What to Do If You Injure Your Wrist in a Car Accident

By Christopher Hoffmann  Oct. 9, 2018 11:10a

One of the most common areas of injury in car accidents are the wrists. The reason for this is that your arms are almost always extended to the wheel at the time of the collision. When the other car or the airbags hit you, they impact your hands and wrists first. Given how severe these injuries can be, you should always discuss your options with a St. Louis car accident attorney after sustaining one. Here is what you need to do before consulting with a lawyer.

Call Emergency Response if Needed

When you get into an accident, it will usually unfold quickly. After a couple seconds of shock, you will generally compose yourself and take stock of the situation. The first thing you should do at this stage is assess your wrist injury. If it is stiff or sore, you are probably okay to delay medical treatment for a few hours. Conversely, if you suspect your wrist is broken, you should call emergency response and visit an urgent care or hospital right away. One thing to note is that your health should come first, so don’t worry about not being at the scene for post-accident tasks.

Call the Police

If your wrist is relatively healthy, you should call the police. When you do, tell them that you’ve been in a severe car accident and want an officer to come and make a report. If they ask you if you are injured, tell them that the damage is manageable. Once the police arrive, you can give them your information and let them collect interviews and evidence for their report. Later on in your personal injury lawsuit, you can use this document to support your case.

Carry Out On-Scene Tasks

The following tasks are a few things you should do after a crash.

• Exchange information with the others driver(s).

• Take pictures of every vehicle involved, the crash scene, and any skid marks on the ground.

• Search for witnesses and make sure they stick around until the police arrive.

Follow Up With a Doctor

If you choose to pursue compensation for your injuries, you will need to fully understand the extent of the damage. The best way to make that happen is seeing a doctor. When you do, they will assess your injury and give you an estimate on a few critical issues.

• Short-term medical costs.

• Long-term medical costs.

• Lifestyle adjustments you’ll need to make as a result of the damage.

From these numbers, you and your lawyer can set a target for how much compensation you want to receive. While that number might be higher than the total of your medical bills, it should meet those costs at the very least.

Remember, while trying to obtain compensation by yourself is an option, doing so generally leads to stress, confusion, and fewer benefits. To avoid these frustrations, we recommend finding a St. Louis auto accident attorney to fight on your behalf.