Spokane Motorcycle Injuries: Wrist Fractures

Wrist fractures are common in motorcycle accidents and can cause significant pain and disablement during the healing process.

Causes of Motorcycle Wrist Fractures

Most wrist fractures happen in a motorcycle crash because the rider is gripping the handlebars and tightens their grip when anticipating a collision. At impact, this causes the wrist to absorb the blow and then break either from the force of the blow or from being bent while still holding tightly onto the grip.

Another cause is when the rider is ejected from the bike and still grips the handlebar tightly. Other times, the rider will instinctively put their hand out to brace when hitting the pavement and will break their wrist.

Type of Wrist Fractures

There are 10 bones that make up the wrist, and any of these can be broken. Some of the most common of these breaks are:

  • Distal Radius Fracture: The radius bone and the ulna bones make up the forearm, and when the radius bone near the wrist breaks it is a distal radius fracture. These happen most commonly when the rider wither holds out their hand to brace themselves.
  • Scaphoid Fracture: A scaphoid bone is one of eight small bones that make up the wrist. These break most frequently when the rider holds tightly on the grip during the impact.
  • Distal Ulnar Fracture: The ulnar is the other bone that makes up the forearm and the part this connects to the wrist bones makes up the distal ulnar. A break here is rare, but when it happens, it can be a significant injury.

Compensation Damages for Broken Wrists From Motorcycle Crash

When a wrist is broken, it usually sidelines the patient for a few weeks until they can begin functioning with a cast or brace. The total healing time can be several months before the person is back to 100 percent.

Washington law allows anyone injured due to another’s negligence to recover all reasonable financial losses stemming from the crash. The law allows certain types of damages, and the most common to a wrist fracture are:

  • Past and future medical bills
  • Lost wages – past and future
  • Permanent Disability
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Loss of quality of life (unable to ride again)
  • Pain and Suffering
  • Emotional Distress
  • Job Retraining if unable to return to previous line of work

What If I Broke my Wrist in a Motorcycle Accident?

The first thing to do is to get immediate medical help. While at the scene, if you are able, get as much information as possible and take (or have someone else) pictures of the wreckage and the scene.

Established in Spokane in 1948, Crary, Clark, Domanico, & Chuang, P.S. is committed to providing our clients with the absolute highest quality legal representation. If our Spokane Motorcycle Accident Lawyers represent you for your accident case, you have our assurance that we will use our absolute best efforts to win your case. Contact us after any accident resulting in a serious injury for a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation. We will only offer you advice which is in your best interest.

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