You braced yourself for the crash, hands instinctively gripping the wheel. Seconds later, the car was still, but your wrist wasn’t. It throbbed with every small movement. Injuries like this can turn everyday tasks—lifting a bag, opening a door, fastening a button—into hurdles. At Bensinger Legal Services, we understand how hand and wrist injuries from a car accident affect your routine and quality of life.
We’re here to help you hold insurance companies accountable and recover what you’re owed. Call us at (419) 455-1410 to schedule a free consultation, or contact us online today.
Common Hand and Wrist Injuries from a Car Accident
1. Fractures
The sudden force of airbag deployment or hitting the center console can easily break bones like the radius, ulna, or tiny bones in the hand. A hand injury from a car accident can make everyday activities like picking up your child or brushing your hair excruciating.
Hand and wrist fractures may heal incorrectly without proper treatment, leading to stiffness, reduced grip strength, or chronic discomfort.
2. Sprains and Strains
Sudden, unnatural wrist movements during a collision can stretch or tear the ligaments that connect bones, resulting in a sprain. Even just gripping the wheel tightly during impact can strain your wrist ligaments.
Although sprains might not seem as serious as fractures, they can still interfere with your day-to-day life. Limited range of motion and discomfort can make even basic tasks feel difficult.
3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is typically associated with repetitive stress, but did you know it can also result from the trauma of a car accident?
Swelling in the wrist after an accident can compress the median nerve, which runs through the carpal tunnel, leading to numbness, tingling, and weakness in your hand.
4. Dislocations
Collisions can force the wrist and fingers out of their normal positions. For instance, bracing your hand against the dashboard during a crash can create enough force to push a joint out of alignment.
Realigning the bone is critical, and untreated dislocations can lead to permanent joint instability. A severe wrist injury from a car accident may even require long-term therapy to restore function.
5. Tendon Injuries
If your fingers feel stiff or it’s painful to tie your shoes or hold a cup, a tendon injury could be the cause. The sudden impact can overstretch or tear these fibrous tissues during a car accident.
These injuries aren’t just about discomfort; untreated damage can lead to permanent limitations in hand function.
6. Soft Tissue Injuries and Contusions
Bruising might seem like the least concerning injury on this list, but it can still interfere with your daily activities. After a car accident, bruising on the hand or wrist may indicate underlying trauma to tissues, muscles, or even bones.
A car accident hand injury like this, if left unchecked, can mask more serious damage, such as fractures or ligament tears.
Symptoms of Hand and Wrist Injuries
Hand and wrist injuries from a car accident don’t always show up right away. What starts as mild soreness or swelling can signal something more serious. Symptoms to look for include:
- Swelling or bruising that doesn’t go down;
- Tingling or numbness in your fingers;
- Pain when gripping, lifting, or turning your wrist; and
- Difficulty completing tasks like holding a glass or using your keys.
Persistent hand pain after a car accident may indicate underlying issues, from compression to nerve damage. Seeing a doctor also creates a medical record of your injuries, which can be helpful if you decide to pursue a legal claim.
How a Lawyer Can Help After a Hand or Wrist Injury
Medical bills and time away from work often follow hand and wrist injuries caused by car accidents. Ohio’s modified comparative negligence law allows you to seek compensation if you are less than 50% at fault for the crash.
Even if you share some responsibility, you could still recover damages for expenses like treatment costs and lost wages. Unfortunately, insurance companies may try to shift blame to reduce what they have to pay.
Attorney Aaron Bensinger understands how insurance companies operate. That’s why his team works to gather evidence that shows the real toll of your injury, from medical records and doctor evaluations to how your daily life has changed.
Whether it’s wrist pain after a car accident or long-term nerve damage, the goal is the same: to make sure you’re not left covering costs that shouldn’t be yours to bear.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today
When hand and wrist injuries from a car accident make even simple tasks difficult, having the right support matters. Whether you’re dealing with fractures, nerve damage, or lingering pain, Bensinger Legal Services is here to help you recover what you’re owed.
Our team has worked with clients across northwest Ohio to secure compensation for medical bills, lost income, and more. Call (419) 455-1410 or contact us online for a free consultation. Let’s discuss your next steps.
Aaron L. Bensinger is an Ohio attorney serving personal injury and civil litigation clients. He has extensive trial experience and makes client service is his primary focus. As a partner at Balyeat, Leahy, Daley, Miller & Bensinger, LLC, Aaron happily works in Lima, OH, and serves the entire Northwest region of the state and beyond.
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