Can Car Accident Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Most insurance adjusters will convince you that car accident do not cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Do not listen to them. Let us break it to you – car accidents can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Before we get into it, it is vital to know what exactly carpal tunnel syndrome is. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) involves numbness, pain, and tingling of fingers, wrist, hand, or shoulder. It happens due to unusual pressure applied on a particular wrist nerve. The area around the nerve swells and the repetitive stress or trauma force the carpal tunnel to shrink, which results in carpal tunnel syndrome.
The nerve involved is called the carpal tunnel. It is the one that runs from the forearms through the hand via the wrist. The nerve controls the movement and sensibility of the thumb and its nearby three fingers. In some cases, it causes severe pain, so much so that the sufferer can even wake up from a deep sleep.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Some common symptoms people with carpal tunnel syndrome experience are:
- Numb hand
- Low to severe pain in the hand, forearm, and wrist
- Tingling sensation like one caused by pins and needles
- Numbness or pain while trying to flex the wrist
- Stiffness in the fingers, especially right after waking up in the morning
- An ache in the forearm
- Weakness or inability in the hands, dropping items, or unable to grasp anything
What Type of Accident Can Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
If you had your hands on the steering wheel during an accident, your wrist might experience enormous stress. Your wrist or hand may also hit the car dashboard or other interior of the car, causing an injury.
If you grasp or hold the steering wheel tightly at the time of the accident, you can experience extreme pressure on the soft tissue and nerves of the wrist. This pressure is likely to contribute to such injuries. However, if the airbags of your car are working properly, you may get some protection against such injuries.
How to Prove That a Car Accident Caused Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Most of the time, carpal tunnel syndromes are the result of repetitive stress injuries. That means it happens due to frequent and excessive use of your hands, wrists, and fingers. Only a handful percentage of carpal tunnel syndrome is linked to car accidents. Unfortunately, this makes it a little challenging for you to prove that a car accident caused carpal tunnel syndrome.
To support your claim, you must have significant evidence to prove that your CTS was the result of your car accident.
Medical Report
Medical evidence is always a great help and the best evidence. Use your reports of diagnostic tests like x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and ultrasounds to determine the extent of the injury.
Along with diagnostic tests, medical observation tests are also useful in indicating the presence of the injury. You can undergo tests like thumb weakness tests, Phalen’s test, and pressure provocation tests to prove CTS.
Expert Diagnosis
Expert diagnosis can also be evidence. Doctors or physicians related to the treatment of wrist and nerve injuries can examine and verify that your injuries are the result of a car accident.
Injury and Effects Dile
Maintain a file of documents that reports the restraints and impairments you have suffered since your accident. If you find it challenging to use your hands to perform your daily activities, note them in your file. Note down if the severe pain or numbness in your hand has woken you up from sound sleep. It often happens with people experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Include in your file if you feel the challenge in playing musical instruments, writing, using the mobile phone or computer, and other activities that you can easily perform before the accident. This file is full of useful evidence that can help in establishing that a car accident caused your injuries.
Accident Report
Keep photographs of your accident scene as evidence. The photograph must include the vehicles involved. It helps prove the severity of your car accident and the possibility that your carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of that accident.
Who to Consult After Suffering From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome From a Car Accident?
If you have developed carpal tunnel syndrome due to a car accident, speak to an expert Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney from Wolf and Pravato. We are here to help you seek the compensation you deserve for the challenges you face after your carpal tunnel syndrome.
We understand how hard it can be to deal with carpal tunnel syndrome and how it can impact all parts of your life. Let our team help you get the money you have to spend on medical needs, wages lost due to time off work, and the long-term CTS effects you might face.
Schedule a free consultation with a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney at Wolf and Pravato today.
