Wrist Fracture from a Slip and Fall Accident On Snow and Ice in New York

There are many ways that a person could slip and fall.  One of the most common ways in New York is on snow and ice.  While most landowners, tenants, business owners, and government entities properly clean off and make their sidewalks, stairs, and other walking surfaces safe, far too many do not.  Dangerous accumulations of snow and ice on a walkway could result in a slip and fall, causing personal injuries.  There are many personal injuries that could be caused in a fall, with wrist fractures being one of the most common.  They are also one of the most painful, often requiring surgery to repair the damage.  If you or a loved one suffered a wrist fracture from a fall on snow and ice, call our slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn, NY for help.

Our personal injury law firm is dedicated to protecting the rights of victims injured due to the reckless, careless, or negligent conduct of another person, business, or government entity.  We have a proven track record of success handling claims against some of the largest insurance companies and defense law firms in and around New York City, especially right here in Brooklyn.  If you or a loved one were seriously injured, call the O’Connor Law Firm to schedule a FREE consultation to learn more about how we can help you recover compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills.

What is a Wrist Fracture? 

A wrist fracture is the technical name for a broken wrist.  It occurs when there is one or more breaks in the bones that make up the wrist joint.  There are ten (10) bones that make up your wrist joint, and a crack or break in any of them is considered a fractured wrist. These bones include the following:

• Trapezoid – carpel bone
• Trapezium – carpel bone
• Scaphoid– carpel bone
• Lunate– carpel bone
• Triquetrum– carpel bone
• Pisiform– carpel bone
• Hamate– carpel bone
• Capitate– carpel bone
• Radius – forearm bone
• Ulna – forearm bone

There are several types of fractures that could occur to these bones.  Fractures can be nondisplaced, meaning the ends of the broken bone are not out of place, or they can be displaced, meaning the ends of the bone are out of alignment.  Fractures could also be compound, meaning they break through the skin, or simple, meaning that they are contained.

Most Common Types of Wrist Fractures

The most common bone that breaks in a wrist fracture is the radius, and the second most common is the scaphoid.  Both of these bones are on the thumb-side of your wrist, and frequently take the brunt of an impact in a fall when you put out your hand to brace for a fall. 

Another common type of wrist fracture is an ulnar styloid fracture.  This is on the pinky side of your hand, where there is a bulge on the outside portion of your wrist.  This type of fracture occurs when there is a heavy impact in a fall, or a direct impact to this bulge.  Due to the force of impact required to break this bone, it often occurs simultaneously with another wrist joint fracture.

Treatment for a Wrist Fracture from a Fall on Snow and Ice

The level of treatment for a wrist fracture depends on the severity of the fall.  Falls on snow and ice often result in severe injuries, especially on stairs, because most people slip and have their feet come out from under them (as opposed to a trip when they will pivot and fall).  Because of this, most people falling on snow and ice will strike their wrist very hard on the ground.

Generally, there are two ways that a fracture is treated.  They are known as a closed reduction or an open reduction.  A closed reduction means the broken ends of the bone are still aligned or can be manipulated back into place without surgery.  Whereas an open reduction means that surgery is required to realign the bones.  Both scenarios typically require a hard cast to be worn for several weeks.

Most surgeries require insertion of hardware to keep the bones aligned while they heal.  This could be done in a number of ways, including with the use of pins, screws, rods, plates, and buttress pins—or brackets that look like a paperclip.  Oftentimes these pieces of hardware become painful and must be removed through a second (or third) surgery.

Liability for Slip and Falls on Snow and Ice in New York 

New York law requires all landowners, possessors, and entities in control of a property to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances in maintaining their premises.  This requires them to repair or cure hazardous or dangerous conditions that could pose a threat to others.  The removal of snow and ice is one of these types of hazardous and dangerous conditions.  The failure to do so could result in the defendant being found negligent.

There are some exceptions to these rules, and many common defenses.  However, with the help of an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn, NY, a victim who suffered a wrist fracture from a fall on snow and ice may be entitled to recover compensation against a negligent landowner, tenant, or management company that failed to exercise the level of reasonable care required by New York law.

Injured in a Slip and Fall on Snow and Ice in New York?  

If you suffered a wrist fracture after a slip and fall on snow and ice in New York, especially right here in Brooklyn, call the O’Connor Law Firm to learn more about how we can help you. We offer FREE consultations and, if we accept your case, we will pay the upfront costs and disbursements of your case which only get reimbursed if we recover compensation for you in a settlement, verdict, or another type of award.  The same is true of our legal fees.

This means there is no upfront cost or financial risk to work with our experienced slip and fall lawyer in Brooklyn, NY. Schedule your FREE consultation by dialing (718) 948-3500 or using our “Contact Us” box available here.  We stand committed to helping victims and their families throughout New York who have been harmed by serious or catastrophic personal injuries.