Claiming for Rib Injuries
Rib injuries can be very painful and can take a long time to heal. Cracked or broken ribs can heal very slowly and can make it difficult to get on with your everyday life.
From pain whilst breathing and laughing, to pain when walking, rib injuries can have a massive impact on daily tasks, and if you suffer a rib injury due to an accident that was someone else’s fault, then that can make the healing process even worse.
Causes of rib injuries
Rib injuries are usually caused by sudden impact or blows to the chest. There are many accidents that can cause this. Some of these accidents include:
- Road traffic accidents
- Accidents at work
- Slips, trips, and falls
If you had an accident that has resulted in cracked or broken ribs and it was not your fault, then you may be able to claim compensation.
Road traffic accidents
Road traffic accidents are one of the main accidents that can cause rib injuries. If you are a driver, passenger, motorcyclist, or cyclist and have had an accident, a common injury that you may have is cracked or broken ribs.
If the road traffic accident was not your fault, for example if someone crashed into you because they were speeding, then you may be entitled to make a claim.
Accidents at work
Accidents at work are also a common cause of rib injuries. These injuries are most common in industries where the staff are using machinery, such as warehouse work, or industries where the staff must work at height.
Your employer has a duty of care to make sure that you are safe at work. They must follow guidelines set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to make sure that no one has accidents whilst at work. If your employer has failed in their duty of care, then they may be at fault.
Slips, trips, and falls
Another accident type that often results in rib injuries are slips trips and falls. These accidents can occur in shops or other public places, or out on the pavement. They can often cause rib injuries due to the force of you hitting the ground.
Similarly to how your employer has a duty to keep you safe at work, business owners and councils also have that same duty of care to you when you are on their premises or out in public. If this does not happen, then they may be at fault for the accident.
Types of Rib Injuries
The primary function of the rib cage is to keep your organs safe. This means that any injury to the ribs can, in the worst-case scenario, lead to serious injuries, and can even be fatal. If this has happened to you or a loved one, we know how hard that can be.
The main type of rib injury that occurs after accidents is broken or cracked ribs. These injuries can take a long time to heal, particularly because they cannot have splints put in like other bones. Because of this, they often have to heal naturally.
Other common types of rib injury you can suffer from include bruised ribs, ligament damage to the surrounding ligaments, and soft tissue damage. These injuries can also be painful and can take a while to heal.
After having an accident where there was impact to your chest, you should always go and see your doctor. This is because your injuries may be worse than you think they are.
How we can help
Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors that are experienced in all types of personal injury claims. This includes accidents that have caused injury to the ribs. Contact us by filling in our form or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable agents.