New York Hand and Wrist Injury Lawyers

Hands and wrists are involved in nearly everything we do — working, driving, cooking, caring for family, earning a living. When an accident causes a serious hand or wrist injury, the impact often goes far beyond pain and a cast: it can mean permanent loss of grip strength, an inability to return to a skilled trade, or the end of a career that depended on fine motor control. When someone else’s negligence caused that injury, New York law entitles you to full compensation for everything it costs you, now and in the future.

For more than 45 years, Hill & Moin LLP has represented injured New Yorkers with serious hand and wrist injuries, recovering significant settlements, including $350,000 for a community advocate who suffered a fractured wrist in a fall. We understand that hand and wrist injuries are frequently undervalued by insurance companies, who often treat them as “just a broken bone” without accounting for the surgery, permanent stiffness, nerve damage, or loss of dexterity that can follow.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious hand or wrist injury due to someone else’s negligence, call (212) 668-6000 for a free, 24/7 consultation. There is no fee unless we win.

Hand and Wrist Injuries Are Common, Serious, and Frequently Underestimated

Hand and wrist injuries are among the most frequent reasons people visit the emergency room, and among the most common serious injuries suffered on the job.

• Clinical research indicates that hand and wrist injuries account for roughly 10% to 20% of all emergency department visits for injury nationwide, and hand injuries are considered the most common occupational injury evaluated in U.S. emergency departments.
• A national database analysis found more than 2.1 million patients presented to U.S. emergency departments with upper extremity fractures in a single recent study year, representing about 1.5% of all ED visits, with phalangeal (finger) fractures the single most common type.
• Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data covering 2023–2024 shows that injuries to the upper extremities were the body part category most frequently affected among workplace injuries involving days away from work or job transfer/restriction, according to National Safety Council analysis of BLS data.
• Over the 2023–2024 period, private industry employers reported 1.8 million cases involving days away from work, with a median of 8 days away from work per incident, and overexertion and repetitive motion were the single largest category of workplace injury events, responsible for more than 946,000 cases.
• Among carpal (wrist) bone fractures, the scaphoid is the most commonly fractured, accounting for more than half of all carpal fractures, and disproportionately affects young, active adults.

These numbers reflect a simple reality: hand and wrist injuries are common, but that doesn’t make them minor. A crushed hand, a severed tendon, or a poorly healed scaphoid fracture can permanently limit what a person can do for the rest of their working life.

Understanding the Different Types of Hand and Wrist Injuries

Hand and wrist injuries vary enormously in severity and long-term impact, and the specific type of injury significantly affects treatment, recovery, and the value of a legal claim.

Fractures

Fractures of the hand and wrist range from simple, non-displaced breaks that heal with casting to complex, comminuted fractures requiring surgical fixation with plates, screws, or pins. Fractures involving a joint surface are particularly concerning, since improper healing can lead to chronic pain and early arthritis.

Scaphoid Fractures

The scaphoid is a small carpal bone on the thumb side of the wrist and is the most frequently fractured carpal bone, commonly resulting from a fall onto an outstretched hand. Scaphoid fractures are notoriously difficult to diagnose on initial X-rays and carry a significant risk of nonunion (failure to heal) due to the bone’s limited blood supply, sometimes requiring surgery and, in delayed or missed cases, long-term wrist dysfunction.

Carpal Fractures (Beyond the Scaphoid)

The wrist contains eight small carpal bones, any of which can fracture from a fall, crush injury, or direct blow. Because these bones work together to allow the wrist’s complex range of motion, even a single fractured carpal bone can significantly affect wrist stability and function if not properly diagnosed and treated.

Tendon and Ligament Tears

Tendons connect muscle to bone and allow the fingers, hand, and wrist to move, while ligaments stabilize the joints themselves. Lacerations, crush injuries, and forceful trauma can tear or sever these structures, often requiring surgical repair. Even with successful surgery, tendon and ligament injuries frequently result in some permanent loss of strength, flexibility, or range of motion.

Nerve Injuries

The hand and wrist contain a dense network of nerves, including the median, ulnar, and radial nerves, which can be stretched, compressed, lacerated, or severed in a traumatic accident. Nerve injuries can cause numbness, tingling, chronic pain, and, in severe cases, permanent loss of sensation or motor function in the hand and fingers, since nerve tissue heals slowly and sometimes incompletely.

Crush Injuries

Crush injuries occur when the hand or wrist is caught or compressed between heavy objects, machinery, or equipment. These injuries frequently involve a combination of fractures, tendon and nerve damage, and severe soft tissue trauma, and can require multiple surgeries, extensive reconstruction, or, in the most severe cases, amputation.

Amputations

Traumatic amputation of a finger, thumb, or hand is among the most catastrophic hand injuries, often resulting from machinery, power tool, or crush accidents. Even with successful reattachment surgery, amputation injuries frequently result in permanent loss of function, sensation, and dexterity, along with significant psychological impact.

Dislocations

A dislocation occurs when the bones of a joint are forced out of their normal position, commonly affecting the fingers or wrist. While some dislocations can be reduced (put back into place) without surgery, others involve associated ligament or fracture damage requiring surgical stabilization.

Repetitive Stress Injuries

Not all hand and wrist injuries result from a single traumatic event. Repetitive stress injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis, develop over time from repeated motions or sustained awkward positions, and are a leading cause of workplace hand and wrist injury, particularly in manual labor, food service, and office settings involving repetitive tasks.

Severe Soft Tissue Damage

Beyond fractures and tendon injuries, the hand and wrist can suffer serious soft tissue damage, including deep lacerations, degloving injuries (where skin and tissue are torn away from underlying structures), and burns. These injuries can require skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, and extensive scar management.

Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Surgery, and Rehabilitation

Symptoms of a serious hand or wrist injury can include:

• Pain, swelling, and bruising
• Visible deformity or inability to move the hand, wrist, or fingers normally
• Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation
• Weakness or inability to grip objects
• Persistent pain or stiffness that doesn’t resolve with rest

Diagnosis typically begins with a physical examination and X-rays, though certain fractures, particularly of the scaphoid, may not be visible on initial imaging and can require follow-up X-rays, CT scans, or MRI to confirm. Nerve injuries may require specialized testing, such as nerve conduction studies, to assess the extent of damage.

Treatment ranges from splinting and casting for stable, non-displaced fractures to surgical intervention for displaced fractures, torn tendons or ligaments, severed nerves, and crush injuries. Surgical options can include open reduction and internal fixation (plates, screws, or pins), tendon and nerve repair, and, in severe cases, reconstructive or microsurgical procedures to reattach amputated tissue.

Rehabilitation is often extensive, involving occupational and hand therapy to restore range of motion, strength, and fine motor coordination. Because the hand and wrist require such precise, coordinated movement, rehabilitation can take many months, and some loss of function often remains permanent even after a full course of therapy.

Permanent Impairment and Long-Term Loss of Function

Even with excellent medical treatment, many serious hand and wrist injuries result in permanent impairment, including:

• Reduced grip strength, which can affect the ability to perform manual labor or skilled trade work
• Chronic pain, including post-traumatic arthritis in joints that were fractured or injured
• Permanent stiffness or reduced range of motion, particularly following tendon injuries or joint fractures
• Numbness or chronic nerve pain, in cases involving nerve damage
• Loss of fine motor coordination, which can affect the ability to perform detailed tasks required in many occupations
• Permanent disfigurement, in cases involving amputation, severe scarring, or reconstructive surgery
• Psychological impact, including anxiety related to returning to work involving machinery or the activity that caused the injury

Because the hand and wrist are involved in nearly every occupation and daily task, even a seemingly “minor” permanent impairment can have an outsized impact on a person’s ability to work and function, making thorough documentation of long-term effects essential to a fair settlement.

Common Causes of Hand and Wrist Injuries in New York

Hand and wrist injuries can result from a wide range of accidents, and identifying the cause is central to identifying who is legally responsible. We regularly handle hand and wrist injury cases arising from:

• Motor vehicle accidents, where the hands strike the steering wheel or dashboard, or are injured bracing against impact
• Construction accidents, including falls, being struck by falling tools or materials, and injuries involving power tools and heavy equipment
• Machinery accidents, including crush and amputation injuries from industrial equipment, conveyor systems, and power tools
• Workplace injuries beyond construction, including repetitive stress injuries from manual labor, warehouse work, and office tasks
• Slip and fall accidents, where a person instinctively extends a hand to break a fall, often resulting in wrist fractures
• Defective products, including power tools, machinery, and consumer products with inadequate safety guards or design defects
• Pedestrian accidents, where hand and wrist injuries can result from the initial impact or from bracing during a fall

Evidence Needed to Prove Liability in a Hand or Wrist Injury Case

Because insurance companies frequently undervalue hand and wrist injuries, building a strong claim requires thorough documentation, including:

• Accident scene evidence, including photographs, witness statements, and available surveillance footage
• Emergency medical records, including initial imaging and treatment
• Complete diagnostic imaging, including any follow-up X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs needed to confirm injuries like scaphoid fractures that may not appear on initial films
• Surgical records, documenting every procedure required to treat the injury
• Physical and occupational therapy records, showing the course and results of rehabilitation
• Expert testimony from orthopedic hand surgeons, explaining the injury’s mechanism, treatment, and prognosis for permanent impairment
• Vocational expert analysis, particularly important for tradespeople, healthcare workers, musicians, and others whose occupations depend on fine hand function
• Testimony from family members and coworkers, describing the injury’s day-to-day impact on work and daily activities

The Role of Orthopedic Surgeons and Medical Experts

Hand and wrist injury cases are frequently won or lost on medical expert testimony, since insurance companies routinely argue that a fracture or tendon repair has “fully healed” once a cast comes off or a follow-up visit shows improvement. Treating orthopedic hand surgeons and hand therapists document the injury, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation course, while retained experts can testify to the permanent impairment rating, ongoing limitations, and the long-term prognosis for conditions like post-traumatic arthritis or chronic nerve pain. In cases involving lost earning capacity, vocational experts play a critical role in establishing exactly how a permanent hand or wrist impairment affects a person’s ability to perform their specific job, particularly for construction workers, healthcare workers, and others in physically demanding or dexterity-dependent occupations.

Comparative Negligence in Hand and Wrist Injury Claims

New York follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule, meaning an injured person can still recover compensation even if they were partly at fault for the accident that caused their injury, though their total recovery is reduced by their assigned percentage of responsibility. Insurance companies frequently attempt to shift blame onto the injured person, particularly in workplace and machinery accident cases. An experienced attorney can push back on these arguments and help ensure that a defendant’s negligence, not the injured person’s conduct, is properly recognized as the true cause of the injury.

Compensation Available in a Hand or Wrist Injury Case

Depending on the severity of the injury and the facts of your case, compensation in a New York hand or wrist injury claim may include:

• Past and future medical expenses, including surgery, hardware removal, and ongoing specialist care
• Rehabilitation costs, including occupational and hand therapy
• Past and future lost wages and diminished earning capacity, particularly significant for tradespeople and others whose work depends on fine hand function
• Pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disability and loss of function, including reduced grip strength, range of motion, or dexterity
• Disfigurement damages, in cases involving amputation, scarring, or reconstructive surgery
• Loss of consortium for spouses in appropriate cases

Because a hand or wrist injury can permanently affect a person’s ability to perform their job, particularly in manual or skilled trades, it’s essential to work with attorneys who understand how to properly document and value that long-term impact, rather than settling for compensation based only on the initial medical bills.

Frequently Asked Questions

My X-ray came back normal, but my wrist still hurts. Could I still have a serious injury? Yes. Scaphoid fractures in particular are notoriously difficult to detect on initial X-rays and often require follow-up imaging, CT scans, or MRI to confirm. If pain persists despite a “normal” initial X-ray, further evaluation is important, both for your health and for properly documenting your injury.

Is a broken wrist or hand really worth pursuing a claim over? Yes. While often described as “just a fracture,” hand and wrist injuries frequently result in permanent stiffness, reduced grip strength, chronic pain, or post-traumatic arthritis, and can significantly affect a person’s ability to work, particularly in manual or skilled trades.

What if my hand injury happened at work? Workplace hand and wrist injuries may involve both a workers’ compensation claim and, depending on the circumstances, a separate personal injury lawsuit against a negligent third party, such as a property owner, contractor, or equipment manufacturer.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault for my accident? Yes. New York’s pure comparative negligence rule allows recovery even if you were partially at fault, though your total compensation will be reduced by your assigned percentage of responsibility.

How long do I have to file a hand or wrist injury lawsuit in New York? Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years of the accident. Claims involving a government entity require a Notice of Claim within 90 days, and workplace injury claims may involve a separate workers’ compensation filing deadline, so it’s important to consult an attorney as soon as possible.

Why Choose Hill & Moin LLP for Your Hand or Wrist Injury Case

Hill & Moin LLP has spent more than 45 years fighting for injured New Yorkers, recovering over $400 million for our clients, including a $350,000 settlement for a community advocate who suffered a fractured wrist in a fall. We understand that hand and wrist injuries are frequently minimized by insurance companies, and we work closely with treating physicians, retained orthopedic experts, and vocational specialists to ensure the full, permanent impact of these injuries is properly valued.

We are fluent in Spanish, Russian, French, Yiddish, and Ukrainian to serve New York’s diverse communities, and we handle every case on a contingency-fee basis: there is no fee unless we win.

If you or a loved one suffered a hand or wrist injury due to negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.

Call (212) 668-6000 now for a free, 24/7 consultation. There is no fee unless we win.

Contact Hill & Moin LLP