No Win, No FeeWhile many consider broken or cracked ribs to be minor injuries, they can cause debilitating pain that makes even the most normal tasks difficult. Rib injuries are sustained in many types of accidents and, importantly, there’s little that can be done other than to manage the pain. This guide about rib injury compensation claims will explain when you could claim compensation for rib injuries sustained in an accident that wasn’t your fault.
If you do wish to make a claim, we’re here to help you. Our advisors can assess the merits of your claim during a free consultation and offer no-obligation legal advice about how to proceed. If the claim appears to be possible, we’ll appoint a personal injury solicitor from our panel to your case. If they agree to work for you, they’ll manage all aspects of your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
You can call us on 0800 652 1345 if you’ve any questions or carry on reading to learn more about rib injury claims.
Types of rib injuries you could claim compensation for
The rib cage is very important as it’s there to protect your heart and lungs. Any damage to your ribs can therefore have serious health consequences. The most common rib injuries compensation could be claimed for include:
- Broken ribs.
- Cracked ribs.
- Bruised ribs.
- Damage to the ligaments around the ribs.
- Torn rib cartilage.
If your rib injury isn’t on our list, don’t worry. A personal injury solicitor could still help you to start a rib injury compensation claim so please call and let us know what happened and we’ll review your options.
Common symptoms of a rib injury
The main symptoms associated with rib injuries include:
- Serious pain in and around the ribs – especially while inhaling.
- Hearing a crack at the time of the injury.
- Bruising on the skin near the damaged rib.
- Tenderness or swelling near the affected ribs.
In most cases, you’ll need to spend around 3 to 6 weeks recovering from a rib injury. That’s because, unlike other bones, the ribs can not be splinted or set by doctors. As such, you’ll need to let your injuries heal naturally but you may be prescribed painkillers to ease your symptoms.
Serious rib injuries can cause internal organ damage such as a punctured lung. Although many rib injuries aren’t too serious, on occasion, they can cause fatalities.
Can I claim compensation for a rib injury?
Even though many rib injuries aren’t serious, you should still check whether you might be entitled to claim compensation. For example, bruised rib compensation could help you deal with a drop in income if your injuries prevent you from working for a few weeks.
Before our personal injury lawyers take on your claim, they’ll be looking to see whether the party you intend on suing (your employer, a business, local authority etc) had a duty of care towards you but, due to their negligence, you sustained a rib injury.
You will be owed a duty of care in many scenarios without even realising it. For example, you’ll probably be owed a duty of care in any public place, in shops, at work, at school or while walking down the high street. So, you shouldn’t be too concerned about this element of the criteria above.
Common accidents that cause rib injuries
In theory, any accident that wasn’t your fault and causes you to sustain broken, fractured or bruised ribs could entitle you to claim compensation. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common examples:
Road traffic accidents (RTAs)
Any RTA causing rib injuries caused by another driver’s negligence could mean you can claim compensation. This goes for drivers, car passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle couriers who’ve suffered rib injuries through no fault of their own. Examples of negligence that could lead to a claim include speeding, dangerous or careless driving, drink driving or using a mobile phone whilst driving.
Sports accidents
Many people assume that they can’t claim for bruised or broken ribs sustained during a sports match. However, if the sports accident was caused by faulty equipment, unsuitable playing surfaces, poor coaching or other forms of negligence, you could be entitled to compensation.
Accidents at work
Breaking your ribs at work could lead to a compensation claim if your employer’s negligence caused your accident. For example, you could claim if your accident was caused by inadequate safety training, damaged workplace machinery, inadequate personal protective equipment or a generally unsafe working environment. You should always remember to report any workplace accident as soon as possible.
Slips, trips and falls
If you injure your ribs in a public place like a shop, restaurant, gym or library, you may be entitled to claim compensation. For example, if your fall was caused by a wet floor, you may have grounds to sue.
Falls on pavements
Falls on pavements are a common cause of rib injuries. If the local authority/council has not taken the appropriate measures to repair damaged or unsafe pavements in good time, resulting in injury to individuals, they may well be liable.
In reality, councils cannot realistically ensure all paths are hazard-free 24/7. However, they do have an obligation to do their best. In the event that for example they were warned of issues in certain areas under their control, and failed to carry out any safety work, this could be seen as liable and lead to a pavement compensation claim.
Criminal assault
Rib injuries received as a consequence of a criminal assault can lead to legal action and a compensation claim against an individual. In some cases, it may be difficult or impossible to prove which individual party caused your injury or indeed the party may never be identified.
When it comes to legal action against a known individual this would be a traditional personal injury claim pursued through the courts. However, where the criminal party could not be identified or they managed to evade arrest you would still be able to claim compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. This fund was specifically set up to assist victims of violent crime.
Playground accidents
Children can sometimes injure their ribs when falling from playground apparatus at school or in a park. Claims may be possible if their injuries occurred because of damage to the apparatus or because safety devices such as safety tiles were damaged or missing.
Whatever sort of accident you were involved in, if it was not your fault and you sustained rib injuries as a result, we could help you to claim compensation to cover your suffering.
How much compensation for a rib injury?
If you win a rib injury claim, your settlement will aim to help you recover physically, emotionally and financially. The two main damages used in personal injury claims are general damages (pain and suffering) and special damages (financial implications). Any settlement you receive could cover:
- The physical pain and discomfort caused by your rib injuries.
- Psychological injuries such as anxiety or distress associated with your accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of your usual hobbies e.g. if your rib injuries prevent you from participating in your normal sport.
- Lost income.
- Medical costs including prescription fees.
- Care costs if you required support during recovery.
- Travel costs.
- Property replacement costs for items damaged during your accident.
- Any future reduction in earnings.
- Mobility aids and changes to your home if you’ve sustained long-term injuries.
Time should be taken to fully understand how you’ve been affected by your rib injuries because if you accept a low settlement offer, you can’t request additional damages later on.
Rib injury compensation payouts
There are guidelines from the Judicial College which can help with determining compensation payouts for rib injuries. You’ll notice below that generally, the amount of compensation awarded depends on the type and severity of the rib injury.
- Broken ribs that cause serious pain and disability for a number of weeks could get compensation of up to £4,820.
- Broken ribs that have caused lungs to collapse could get between £2,680 and £6,500.
- Compensation of between £38,210 and £66,920 where the chest and lungs are damaged resulting in some continuing disability.
To check if we could help you to start a rib injury compensation claim, call today on 0800 652 1345.
Providing proof for rib injury compensation claims
It is important that your solicitor presents as strong a case as possible to try and secure rib injury compensation. This means they will need to demonstrate how your rib injuries were sustained, who was to blame and how you’ve suffered as a result.
The types of proof that could be used include:
- Medical evidence. Your solicitor will request copies of your medical notes and any x-rays from the hospital or GP surgery where your rib injuries were diagnosed. Don’t worry if x-rays were not carried out as rib injuries can sometimes be diagnosed without them.
- Photographs. If you can do so safely, you should try to take pictures at the accident scene to try and prove how your rib injuries occurred, and photos of your injuries if possible.
- CCTV or dashcam footage. For accidents that were caught on camera, any relevant footage may be requested to help clarify who was to blame.
- Accident report forms. If you injured your ribs at work or on a company’s premises, you should report what happened. Then ask for a copy of the accident report form (a legal requirement) as it can help to prove the date, time and location of your accident.
- Witness statements. If the defendant denies that the accident occurred or that you were injured, your solicitor may ask any witnesses for a statement of what they saw.
- Financial information. You may be entitled to claim back any costs linked to your rib injuries. For this reason, you should submit any receipts, bank statements or other financial records as proof to support your claim.
If you already have any of the proof listed above, please let us know when you call and we’ll consider it during your free consultation.
Will I need a medical assessment for my rib injury?
The full extent of your injuries may need to be assessed before your claim is filed. If so, you’ll need an independent medical assessment. Your solicitor will usually arrange this locally with a medical specialist.
At your meeting, the specialist will discuss how your rib injuries have affected you before examining you. Once they’ve finished, they’ll compile a report about your injuries and your solicitor will use it to help calculate how much compensation you might claim for your rib injuries.
Rib injury claim time limits
In the UK, personal injury claims are bound by a 3-year limitation period. For most rib injury claims, this period will begin from:
- The date of your accident; or
- The date your rib injuries were diagnosed.
However, if your child has broken ribs or injured their ribs, their time limit will not begin until their 18th birthday. As a result, you could start a claim at any time before that date.
To make it a bit easier to secure the proof you may need for your rib injury compensation claim, we believe it’s best to get the process started as early as you can. This could also help if you require interim payments to cover lost income or medical costs before the claim has been settled.
Claiming compensation if your child has injured their ribs
Children are perhaps more susceptible to accidents that could lead to rib injuries than adults. That means that schools, businesses and local authorities should take extra care to try and prevent accidents in places where children are likely to visit.
If your child has injured their ribs in the playground, a park, a soft play area or anywhere else, you would need to take action on their behalf as they cannot take legal action themselves.
By becoming your child’s litigation friend, you could manage the claims process for your child’s personal injury to try and secure compensation for them. Our solicitors can help with this process so please get in touch if it’s something you’d like to talk over.
No Win, No Fee claims
In our opinion, you have a better chance of securing a fair amount of compensation for rib injuries if you are represented by a personal injury solicitor. We realise that some people are concerned about the cost of taking on legal representation which is why our solicitors work on a No Win, No Fee basis.
If your rib injury compensation claim is accepted, you’ll be sent a No Win, No Fee agreement to sign. It will explain that:
- No advance payment of legal fees is required.
- If your rib injury claim fails, you don’t pay any legal fees.
- If the claim is won, a success fee will be deducted from your settlement to cover your solicitor’s work.
Once you have signed your agreement, your solicitor’s main goals will be to:
- Start working on your rib injury claim right away by collecting proof.
- File the claim with the defendant.
- Liaise with the defendant’s insurers to stop you from having to answer any legal or medical questions directly.
- Provide updates about how the claim is progressing.
- Try to secure the maximum level of compensation possible.
So, why not call today to see if we could help you claim on a No Win No Fee basis?
Start a rib injury compensation claim today
The easiest way to start the ball rolling if you would like to make a rib injury claim is to call us on 0800 652 1345. A specialist advisor will explain everything in detail and answer any questions you may have. As part of your free consultation, we’ll offer legal advice about the options available to you.
If one of our personal injury solicitors believes that your claim is strong enough, they’ll take your claim on and represent you on a No Win, No Fee basis. As your financial risks will be greatly reduced, you should find the process a lot less stressful.
Our advisors are ready to help on the phone or via live chat so please get in touch if you’d like to know more about rib injury compensation claims.
