How Common Is Ring Avulsion Injuries

Ring avulsion is reported at roughly 150,000 incidents each year. These reported incidents make up roughly five percent of emergency room visits related to arm and hand injuries each year. 

Ring avulsion commonly happens to individuals wearing wedding bands, but it may also occur on any fingers or toes with a ring on them.

Silicone Ring Experiment

The American Association for Hand Surgery conducted an experiment to test the effects of silicone rings in causing ring avulsion injuries. The experiment showed that the force to break a silicone ring was roughly ten times less than that of a metal ring. Most importantly, the tested silicone rings did not cause ring avulsion when torn off at the same force as their metal counterparts.

In the conclusion, the authors state that “[t]he use of silicone rings can be encouraged in professions where ring avulsion injuries are more likely, such as healthcare professionals and heavy laborers.”

Can My Employer Require Me To Remove My Wedding Ring?

Many people do not want to remove their wedding rings at all, whether due to forgetfulness, fear of losing it, or strong commitment to their spouse. Sticking to the principle (even in the face of ring avulsion)  is admirable. However, your employer likely can require you to remove your wedding band for various reasons.

An employer requiring the removal of metal wedding bands for safety reasons is almost certainly making a valid request. Prevention of workplace injury (ring avulsion) is not only a valid reason to request removal but is also likely necessary for an employer to limit liability, as they must follow safety precautions to protect employees. Dress codes have also often been upheld as valid when applied to all employees equally. 

Conversely, suppose an employer takes action against you for not removing a wedding band, and the intent of the request was discriminatory. In that case, there may be a valid claim against that employer. A claim arises in circumstances where marital status (in California) is being discriminated against. As outlined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, unfair treatment, harassment, or denial of a workplace change may be actionable if done to discriminate against a protected class. Retaliation for assisting with job discrimination proceedings is also a violation. 

In sum, if your employer has a valid safety or business reason for removing rings, you may be required to remove them or face discipline.  

Ring Avulsions And Medical Malpractice

Ring avulsions can be severe injuries and require intensive care and monitoring. Sub-standard care or misdiagnosing a ring avulsion or degloving injury can result in disaster for the patient’s finger. For example, misdiagnosing a class 2 ring avulsion as class 1 could mean that poor circulation is overlooked. As a result, the finger could die and require amputation, where reconstruction may have been viable before. Similarly, ring avulsions are prone to infection due to the depth of the wound. Improper cleaning could result in infection and loss of the finger, which in turn may be considered medical malpractice. 

If you believe your workplace injury was misdiagnosed or you received substandard medical care, please reach out to a qualified medical malpractice attorney immediately. Loss of a finger can be traumatizing enough; knowing that loss was preventable is even more difficult. Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. 

Contact A Personal Injury Attorney

Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates has the experience and expertise to solve problems for clients and achieve the best possible results. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 888-848-5084 or contact us online.