Chest Injury
Compensation Claims

Things to consider when making a chest injury claim

• Typical compensation for a chest injury can range from £2,440 for uncomplicated lung injuries to £166,540 for serious heart damage with scarring and lasting pain.
• You can claim if you were injured in the workplace, in a road accident, or on public premises.
• You can also claim for compensation if an existing chest injury was misdiagnosed and made worse by a medical mistake.
• There is a 3-year time limit from the date of your accident to start your claim.
• Your compensation amount will be influenced by the extent of your chest injury, and lasting organ damage or health issues, and your financial losses and expenses. Discover how much you could claim with our compensation calculator.
• You can claim on a no win, no fee basis.

If a chest injury has set you back, we can help

A chest injury can significantly impact your day-to-day life, limiting your ability to breathe, move, and perform even simple tasks. Whether it’s a broken rib from a car accident, a blunt force injury from a fall, or damage from workplace negligence, chest injuries can be painful and you may require a long recovery. Treatment will depend on the specific injury, involving pain relief, surgery, supportive care and physio.

If you have been affected by a chest injury caused by someone else's negligence, we can help you can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim.

With over 270,000 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

272,788 patients were admitted to hospital in 2022-23 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).

How much compensation can I claim for a chest injury?

Compensation for your chest injury is determined by:

• how significant your injury is,
• how your injury affects your everyday life and work,
• any costs or financial impacts you?ve suffered due to your injury.

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.

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

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average chest injury general damages compensation table

The following chest injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th 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).

Asthma & breathing difficulty

Chest injuries

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.

Am I eligible for chest injury compensation?

Yes, you can claim for a chest injury, if:

• you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
• another party was to blame, and;
• that party owed you a duty of care.

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.

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 affects the process when claiming for a chest injury?

The claims process changes depending on the cause of your chest injury. Click the icons below to learn more.

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

Sources

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.