Chest injury
compensation claims

If a chest injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Trauma to the chest area may involve ribs, organs, or muscles, and injuries can result from blunt force or penetration. Treatment will depend on the specific injury but may involve pain relief, surgery, or supportive care.

If you have been affected by a chest injury, we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

With over 250,000 patients admitted for chest injuries and pain each year, you are not alone

'Chest injury' is an umbrella term that describes any injury or illness that affects the between the neck and the diaphragm, such as:

• Fractured ribs, clavicle, sternum or breastbone
• Muscle, tendon or ligament damage
• Chronic illness of the heart or lungs caused by unsafe working conditions. For example, 900 new cases of work-related asbestosis diagnosed each year.
• Other injury and illness affecting internal organs

268,203 patients were admitted to hospital in 2021-22 with a chest injury, chest or throat pain, from an analysis of NHS reports (hse.gov.uk).

When making compensation awards, the courts recognise that an injury to the chest can be severe and have a long-term effect on the claimant's quality of life. Awards and settlements for serious chest injuries are consequently high.

If you decide to make a chest injury claim, your personal injury solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

If you need information on chest infection symptoms and treatment, visit: chest infection (nhs.uk).

Am I eligible for chest injury compensation?

You will be able to claim compensation if you've been injured or diagnosed with an illness in the last three years and it wasn't your fault.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

What if the accident was partly my fault?

Attributing blame for an accident isn't always clear-cut.

In our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, we found that 13.99% of respondents felt they had at least some responsibility for the injuries they sustained.

The legal term for cases where an injured person was (to some extent) responsible for their injuries is 'contributory negligence'. If there is fault on both sides of a claim, it is possible to pay reduced compensation on a split liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long do I have to start a chest injury claim?

In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.

For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.

How much compensation can I claim for a chest injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your chest injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.

Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include pain medication, rib belt, breathing exercises and surgery if needed.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Average chest injury general damages compensation

The following chest injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Sixteenth Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?

If you have experienced psychological issues in addition to physical symptoms, you are not alone.

Our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey found that 29.03% of claimants reported a psychological injury, with 70.97% of these relating to a physical injury.

Injuries to the chest can cause phobia and anxiety about breathing and cardiac health.

Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

The main causes of chest injury

Chest injuries usually occur in one of two ways:

• Impact trauma, such as the injuries sustained in a road traffic accident, fall from height or a criminal assault.
• Exposure to hazardous substances at work. This type of claim is known as an industrial disease compensation claim. Injuries may include chronic chest conditions such as mesothelioma or pneumoconiosis.

The cause of the accident is not usually related to the settlement amount, as compensation is calculated by reference to the nature of the injuries and the long term effect they might have on the claimant's life.

For the purposes of establishing liability, the cause of the accident does matter. To make a successful claim, the injury lawyer must show that the defendant was negligent in some way.

Chest injuries at work

Where the chest injury or illness has been caused by exposure to hazardous substances at work, a claim may be brought against the employer. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and, specifically, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, employers have a legal obligation to minimise the impact that a hazardous substance might have on a worker's health.

Where the employer does not take reasonable steps to protect staff from dangerous dust and fumes, for example, by installing ventilation or providing suitable protective equipment, then the employer may be liable for any chest injury or illness that arises as a result.

What happened?

Claiming compensation for a chest injury is dependent on how your injury occurred. Click the icons below for more detail:

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

Citations

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.