You were driving down Long Beach Blvd when another vehicle clipped you. An X-ray revealed a broken bone in your hand. You’re now in a splint, missing work, and trying to work out what the other driver’s insurance should cover.
After a broken hand in a car accident, a settlement offer may be quickly proposed by an insurance adjuster. The figure might initially seem reasonable, but then you start to add up the follow-up visits, the physical therapy, and whether your hand will ever be the same again, and wonder how you can get help paying for the costs of your broken hand.
The Beliz Law Firm has been representing people with injuries since 2011. When you or a loved one has a broken hand after a car accident, we can investigate disputed fault, review available policies, and identify potential sources of compensation for your injuries.
What Is the Average Broken Hand Car Accident Settlement in Long Beach?
There is no standard average settlement for a broken hand caused by a car accident in Long Beach. The amount depends on the severity of the injury, the treatment required, and how the injury affects your work and daily life.
Serious fractures requiring surgery, extensive rehabilitation, or permanent limitations may justify substantially higher compensation. Your final settlement may also depend on disputed liability and available insurance coverage.
For instance, your nondisplaced fracture may heal with immobilization, while a displaced or comminuted fracture may require surgery. Complications such as reduced grip strength, limited finger movement, or chronic pain may also affect the value of your claim, particularly if they interfere with your ability to work.
How Do Broken Hand Injuries Occur in Car Accidents?
Hand fractures can occur when your airbag deploys, your hand strikes the dashboard, or a vehicle door crushes your fingers. The force of a collision can fracture the small bones in your fingers or the longer bones in your palm, known as metacarpals. Depending on the severity and location of the fracture, you may experience pain, swelling, stiffness, or difficulty gripping objects.
How Is a Broken Hand Treated After a Long Beach Crash?
Treatment for a broken hand depends on which bones are fractured and how severe the injury is. Some fractures can heal with a splint or cast, while others may require surgery to realign or stabilize the bones. Depending on your injury, your doctor may recommend orthopedic evaluation, hand surgery, or occupational therapy.
Keep your imaging reports, discharge instructions, specialist referrals, and therapy records. They help establish not just that your hand was fractured, but how the injury affected your recovery.
After a collision, prompt medical care protects your health and creates a record documenting the injury and when you sought treatment, which helps connect the injury to the accident.
What Damages Can You Recover for a Broken Hand After an Accident in California?
California personal injury law generally allows injured people to pursue compensation for economic and noneconomic damages when another party’s negligence caused their injuries.
Economic damages may include:
- Emergency treatment,
- Imaging,
- Orthopedic appointments,
- Surgery,
- Medications,
- Rehabilitation,
- Lost wages, and
- Reasonably supported future medical expenses.
Medical records documenting the precise bones involved, whether the fracture extends into a joint, and any nerve or tendon damage can make a substantial difference in settlement negotiations.
When gripping heavy objects causes pain even after the cast comes off, you may be able to recover noneconomic damages for:
- Physical pain,
- Reduced enjoyment of life, and
- The disruption to your life caused by your injury.
Your claim may involve more than your initial hospital bill, especially if your doctor has restricted lifting and your employer cannot offer you modified duties. It may also include documented missed shifts, future therapy, and lasting functional limitations.
How Do California Insurance Laws Affect My Long Beach Settlement?
Since January 2025, California’s minimum bodily injury liability coverage for standard automobile policies has been $30,000 per injured person and $60,000 per accident. If your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits, additional coverage or other legally responsible parties may become important.
Also, California follows a pure comparative negligence system. This means that an injured person’s compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault, even if they share responsibility for the accident. If you are found to be 20% responsible for the collision, the amount of your recoverable damages would generally be reduced by 20%.
How Do I Obtain a Long Beach Traffic Collision Report?
If Long Beach police investigated your crash, the collision report may help establish what happened. You can request it through the Long Beach Police Department at 400 West Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802. The department currently lists a $29 processing fee for report requests and warns that processing times can vary significantly.
While your report is pending, preserve the following evidence:
- Photographs,
- Witness contact information,
- Dashcam footage, and
- Any correspondence with insurers.
This type of information may be useful evidence if the insurance company disputes your claim or a lawsuit becomes necessary to pursue fair compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit Over a Broken Hand from a Car Accident in Long Beach?
California generally gives injured people two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Claims involving government entities may have claim-presentation deadlines and additional procedural requirements.
Speak to a Long Beach car accident attorney as soon as you can after your injury occurs. Waiting to file can make it harder to obtain evidence. Nearby businesses may overwrite surveillance footage, witnesses may become difficult to locate, and the medical records may be more difficult to link to your original collision.
Talk to a Long Beach Car Accident Attorney Before Accepting a Settlement
You may be able to drive again, but your hand still hurts when you grip the steering wheel. Your employer wants to know when you’ll return. Meanwhile, the insurance adjuster is asking whether you’re ready to settle. Signing a release could permanently close your claim.
Before accepting a settlement, consider speaking with The Beliz Law Firm about your options. Our services include examining the collision evidence, reviewing medical records, documenting lost earnings, and evaluating how your hand injury may affect your work and daily activities.
As a small Long Beach firm, we provide personal attention and direct, one-on-one communication with attorney Michael Beliz. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and discuss your broken hand injury claim.
Michael A. Beliz, Esq., established The Beliz Law Firm in the spring of 2011. Michael has been a practicing attorney since 2006 and worked for two of the most prominent plaintiff’s personal injury law firms in Southern California. He has worked on and handled hundreds of cases as an attorney in all types of personal injury cases, including vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents and dog bites, and successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients.
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