The injuries that arise from a motor vehicle accident (MVA) can range from minor to catastrophic. Many victims suffer lifelong damage to the brain or spinal cord.
You might feel lucky to walk away from your crash with only hand injuries. However, damage to one or both hands (or wrists) can still lead to extensive treatment and loss of your ability to work on a long- or short-term basis.
What are some common hand injuries?
Your hands are vulnerable to trauma and damage in all motor vehicle accidents. Some of the injuries that can affect your hands and wrists include:
- Fractures: The forces involved in a crash can break the bones in your wrists and hands. In severe accidents, there is also a risk of crushing one or both hands, which can be catastrophic to victims.
- Ligament injuries: Vehicle accidents may damage the ligaments responsible for supporting the muscles and joints of your hands and wrists. Without treatment, ligaments may not heal correctly, causing chronic long-term pain and physical limitations.
- Dislocations: Your hands contain multiple joints that could become dislocated in a motor vehicle accident. Prompt medical treatment is usually required to avoid permanent joint damage.
- Punctures: Flying accident debris may pierce the tissue of your wrist or hands and lead to deep puncture wounds. While they typically heal well, these wounds are vulnerable to severe infection without treatment.
- Amputations: All motor vehicle accidents pose the risk of accidental amputation. As one of the most catastrophic crash injuries, finger or hand amputations require substantial medical attention on a long-term basis.
Even though hand and wrist injuries are not typically life-threatening, they do require extensive treatment that can deplete your finances. Exploring all possible compensation options under New York law ensures your ability to pay for the medical care your crash injuries require.