Did you sustain a severe injury to your arms or hands in a motor vehicle accident in Georgia? If so, you might be owed significant compensation if someone else’s negligence is to blame. Our hands and arms are crucial to countless daily activities and tasks. An injury to these body parts could have a lasting or permanent impact on your life and livelihood.
For nearly three decades, the Douglasville personal injury attorneys of Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., have been standing up for the rights of people who’ve been injured by the negligence of others. We have seen firsthand the toll an arm or hand injury can have on individuals and their families. That’s why we fight aggressively for the full and fair compensation our clients deserve.
Contact us today to discuss the details of your situation during a free initial consultation.
What Causes Arm Pain or Hand Pain After a Car Accident?
Car accidents are violent events that can cause severe or catastrophic injuries, even at relatively low speeds. Injuries to the arms or hands are quite common in collisions. Some of the most common causes of hand and arm pain after a car crash include:
- Direct trauma – Direct trauma to the shoulders, forearms, elbows, wrists, or hands can cause severe pain after a wreck. When a collision happens, vehicle occupants can be thrown forward, backward, or side-to-side in the car. If a car occupant gets slammed into a steering wheel, dashboard, window, interior structure, or airbag in a high-speed crash, they can sustain severe and painful injuries to the arms and hands.
- Bracing for impact – Many drivers and passengers instinctively brace themselves against the steering wheel, dashboard, or other hard surfaces in anticipation of a collision. Doing so tends to direct the energy of the impact to the vulnerable wrist, shoulder, and elbow joints, increasing the likelihood of fractures, dislocations, and other injuries.
- Whiplash – Many people recognize whiplash as a type of neck injury common in car accidents, but not everyone knows that arm pain is often a symptom of whiplash. If you notice unusual arm pain after a Georgia car crash, you should ask your doctor about a possible whiplash diagnosis, even if you don’t have any pain in your neck.
What Are The Most Common Arm and Hand Injuries Caused by Car Accidents?
Some of the most common types of arm and hand injuries from Georgia car accidents include:
- Bone fractures – Bones in the arms, wrists, and hands are easily broken or crushed in car accidents. If you break a bone in your dominant arm, it can prevent you from working or engaging in personal activities for weeks or even months. Similarly, broken bones in the hands or wrists can prevent you from writing, typing, or performing other routine daily tasks.
- Torn ligaments – Ligaments in the elbow, forearm, or hand can become partially or entirely torn in car accidents. This type of injury is commonly known as a sprain. Mild sprains may result in pain, swelling, and discomfort, while more severe sprains can affect long-term stability and mobility in the arm or hand.
- Dislocated joints – Joints in the elbows, shoulders or even the knuckles can become dislocated due to blunt-force trauma in car accidents. Dislocations are especially common when vehicle occupants attempt to brace themselves in anticipation of a crash. When joints are dislocated or damaged, accident victims may experience severe pain, swelling, and reduced range of motion. If left untreated, a dislocated joint can even result in permanent damage.
- Rotator cuff injuries – A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that holds the top of the arm in place at the shoulder. The rotator cuff can become damaged or torn by the violent forces of a car accident, resulting in pain, swelling, and limited range of motion in the affected arm.
- Other soft tissue injuries – Many car accidents result in other soft tissue injuries, such as inflammation, muscle strains, and nerve damage. One common type of nerve damage is brachial plexus injury, which involves the nerves that run through the shoulder and upper arms. When this bundle of nerves gets overstretched, the resulting injury is commonly known as whiplash, resulting in radiating pain throughout the arms.
Getting Compensation for Your Arm and Hand Injuries
If you are suffering from hand or arm pain after a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Depending on the circumstances, you could receive money to reimburse you for:
- Medical bills – The costs of any medical care you received to treat your arm and hand injuries or any other accident-related injuries
- Incidental costs – Miscellaneous expenses you incur due to the accident, such as the costs of traveling to and from medical appointments
- Lost wages – The value of any wage losses you suffer due to the time you miss at work while recovering from your arm and hand car accident injuries
- Future losses – The estimated value of future losses you will likely incur due to the accident, such as future medical bills or loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering – The intangible costs of the physical pain and psychological suffering you endure due to the accident
How Can Our Georgia Personal Injury Lawyers Help?
Securing the money you deserve after a Georgia car accident can be a challenge, but there’s no reason to do it alone. With the help of the personal injury lawyers at Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., you can hold negligent drivers accountable and demand the compensation you need to recover.
Our dedicated attorneys are here to help you by:
- Discussing the details of your case and answering your most pressing questions during a free initial consultation
- Accepting your case on a contingency basis, which means our firm charges no up-front costs, and we don’t get paid unless you do
- Conducting a thorough and independent investigation into the accident to uncover valuable evidence and determine who was at fault
- Managing the complicated and time-consuming aspects of your case, such as researching relevant laws and completing necessary paperwork
- Communicating with the other driver, the insurance companies, and other attorneys on your behalf
- Negotiating aggressively to maximize the amount of compensation you take home in your settlement
- Representing you in court, if necessary
Is there a Time Limit for Personal Injury Claims In Georgia?
Yes, there is a time limit for filing a personal injury claim, such as one for cr accident injuries. That time limit is known as the Statute of Limitations. In the state of Georgia, that time limit is two years. While it may seem as though two years is a long time, there’s much research and planning that needs to be done by your car accident lawyers to fully prepare for your lawsuit. Proper preparation can lead to a more likely successful outcome to your lawsuit. So, if you are considering a personal injury lawsuit, do not delay in contacting our law firm.
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer Today
At Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., our experienced lawyers will be ready to demand fair compensation for your hand and arm injuries if you were injured due to someone else’s negligence. Contact us today to discuss your crash, your injuries, and how our team could help you seek justice.
