TFCC wrist tear accident attorney

The triangular fibrocartilage complex sits on the little-finger side of the wrist, cushioning the joint and stabilising the two forearm bones against each other. A tear produces pain on that side of the wrist, clicking, and weakness in gripping and twisting. It is frequently missed on standard imaging and frequently dismissed as a sprain. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles orthopedic injury claims in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York.

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What the imaging and records show

Plain radiographs do not show the complex, although they may show a related fracture at the end of the ulna or a difference in the relative lengths of the forearm bones, which predisposes to tearing. Standard MRI detects some tears; MR arthrography is more sensitive. Examination findings of tenderness in the hollow on the little-finger side of the wrist and pain on provocative testing corroborate. Arthroscopy remains the most definitive assessment and allows treatment at the same time.

Why this injury meets the legal threshold

A tear confirmed on arthrography or at arthroscopy, with corresponding examination findings, is objective injury. Where instability between the forearm bones is demonstrated, that is a further objective finding with clear functional consequence. Grip strength testing provides an additional measurement.

Typical treatment course and prognosis

Initial management is usually immobilisation and activity modification, sometimes with injection. Where symptoms persist, arthroscopy is used to debride or repair the tear, and where the relative length of the forearm bones is contributing, a shortening procedure on the ulna may be performed. Recovery from repair involves a period of immobilisation followed by rehabilitation over months. Persistent pain with rotation and loading, and reduced grip strength, are recognized outcomes.

How insurance carriers attack this diagnosis

That the tear is degenerative, which is common with age. That the person’s forearm anatomy predisposed them to it regardless. That a delay before diagnosis shows the two are unrelated. That symptoms are subjective. The response is the documented absence of prior wrist complaints, the mechanism, the arthrographic or arthroscopic findings, and objective grip strength testing compared with the uninjured side.

Proving the accident caused it

Establish the mechanism — a fall onto an outstretched hand with the wrist deviated, a violent twisting force such as a steering wheel being wrenched, or a direct axial load. Establish the pre-incident baseline. Obtain appropriate imaging rather than accepting a normal standard MRI as an answer. Document grip strength objectively, and where the person’s work involves gripping or twisting, obtain a formal assessment of the restriction.

Available insurance coverage

What can be recovered is limited by what coverage exists. The at-fault party’s policy is the starting point, but it is frequently not the only source: the injured person’s own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, household policies, employer coverage where a vehicle was used for work, umbrella and excess layers, and the coverage of any additional responsible party can all apply. Underinsured coverage typically requires notice and consent before any settlement with the at-fault party — settling first can forfeit it. Identifying every available layer is early work, not closing work.

How damages are categorised and proven

Damages are not a single number that gets negotiated. They are separate categories, each proven by different evidence. Past medical expense is proven by billing records and the reasonableness of the charges. Future medical expense requires a physician’s opinion that the care is reasonably certain to be needed. Lost income is proven by employment and tax records; lost earning capacity is a different and larger question requiring vocational and economic analysis. Non-economic loss — pain, limitation, and the effect on daily life — is proven through the medical record and through testimony from people who can describe specific changes rather than general decline. No one can responsibly tell you what a case is worth before that evidence exists, and any figure offered at the outset is a guess.

Filing deadlines

Every injury claim is governed by a statute of limitations, and the periods differ by state and by claim type. For personal injury actions the period is two years in Virginia under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A), accruing at the date of injury; three years in Maryland under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101; three years in the District of Columbia under D.C. Code § 12-301(8); two years in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2; and three years in New York under N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5). These are general periods. Discovery rules, tolling for minors and incapacity, claims against government entities — the District imposes a six-month notice-of-claim requirement for claims against the District government — and claim-specific statutes can shorten or extend them. Do not rely on a general period for your own case; have the deadline confirmed on your facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TFCC?

The triangular fibrocartilage complex — a structure of cartilage and ligaments on the little-finger side of the wrist that cushions the joint and holds the two forearm bones in the correct relationship to each other. It is loaded whenever you grip, twist or push through the hand.

Why was it missed on my X-ray?

Because plain radiographs show bone, not cartilage and ligament, so a TFCC tear is invisible on them. The wrist is then commonly diagnosed as a sprain. Where pain on the little-finger side persists, more sensitive imaging such as MR arthrography, or arthroscopy, is what identifies the problem.

What does a TFCC tear feel like?

Typically pain on the little-finger side of the wrist, worse on twisting movements such as turning a doorknob or a key, opening jars, or pushing up from a chair. Clicking or a sense of instability is common, as is weakness of grip. Those specific descriptions are more useful to your clinician than a general report of wrist pain.

The insurer says my wrist anatomy caused it. Is that a defense?

It is an argument rather than an answer. A relative difference in the length of the forearm bones can predispose the complex to tearing, but predisposition is not causation, and an injured person is generally taken as found. A documented absence of prior wrist symptoms is the strongest response.

Will surgery fix it?

Arthroscopic treatment helps many people, either by trimming the torn portion or by repairing it, and where forearm bone length is contributing, a shortening procedure may be added. Outcomes vary and some residual pain on loading and twisting is common. Your surgeon can address the expected result in your case.

How long do I have to bring a claim?

Two years in Virginia and New Jersey, three years in Maryland, the District of Columbia and New York for personal injury actions, subject to tolling and discovery rules. Because these tears are often diagnosed months after the incident, confirm the deadline on your facts early rather than assuming it runs from diagnosis.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris is the owner and founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., which has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor and is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York. Of Counsel attorneys contract directly with the firm and handle matters alongside him. In 2019 Mr. Sris testified before the Virginia House Courts of Justice Committee on House Bill 635.

Speak with Mr. Sris

Injury claims are governed by filing deadlines that vary by state and by claim type, and evidence degrades quickly. Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Consultations are by appointment.

Last reviewed: August 22, 2026.

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