If a rib injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Rib injuries can cause excruciating pain, often needing prolonged recovery periods.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a rib injury, we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Compensation may be awarded for medical treatment costs, pain management, and for the impact the injury has on your life.
You can make a compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
In this article
You are not alone
According to the Oxford University Hospital, rib injuries can take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to heal.
However, your recovery can be affected by complications related to your rib injury, such as:
- a chest infection,
- pneumothorax,
- haemothorax,
- surgical emphysema or
- abdominal injury.
Rib injuries are typically caused by a fall or the impact of an object hitting the chest or vice versa.
If you decide to make a rib 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 deserve.
What should I do if I have suffered a rib injury?
Having sought medical attention and treatment, you should contact a solicitor as soon as possible.
If you have suffered a rib injury that was not your fault, you may be able to claim compensation.
The panel of solicitors have many years of experience in dealing with compensation claims for rib injuries and can advise you on whether or not a claim is likely to be successful.
Am I entitled to make a rib injury claim?
If you've been injured or diagnosed with an illness in the last three years and it wasn't your fault, you will be able to claim compensation.
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 I was partly to blame?
Liability for an accident often involves fault on both sides.
In our recent 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents thought they could be partially to blame for their accident.
When fault on both sides caused a claimant's injuries, this is called 'contributory negligence'. In these situations, compensation may still be payable on the basis of a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long after a rib injury do I have to start a claim?
An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.
For injured children, a claim can be started by a parent or guardian at any time before they turn 18. Thereafter, the injured individual has until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own.
Who is responsible for your injury?
If you have suffered a rib injury, such as bruised or fractured ribs, and the accident was not your fault, it may be that another party can be held liable.
If. for example, you suffered a rib injury at work, your employer may be liable. Employers have a duty to protect the health and safety of their staff. If your employer has failed to train you in how to perform your duties safely or provide suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), your employer can be held liable for the consequences.
Employers are also responsible for ensuring that equipment is maintained to safe standards and that there are no obvious risks to the well-being of their staff.
Your rib injury might have occurred when you slipped while visiting commercial premises, such as a restaurant or shop. If this is the case, the person or organisation who is responsible for the premises can be held liable. Most businesses have public liability insurance. In the event of an accident on businesses premises, a compensation claim would typically be made against this policy.
Rib injuries are common in road traffic accidents or 'RTAs' when a driver or passenger's chest impacts with the steering wheel or dashboard of the car. The person who was to blame for the accident (such as another driver) could be pursued for compensation.
On some occasions, people experience rib injuries as a result of engaging in sports. If you have not been instructed in how to engage in your chosen sport in a safe manner, the person or organisation providing the lessons could be held responsible for your injury.
How much compensation can I claim for a rib 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.
Rib injury
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General damages
General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).
Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Special damages
Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include loss of earnings, or any other out of pocket expenses.
Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your rib injury, including pain medication, a rib belt and breathing exercises.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
Average rib injury general damages compensation
The following rib injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Sixteenth Edition by the Judicial College.
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).
| Injury | Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest injury | |||
| Chest injury | Minor | Fractured ribs or muscle injury to the rib cage and chest | Up to £3,590 |
| Chest injury | Less Serious | Injury causing lungs to collapse, making a full recovery | £1,990 to £4,840 |
| Chest injury | Moderate | Some permanent tissue damage but no significant long-term lung problem | £11,450 to £16,330 |
| Chest injury | Moderate | Injury from inhaling toxic fumes or smoke | £4,840 to £11,450 |
| Chest injury | Serious | Damage to the chest and lungs causing some continuing disability | £28,460 to £49,850 |
| Chest injury | Severe | Traumatic injury to the chest, lungs or heart with permanent damage and reduced life expectancy | £59,760 to £91,520 |
| Chest injury | Very Severe | Total removal of one lung and/or serious heart damage | £91,520 to £136,460 |
Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?
Although psychiatric injuries are less obvious than physical injuries and illness, mental health conditions can be no less debilitating.
Our 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey found that 29.03% of claimants reported a psychological injury, with 70.97% of these relating to a physical injury.
Rib injuries often cause anxiety about breathing and a phobia of movement (also known as fear-avoidance behavior or FAB), alongside fears of complications like pneumonia.
Your solicitor will help ensure that any psychological harm you have suffered as the result of another party's negligence is recognised and included in the calculation of your compensation award or settlement. In addition, you can also claim for mental health treatment costs that may not be readily available on the NHS.
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.
How did your injury happen?
The claims process for a rib injury will depend on where and how the accident happened. Click the icons below for more information:
Injury FAQs
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No win, no fee rib injury compensation claims
With no win, no fee, you can claim rib injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
How we can help you with your injury claim
Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning injury claims.
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Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor
About the author
Howard qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.