Some of the most common injuries associated with vehicle accidents have to do with your wrist. While many people may in comparison assume that a wrist injury is not as severe as a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or broken bones, a wrist injury can have a significant impact on your job and your daily life because of the extent to which you rely on your hands.

Anyone who types on a regular basis, for example, will struggle to get through even one day at work after a major accident. Most people don’t even realize the full extent to which they use their wrist until an accident has happened rendering them unable to use it at all. Wrist injuries are serious and may take months for the recovery process.

The Connection Between Car Accidents and Wrist Injuries

Some of the most common wrist and hand injuries are associated with vehicle accidents that could have been prevented. For example, a driver who was not paying attention, someone who fell asleep behind the wheel and a person who was driving recklessly may all be responsible for the wrist injuries you’ve sustained.

Kinds of Wrist Injuries

There are several different common types of wrist injuries. These include fractures, sprains, tendon damage, and dislocations. If you have been the victim of a wrist injury and are coping with the medical bills, lost time at work and other stressful situations as a result, you may be entitled to recover compensation by filing a personal injury claim.

Common fracture related wrist injuries include a broken wrist, fractured fingers, fractured knuckles, a scaphoid fracture and crush injuries. A sprain occurs in any situation in which your wrist strikes against a hard object like a steering wheel during an accident. Your sprain will be graded based on the severity of your injury.

A dislocation occurs when your wrist joints are hurt in the accident impact. If it is not treated immediately, permanent damage may occur. Tendon damage can become inflamed and tendonitis can develop in an affected area and range from mild to severe. If you notice discoloration, bruising, swelling of the wrist or hands, pain in the palm’s fingers or wrists, numbness in the fingers, hands or wrists, or inability to hold or grasp objects, you may be suffering from wrist injuries.