Flexible hands are a big part of any bicycle ride in Kentucky. A rider’s hands keep the bike traveling in the right direction and they also switch gears when a cyclist needs more or less out of their pedaling.
Unfortunately, the hands and fingers are often the first parts of the body to absorb an impact in a bicycle accident. Bicycle riders can be knocked from their bikes after taking a hit from a car. They’ll flail their arms out instinctively to break their falls only to break fingers, thumbs, and wrists.
With fractured hand bones, riding a bike may be impossible for a long while, and returning to work may also take weeks or months as injuries heal.
Contact a Kentucky Bicycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation
After enduring a hand injury and receiving countless medical bills, bicycle accident victims may have no idea how they’ll pay for their care. They may also be unable to perform work duties and lose weeks of paychecks as they heal. This can put victims behind on rent, mortgage payments, and car payments.
If you or a loved one are hurt in a Kentucky bicycle accident, don’t face these enormous costs alone. Contact a skilled Kentucky bicycle accident attorney for a free consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out how to hold an at-fault driver’s car insurance provider fully liable for your damages.
Hand Injury Hazards in Kentucky Cycling Accidents
Cyclists on a country back road in Kentucky or on a city street in Lexington or Louisville rarely enjoy a lot of protection from careless and reckless drivers.
An anxious car or SUV driver trying to make a left turn may wait for all cars to pass but fail to look hard enough to spot a cyclist also approaching. The turn proceeds right in front of a surprised oncoming bicyclist. A truck driver may allow the back of a tractor-trailer to whip out of a lane to knock a nearby rider off the road.
These and other common bicycle accident scenarios leave hundreds of Kentucky bicyclists injured each year. Talking over the benefits you may receive after a cycling accident with an experienced Kentucky Bicycle Accident Lawyer is critical when considering an injury claim.
Common Hand Injuries Suffered in Kentucky Bicycle Collisions
Bicycle crashes can cause major injuries and doctors aren’t always able to predict the surgeries and chronic pain that may lie ahead for victims.
These are just some of the bicycle accident hand injuries that auto insurers should write a settlement check for:
- Dislocations – Fingers will look bent or swollen. The middle knuckle is the most common joint to suffer dislocation in an accident. Damage to the ligaments in the wrist can lead to a painful dislocation.
- Fractures – Fingertips often break in a fall. An avulsion fracture occurs when ligaments are torn free from finger joints and take pieces of bone with them. The metacarpals, the bones that connect fingers to the wrist also commonly break.
- Finger Lacerations – Cuts received from the pavement after a fall from a bike or on the at-fault driver’s vehicle could leave wounds along the fingers and hands. Cuts can go deep enough to sever tendons and nerves.
- Finger Nerve Damage – A damaged nerve will create weakness in a hand and perhaps numbness or a constant twitch. If these nerves can’t be reattached, victims may experience lifelong paralysis in the hand. This can make a return to a previous job impossible.
- Amputations – Bad fractures in the hand bones or crushed bones may require surgical amputation after a traumatic bicycle accident injury. An amputation may be necessary to prevent the spread of infection. Patients may lose fingers or an entire hand.
What To Do After a Bicycle Accident Involving a Hand Injury
After a Kentucky bicycle collision, you may not be able to move around too much until paramedics arrive. But if your hand injury will allow it, you should try to gather as much evidence from around the accident scene as possible.
This will assist your Kentucky personal injury lawyer in building a strong injury claim for you that insurance companies won’t be able to deny. This extra effort will make a difference when it’s time to determine the size of your bicycle accident settlement check.
Try to collect these details from the scene if possible:
- Make sure you are safe. Move out of the way of traffic if you are strong enough. Call 911. Get checked out fully by ambulance crews. Give a full report to the police officers on the scene so they can write up an accurate collision report that will be used as evidence in your favor later.
- Take photos. Once the scene is secure, get up and take pictures with your phone. If your hand injury won’t permit you to take photos, ask someone nearby to help you. Show the damage to your bike and the car. Take photos of any injuries that are visible, especially hand injuries. Show your bicycle helmet if you are wearing one.
- Talk to any witnesses and get their contact information.
- Exchange information with everyone involved but don’t make any statements about the accident. Insurance companies can use these statements against you later.
- Note any businesses or homes that might have security cameras that recorded your accident.
- Get examined by your own doctor in the days to come. See specialists and attend physical therapy if told to do so.
- Keep your wrecked bike. Hang on to damaged clothing and personal items. Preserve all evidence.
Contact a Kentucky Bicycle Accident Hand Injury Lawyer
Cyclists who suffer hand injuries in a bicycle accident have up to two years to file an injury claim against a careless driver. This may appear to be plenty of time, but you should bring your case to a skilled traumatic injury attorney as soon as possible. The longer you wait the harder it will be for your attorney to locate evidence and keep track of witnesses to get their testimony.
Talk to a Kentucky Bike Accident Lawyer you can trust to be on your side and fight for your fair compensation. To discuss your case in a free consultation with a real Kentucky lawyer, contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, by clicking here. If you decide we can help you earn the most for your bicycle accident hand injury claim, you won’t need any money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.
