Los Angeles Wrist Fracture Lawyer

The wrist joint is made up of several bones, the radius and ulna, which are the bones in the forearm. The radius is named so because the radius (bone) acts like the radius (of a circle). The ulna acts as the center point to the circle because when the arm is rotated the ulna does not move. The radius (bone) acts like the radius (of a circle) because it rotates around the ulna. The carpus is the cluster of bones between the radius and ulna. Falls and high impact car accidents are some of the more common causes for wrist fractures.

Symptoms

After experiencing a slip and fall accident or a high impact motor vehicle accident, the following symptoms may indicate that you have a wrist fracture:

• Severe pain that tends to increase during gripping or squeezing
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Bruising
• Obvious deformity, such as a bent wrist or crooked finger
• Stiffness or inability to move your fingers or thumb
• Numbness or coldness in your hand

Diagnosis and Treatment

Like any other fracture of a bone, wrist fractures are diagnosed by imaging, such as x-ray, CT scan or MRI. If the broken ends of the bone are not aligned properly, your doctor will need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions — a process called fracture reduction. Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you may need a muscle relaxant, a sedative or even a general anesthetic before this procedure. After the bones are properly aligned they will need to be immobilized for proper healing. While many fractures may heal with realignment and immobilization, some require surgery, which could include placement or devices, rods, screws and pins. Like with leg fractures, surgery may include internal fixation or open reduction with internal fixation.

After either splinting or surgery, physical therapy will be needed in order to regain mobility, reduce stiffness and soreness in the arm, wrist and hand. Rehabilitation may take several months depending up the type of fracture and severity of the injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile or fall accident and sustained a wrist fracture as a result of this accident, please contact the Haggai Law Firm for a free consultation with an attorney who can help you obtain fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries.