We use our hands for hundreds of activities, from writing emails to making dinner. As a result, hand injuries, whether a result of a motor vehicle accident or other cause, can result in serious difficulties in your life by making some tasks difficult to impossible to accomplish.
The injury and the measures you take to try and cope and heal can limit or change your work and leisure activities.
The impact on your work can include changes to your tasks or work environment as well as not going to work for a few days or long term disability, depending on the type of job you have and the nature of your injury.
Your leisure activities can be similarly restricted by having to change or limit your hobbies or sports you participate in or, for example, not being able to do certain types housework or self-care.
What are hand injuries from trauma?
An injury from trauma specifically refers to one that is caused by a harmful event, like a hit or a twist, and not damage from genetic abnormalities or long-term wear and tear. Hand injuries from trauma include:
- Broken hand or finger bones
- Tears to the ligaments or tendons in your hands
- Fingernail damage (completely or partially ripped off or cracked)
- Cuts, burns, or bruising to the skin in the area
- Muscle tears to the area
- Dislocated fingers
The injury can be on one or both sides and several injuries may happen at the same time.
The pain can be sudden and sharp or could start as a nagging pain that develops into something more serious and noticeable over time. The pain may be constant, whether or not you’re applying pressure to the area or moving it, or it may only be felt when you’re doing certain activities like carrying a bag or typing. Common symptoms, depending on the nature of the injury, include:
- Immediate sharp pain at the time of injury
- Swelling
- Redness
- Bleeding
- Tenderness when touched
- Throbbing pain
- Pain when you apply pressure to the area
- Pain when you move your fingers
- Inability to move your fingers
- Bruising to the skin or nails
What causes hand injuries?
Hand injuries can be caused by direct impacts, cuts, crushing, over-extension or pulling of one of your fingers, or twisting or bending of a finger outside the joint’s normal range of motion. For example, you can severely cut your hand and its tendons if you fall through a window, you can break your finger by having it slammed in a door, or crush your hand in a car accident.
What should you do if you have suffered an injury to your hand?
The first thing you should do if you think you have injured your hand is get medical help. A doctor can examine you, take x-rays, and do other tests to find out what the damage is and set up treatment for your recovery.
Getting medical help is also important legally. If you think the injury is from a car accident or is otherwise someone else’s fault, the doctor’s opinion will be important if you go ahead with seeking damages. You will need to show that your hand injury was caused by the accident as well as the extent of the injury and its impact on your activities.
Get legal advice from a personal injury lawyer if you think it was caused by an accident or someone’s careless or reckless behaviour.
What if I already had hand problems, but now it’s worse?
You should go see your doctor if the pain or lack of mobility in your hand has changed or gotten worse, even if you had a pre-existing injury or condition before the traumatic event. If the event made your condition worse or caused new injuries, you can still seek damages.
How are hand injuries treated?
Your doctor will set up a treatment plan for you. This can include seeing other specialists like physical therapists, medication to help the pain and inflammation, protective measures like a splint for broken bones, supportive wraps, antibiotics to prevent infections, limitations to your work and leisure activities, and, in very serious cases, surgery.
Most hand injuries get better with treatment and you can get back to your regular activities in due time. How long this takes depends on the injury, but can range from days to years. Unfortunately, in some cases the injury never heals completely and becomes a life-long problem.
Hand injuries and motor vehicle accident claims
Just like claiming compensation for other injuries, you can claim for compensation from hand injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents or other traumatic events that are not your fault.
Our BC personal injury lawyers have experience advancing hand injury claims. Call us today to set up a free consultation.