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Rib Injury Claims

If you’ve suffered a rib injury, or broken ribs, through no fault of your own, you could be eligible to make a rib injury claim.

Rib injury compensation claim

Rib injuries can range in severity, but they have one thing in common; they’re extremely painful. There’s no set cause for injuries of this sort, and they can occur with any heavy impact or blunt trauma.

If you’ve had a rib injury that wasn’t your fault, you could make a compensation claim. Doing this can help you cover any costs incurred due to the injury and hold those negligible for the incident accountable.

What are rib injuries?

Rib injuries are common, but many people underestimate the pain. The biggest issue is doctors can’t immobilise the ribs or wrap a bandage around them because their location makes it impossible.

Instead, people have to deal with the pain and mobility issues until the ribs eventually heal. The most common types of injuries to the ribs include:

  • Bruising
  • Rib fractures
  • Torn cartilage

It can be difficult to tell if the ribs are broken or just bruised, so it’s essential to go to a hospital for an x-ray to confirm the damage. Some people decide not to, as limited treatment options are available, but seeking hospital treatment will be central to your claim.

The symptoms of rib damage include:

  • Visible bruising around the injury.
  • Pain when breathing or moving around.
  • Feeling breathless

Common causes of rib injuries

Accidents at work

Rib injuries are most common in industrial environments, such as warehouses and factories, due to the use of heavy equipment. While health and safety procedures have to be put in place, accidents can still happen – especially when heavy items fall, or a heavy object hits a worker. Or when people fall off scaffolding and ladders.

Road traffic accidents

Rib fractures often occur in road traffic accidents, which is no surprise when considering the force of the impact. While car drivers can be at risk of rib injuries, they’re most common with motorbike and bicycle users, as there’s limited protection for the body.

In some cases, broken ribs may puncture the lungs, leading to life-threatening complications, meaning people might need surgery for the most severe injuries.

Falls and slips in public places

The maintenance and safety of public places are the responsibility of the local authorities or the owner of private land. Unfortunately, rib injuries can occur in the most innocuous areas, including walking on pavements, parks and shopping centres.

Find out more about supermarket accident claims.

If someone falls onto their ribs, they might experience bruising or cartilage damage. Serious falls can also result in fractures.

Find out more about elderly fall claims.

Sport accidents

Accidents are common – and expected – when playing contact sports such as football and rugby. However, if the playing surface is unsafe, or there are faults with the facility, then that’s not your fault, and you might be able to claim compensation.

Find out more about making a sports injury claim.

Are you eligible to make a rib injury claim?

To be eligible to claim compensation for broken ribs or any other rib injuries, you’ll need to prove another party was negligent. The easiest way to determine whether you can make a personal injury claim is to speak to a legal advice service.

Call 0800 234 6438 to receive free legal advice today, or fill in the form for a callback with a trained legal advisor. If they believe you have a claim, they’ll partner you with a personal injury lawyer who will take on your case on a no win no fee basis.

Find out more about snow and ice slip claims.

The personal injury claims process

Once you speak to a legal advisor, and they believe you have a claim to make, you’ll have access to a no win no fee lawyer, who will manage your claim for you and try to secure maximum compensation. Even better, there are no upfront fees to pay, and if you lose you won’t pay a penny either.

Also, any solicitor who agrees to take on your case on a no win no fee basis will be confident they’ll secure you compensation for your broken or bruised ribs, because they won’t get paid unless they win.

Your lawyer gathers evidence

Whether it’s a bruised or broken rib injury, your lawyer will have to gather evidence to support your case and prove you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence.

The following forms of evidence are vital for your rib injury claim:

  • Medical records: It’ll make it much easier to prove your rib injury if you go to the doctor or hospital for a diagnosis, immediately upon injuring your ribs. These records will be vital to your claim – especially if you have a fractured rib (or numerous rib breaks).
  • Reports of the accident: If an accident occurs in the workplace, it’s imperative your employer record it. It’s also important to report road traffic accidents, so your solicitor can access the records.
  • Dashcam/CCTV footage: Any footage of the car accident can be instrumental when seeking compensation because it can help prove the other party is negligent. Your lawyer will request this footage for you, but it’s also a good idea to get hold of any footage when the accident occurs.
  • Witness statements: Your personal injury solicitor will also need to take witness statements; asking for the contact details of any witnesses at the accident scene is a good idea if you’ve suffered an injury.
  • Photographs: You should also take pictures of the accident scene, including damage to vehicles, personal property and any injuries sustained. Rib fractures and bruises will heal within a few weeks in most cases, so this evidence will be instrumental to achieve maximum personal injury compensation.
  • Any expenses: If the injury impacts your finances, keeping receipts and documenting the costs is a good way to recoup costs.

Putting the claim forward

Once your lawyer has all the evidence they need, they’ll officially put your claim forward to the negligent party.

Their insurance company will probably deal with the claim, and as much as your lawyer wants to secure the maximum compensation, the insurers will want to pay the minimum amount.

There’s no set time limit for the negotiations, but neither party will want to go to court. Your lawyer will try to settle your broken or bruised ribs injury claim ASAP, but if neither party can reach an amount, then court might be the best avenue to explore.

Receiving the compensation and moving on

Once your rib injury compensation solicitors successfully win the case, they’ll take their success fee out of your compensation monies, and you’ll receive the rest of the money.

If you’d like to discuss your eligibility for a bruised or broken rib claims, call 0800 234 6438 today or use the form for a callback. The sooner you get started, the quicker you could receive your compensation.

Frequently asked questions

How long do rib injury compensation claims take?

Your compensation claim has no set time limit because its outcome depends on numerous factors. For a start, you’ll have to prove the other party’s negligence and gather evidence to support your claim.

The other party will also have to accept fault and be receptive to the claim. Some insurance providers will want to settle quickly, while others might ask for more evidence or delay the negotiations.

In a nutshell, there is no set time, it will take as long as it takes.

How much compensation will I receive?

Compensation payments for a no win no fee claim vary for each person. The amount you receive will depend on the nature of the incident and the damages you incurred, as well as the impact the injury has had on your quality of life.

General & special damages

When claiming compensation, your lawyer will likely request both general and special damages. General damages refer to the pain and loss of amenity due to the accident, while special damages take extra costs into account.

Examples of special damages include:

  • Loss of earnings
  • Medical expenses
  • Transportation costs
  • Adaptations to properties and vehicles

For example, any injury to your rib cage will likely cause significant pain, so most people need to take time off work. Meaning if you aren’t working, you might not be earning. You might also not be able to drive and will have to order taxis or use public transport to get around. You might also have to purchase painkillers to relieve the pain.

Living like this for a few weeks will be a considerable expense, so your personal injury solicitors will factor it into the claim.

While there’s no definitive compensation amount, you can get a rough idea using our compensation calculator.

Broken ribs compensation payouts

  • General rib fractures: Up to £3,950.
  • Broken ribs that cause a collapsed or punctured lung: £2000 to £5,320.
  • Any broken ribs suffered that create prolonged complications or disabilities: £31,310 to £54,830.

This is just an idea of the average compensation payout for fractures and cracked ribs, but bruising or soft tissue damage amounts will differ.

The critical thing to remember is that any injury to the chest wall will cause pain and discomfort, and you have every right to seek compensation if this injury was the result of someone else’s negligence.

How long do I have to seek compensation for rib injuries caused by negligence?

As with most personal injury claims, the time limit is three years after the incident, or three years from when you first notice your injury or get diagnosed with having a rib injury – regardless of whether it’s a minor injury or of a more serious nature.

However, children have three years from the date they turn 18 to make a claim, as a child cannot claim for themselves before they become legal adults.

If your child suffers a rib or chest injury due to someone else’s negligence, you can claim on their behalf.

Will I need to attend a medical assessment?

As most rib injuries heal naturally, the original medical evidence should be enough to prove your compensation claim. However, if you suffer serious injuries that cause long-term mobility or disability, your lawyer and the negligent party may want you to attend an assessment.

What can I use the compensation for?

Once your claim goes through and you receive the compensation, you can do what you want with it.

Whether that’s recovering any financial losses from time off work or using the broken ribs compensation amount for home renovations, you’ll have money to help your recovery.

To find out more about eligibility for a bruised or broken rib claims, call 0800 234 6438 today or use the form for a callback. The sooner you get started, the quicker you could receive your compensation.

Other Important Information

*No Win No Fee

  • Although all our cases are handled on a no win no fee basis, other costs could be payable upon solicitors request. These will be fully explained to you before you proceed. Most customers will pay 25% (including VAT) of the compensation they are awarded to their law firm, although this may vary based on individual circumstances. Your solicitor may arrange for insurance to be in place for you to make sure your claim is risk free. Termination fees based on time spent may apply, or in situations such as: lack of cooperation or deliberately misleading our solicitors, or failing to go to any medical or expert examination, or court hearing.
  • *Criminal Injury Claims

  • If you want to make a claim for a criminal injury, you are not required to use the services of a claims management company to pursue the claim. You can submit your claim for free on your own behalf, directly to the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (England, Wales, and Scotland) or the Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme (Northern Ireland).
About the Author

Nicola Laver LLB

Nicola is a dual qualified journalist and non-practising solicitor. She is a legal journalist, editor and author with more than 20 years' experience writing about the law.

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