3 Common Slip and Fall Hand Injuries with Settlement Amounts

Learn about hand and wrist injuries most commonly caused by slip and fall accidents. See how much the insurance company might pay for your claim.

Injuries to your hands and arms after a slip and fall are common. Slippery or cluttered floors often contribute to these accidents. Negligence and poor maintenance can make a property owner liable for your injuries. Anatomy of the hand with labels

Our natural tendency is to stretch out our hands and try to catch ourselves as we fall. The resulting injuries, known as “fallen onto an outstretched hand” or FOOSH injuries, are among the most common types of injuries to the hand, wrist, and arm.

Losing the use of one or both hands or arms can stop you from working or taking care of your family. They can also interfere with basic functions like eating and bathing.

1. Hand and Wrist Sprains

A sprain of the hand or wrist is a stretching or tearing injury to the ligaments which connect the bones together and provide stability.

Using your hands to break a fall can forcefully bend your hand backward, stretching the ligaments until they begin to tear. Some sprains are minor tears, or you may have a significant ligament tear.

Symptoms of a sprained wrist or hand:

  • Swelling
  • Pain
  • Possible bruising

Don’t put off seeing a doctor after a fall because you think it’s “just a sprain.” If you are injured in a slip and fall accident away from home, you must seek prompt medical attention, even for minor or common injuries. Delaying medical care after an accident can undermine your premises liability claim.

Treatment usually entails resting the sprained wrist and hand, periodic icing, and a gentle pressure wrap for the first few days. You may need to keep the hand or wrist splinted for a couple of weeks until the sprain has fully healed. Some injured victims may not be able to work until the sprain is fully healed.

Settlement Value of Sprained Hand or Wrist

Medical costs for the average sprained wrist are less than $500. Two weeks of lost wages could be $1,600, for total economic losses of $1,900. Adding a multiple of one ($1,900) to cover your pain and suffering comes to a total claim value of $3,800. A realistic compromised settlement range is $2,500 to $3,000.

Serious injuries resulting in permanent pain and disability may lead to litigation and potentially higher compensation. For example, a jury in Gwinnett County, Georgia awarded $2.79 million to a woman who sustained severe wrist injuries from a slip and fall in a Kroger supermarket. The award was upheld on appeal.

2. Thumb and Finger Dislocations

Finger joint dislocations are common hand injuries. Each thumb has two joints, and each finger has three joints. Falling on an outstretched hand can stretch your fingers or thumb beyond the normal range of motion, forcing a joint to separate.

Suspect a dislocated finger or thumb when:

  • The finger joint looks crooked or misshapen
  • The bone appears dislodged, such as sticking out to one side
  • There is swelling and bruising around the joint
  • You have pain around the joint
  • You can’t move your finger or bend your thumb

Don’t try to pop the dislocation back into place on your own, as you risk further damage to nerves or blood vessels.

The doctor may order an x-ray to rule out a fracture and get a better picture of the dislocation. In most cases, the doctor will reposition the dislocation without surgery. You will have to wear a bandage or splint to immobilize the joint for a few weeks.

Compensation for Finger Dislocations

The cost of treatment for a dislocated finger should be less than $1,000 for an emergency room visit, x-ray, and physician treatment. Assuming $1,600 for two weeks of lost wages, your economic damages come to $2,600. Adding a multiple of one ($2,600) to cover your non-economic damages come to a total claim value of $5,200.

3. Hand and Wrist Fractures

Slip or trip and fall accidents are the most common cause of broken wrists and hand fractures. A fractured hand or wrist presents an increased risk of nerve damage, disability, and arthritis.

Symptoms of a fractured wrist or hand:

  • Severe pain that worsens when trying to move the hand or wrist
  • Swelling
  • Tenderness
  • Bruising
  • Obvious deformity, such as a bent wrist

Your doctor will usually diagnose a fracture with some x-rays and a physical examination.

The doctor will move the broken bones into correct alignment manually before immobilizing the bones with a splint or cast. Complicated fractures may need surgical repair, with pins or rods in place to hold the bones together.

With or without surgery, you can expect to remain in a cast for six to eight weeks. Over-the-counter pain relievers are usually sufficient to manage discomfort. Physical therapy may be needed after the cast is removed.

Compensation for a Fractured Wrist or Hand

The cost for surgical treatment of a fractured hand, from emergency room visit through physical therapy, may run up to $15,000. Assuming $6,400 for eight weeks of missed work, your economic damages would total $21,400. Add two times that amount ($42,000) to account for your non-economic damages, for a total estimated claim value of $64,200.

Proving Your Hand or Wrist Injury Claim

X-ray of a human arm skeleton

While you may eventually file a lawsuit, you or your personal injury lawyer will first file an injury claim with the property owner’s insurance company. The fall victim bears the burden of proving their case.

You will need evidence to prove your slip and fall claim.

Pictures, videos or other evidence of the hazardous condition that caused your injury will be important to your claim.

Evidence of your damages includes medical bills, opinions, and all other records regarding your injury.

Diagnostic test results are critical. Preferably, you will want test results and exam records from as close to the time of the injury as possible. An x-ray taken during an emergency room visit immediately after an accident gives an insurance adjuster or jury a clear picture of how you felt immediately after you were injured.

If your injury affects your ability to work, ask your employer for verification of your lost wages. If you missed out on family and recreational activities, collect witness statements and photos to that effect.

Pre-Existing Injuries or Conditions

If you suffered from a hand or wrist condition before you were injured in a fall, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, you can still win a claim against the property owner who caused your new injury.

Almost every state has some version of the Eggshell Skull Rule, meaning the property owner is still liable for your injuries even though you had a pre-existing condition that made you more vulnerable. That includes any nerve pain that returned or increased as a result of your slip and fall.

You might not think about how much you rely on your hands until you have an accident that stops you from using them. When that happens, you deserve fair compensation so you can focus on healing and move on with your life.

If you or a loved one has suffered a slip and fall accident that resulted in a hand or wrist injury, speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact a law firm in your state for a free consultation and case evaluation.