the highest compensation for your injuries and damages that you deserve.
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