Here we will explore the average settlement values for hand and wrist injuries in injury cases like car accidents, slip and falls, premises liability, etc. We will also examine some stats regarding verdicts and settlement amounts for hand and wrist injuries and then take a look at what those statistics mean.
In 2020, a client of the law firm, Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C. was awarded $450,000.00 by an Arbitrator hearing the matter, where the client sustained a fractured wrist, with no surgery. Here’s how we helped them:
Successful Settlement for Fractured Wrist Injury in 2020
Case Summary:
In 2018 we were retained by LaSaun J. after he was struck by a motor vehicle that subsequently left the scene of the accident. At the time of the accident, LaSaun was in the course of his employment, working for a company that picked-up and dropped off commercial trucks, and traveling from Pennsylvania back to NY. It was early in the morning, and LaSaun stopped at a diner in Brooklyn on Linden Blvd, at or near its intersection with Amber Street, to grab a bite to eat. After leaving the diner and getting back into the box truck he was transporting, he was accosted by three individuals, one of whom was wielding a weapon. Fearing for his life, LaSaun exited the driver’s side of the box truck and was struck by an oncoming vehicle, which fled.
When LaSaun first came to our office, his right arm was hard-casted from his right-wrist all the way up, past his elbow. He sustained a non-displaced fractured wrist, no surgery necessary. His employer stopped contacting him and he needed help obtaining medical treatment and applying for lost wage benefits. First, we got him set up for treatment once the cast was removed. We also immediately contacted his auto insurance carrier so that he could make a claim for lost wages against his own auto insurance policy. Thereafter, we filed for arbitration before the American Arbitration Association, sometimes referred to as AAA, to obtain compensation from his employer’s commercial policy of insurance with Nationwide, for the pain and suffering he endured.
Case Outcome:
Initially, Nationwide took the position that there would be no coverage afforded to LaSaun because he was not “vehicle oriented” when he was struck by the car that fled the scene after striking him. We briefed the issue and posited that he was indeed “vehicle oriented” and was simply looking to get behind the truck to escape the men who were accosting him.
The matter went to a virtual binding arbitration before AAA Arbitrator Jodi Zagory, and after hearing from all parties, she issued an award of $450,000.00. Nationwide’s best offer to settle the matter pre-arbitration was $100,000.00
If you have sustained a fractured wrist, hand or finger injury in an accident, contact the law firm of Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C. at 212-240-9465 and learn how we can help get the Wheels of Justice spinning for you!
Hand and Wrist Injury Settlement Amounts
What is a typical hand and wrist injury worth in a personal injury case? It’s the answer no one likes to hear, but there is no secret formula for determining the amount of money you are entitled to receive in a settlement for a wrist or hand injury. The potential value of a hand or wrist injury varies greatly and is dependent on a myriad of factors.
Hand and wrist injuries can be very serious and significantly your ability to work and do the things you enjoy doing, or are required to do for vocational purposes. Our hands are used for virtually everything, from driving and typing, to performing manual labor. There are very few jobs that do not require the use of your hands. This means that any sort of permanent hand or wrist injury can potentially result in a partial or even complete disability.
The hands are some of the most commonly injured body parts in work related accidents. Hand injuries come in at a close second-place behind back injuries as the most often cited injury, especially when the injury sustained is work related. It has been reported that at least twenty percent of emergency room visits involve hand and/or wrist injuries.
Hand and wrist injuries often occur in car accidents, truck accident and slip-and-fall cases, where one will put their arms out to brace their fall, with all of the body’s weight being exerted on the hands, wrists and arms.
Different Types of Hand and Wrist Injuries and Their Settlement Value
On a national level, the average jury verdict for hand and wrist injuries is about $600,000.00. Of course, some juries may award more than that, and as a practical matter, many of these types of cases settle for less than that.
Below is a summary of the different types of hand and wrist injuries that we have seen resulting from auto accident and slip-and-fall cases.
- Bone Fractures: Fractures of one or more of the bones in the hands or wrists is probably one of the most common hand and wrist injuries in car accident cases. Fractures can range in severity from non-displaced fractures to displaced fractures requiring complicated and painful surgeries.
- Nerve Damage: Our nerves connect our hands and wrists to our brain by way of nerves. Hand and wrist injuries from accidents can cause nerve damage resulting in permanent injuries. These are sometimes high-value cases.
- Crush Injuries: Crush injuries are some of the most severe types of hand and wrist injuries. This can happen when your hand or wrist is literally caught between two hard objects.
