Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Serious car accidents can lead to devastating hand and feet injuries. Each year in Hollywood and South Florida, drivers and passengers find their lives permanently changed due to injuries to the extremities. These types of injuries can be very painful and can affect mobility a great deal. The recovery time can be prolonged.
Since foot and hand injuries are expensive and difficult to treat, it is important to consult with a personal injury attorney if you have suffered these types of injuries in a car accident anywhere in South Florida. To discuss your case with a personal injury attorney, you can contact Flaxman Law Group to arrange a free accident consultation with a member of our legal team.
Foot Injuries
We rely on our feet to carry us everywhere, but in a car accident our feet can be very vulnerable. In a head-on crash in Hollywood or your community, for example, the force of the impact can cause metal and plastic to crash into the foot well, potentially causing crushing injuries or fractures. In some cases, passengers lose their feet in car accidents.
Foot injuries are very painful and may cause severe mobility problems. Crushed or broken bones may take months or even longer to heal. Patients may require long periods of rehabilitation or multiple surgeries. For some, the feet cannot be saved or mobility cannot be fully restored. This can affect how easily someone can walk. It can harm a patient’s career, relationships, and even self-confidence.
If a car accident and the subsequent injuries were caused by negligence or recklessness, the passenger may have a legal claim. In some cases, the liable parties are other drivers and motorists responsible for the accident.
In cases of foot injuries, it’s also important to look at the car itself. Some makes of cars, especially super economy sized or super small cars, are known for putting passengers at greater risk of leg and foot injuries. Typically, the foot well in these cars is smaller and the crumple zone in front of the car is also smaller, which can increase the chances that objects will crash into the passenger’s legs and feet. If manufacturers know about a defect in their vehicle but do not fix the hazard they may be held liable for accidents that occur due to the defect.
Hand Injuries
Hand injuries are another common injury in car accidents. In some cases, these are caused by the steering wheel or the air bag. If the driver threads their hands through the steering wheel or holds the steering wheel in certain positions, the wheel may break their wrists or fingers or cause other injuries in an accident. In some cases, wheels have defects that cause them to overhead and cause burns. Defective airbags can also inflate with enough pressure to cause hand injuries. Airbags that don’t inflate in time can cause a driver to hurt their hands on the wheel due to inadequate cushioning.
Passengers, too, are at risk of hand injuries in a car collision. Passengers may smack their hands on the dashboard, roof, or sides of the car during an impact with enough force to cause sprains, soft tissue damage, or even fractures. Injuries can also happen when passengers instinctively try to brace their hands or throw their hands in front of their face in an accident. Passengers who cover their faces in an accident may suffer lacerations and serious injuries to their hands if glass and other objects rush at the skin.
If you have suffered any injuries to the extremities during a car crash, contact Flaxman Law Group today for a compassionate and honest evaluation of your injuries and legal options. You may have more avenues for seeking compensation than you realize and we would be pleased to review those with you in a free accident consultation.