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Broken Rib Injury Claims

By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 15th August 2024. Welcome to our broken rib injury claims guide.

Rib injuries could cause serious harm to a person. Consider for a moment that the function of the ribs is to protect the lungs and heart from damage. Loss of function of either of these vital organs could result in death.

Therefore, the ribs are a critical part of the body, and if they are damaged due to an injury at work or another accident that was a result of someone else’s negligence, you may well have a legitimate reason to claim compensation for your rib injury.

Read through our guide to learn about the process of claiming rib injury compensation and how our solicitors can help.

Alternatively, you can contact us today for a free consultation about making a claim:

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How Can You Break Your Rib And When Can You Claim Compensation?

The first step in claiming for fractured ribs is establishing if you were owed a duty of care and if a breach of this duty caused your injuries. Together, these three factors amount to negligence. If you can prove that negligence occurred, you may be able to make a claim. 

Some examples of when you could be owed a duty of care include:

  • At work – You may be able to make an accident at work claim if your employer breached their duty of care, causing your rib injuries. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers owe their staff a duty of care to take reasonable steps to keep them safe while working.
  • Using the roads – Drivers and road users have to navigate the roads in a way that prevents harm to others and themselves, which is their duty of care. To uphold this duty, they have to follow the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
  • In public – As established by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, those in control of public spaces owe visitors a duty of care. This means that they have to ensure the reasonable safety of those using the premises for its intended purpose.

For more advice on whether you could make a broken rib claim, please contact our advisors today. You can speak to them for free either online or on the phone. Or, read on to learn about what types of damages could be included in the average payout for broken ribs in the UK.

How Do I Prove My Broken Rib Injury Claim?

When making a personal injury claim for broken ribs, it is important that you can prove that you sustained your injury due to someone breaching their duty of care to you. This is why evidence is crucial. Some of the potential evidence you could gather to help prove your claim include:

  • Any CCTV footage, photographs or videos of the incident.
  • Eyewitness contact details (so a statement can be collected from them later).
  • Medical evidence, such as a copy of your medical records stating you have suffered from shattered ribs, and any of the treatment you may have needed.
  • An accident report book (if applicable).
  • A police report number (if applicable).
  • Evidence of any financial losses you have suffered due to your injury. This could be bank statements, receipts, or invoices.

Remember, if your claim is successful, how much compensation you receive will depend on the specific factors affecting your claim. Therefore, there is no average compensation for broken ribs that we can provide.

Contact our advisors today for further guidance regarding your personal injury claim.

What Does The Claims Process Involve?

The personal injury claims process is made up of a series of steps. You may start by seeking the expert support of a personal injury solicitor to help the process run smoothly. From there, the stages of what is known as pre-action protocol are:

  • Informing the defendant that you intend to claim by sending a Letter of Notification. The defendant must reply to this letter within 21 calendar days and have three months to investigate.
  • Considerations over whether you have a reasonable need for medical treatment or rehabilitation. This could involve discussions on how to address the cost of such care.
  • A Letter of Claim, which provides the defendant with a more detailed summary of your claim and the facts it is based on.
  • The defendant’s response, which must be given within 21 calendar days of receiving the Letter of Claim.
  • Disclosure. This is where you and the defendant can exchange relevant documents to address the claims you have made.
  • The contribution of experts. For example, a medical professional could be asked to provide an independent assessment of your injuries.
  • Negotiations between the two parties. They could result in an early offer or an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which is a form of mediation intended to prevent a case from going to court.

If the defendant refuses to accept liability, the case may go to court. If you are wondering whether your broken rib injury claim would go to court, it is worth noting that only a very small number personal injury claims require a court hearing.

You can call us today to ask about how claims work. Get a free case assessment from us to learn if one of our solicitors could take your case and help you through every step of the claims process.

How Much Compensation Could I Claim For A Broken Rib?

Understandably, many people ask our advisors how much compensation they would get for rib injuries. The average payout for broken ribs in the UK would not tell you much about what you would get personally, as compensation is calculated on a case-by-case basis.

If your claim is successful, your broken rib compensation will definitely include a payment under the general damages head of loss. This accounts for the physical pain and mental anguish caused by the accident. It’s possible to claim for other injuries or mental conditions on top of a broken rib.

Those calculating general damages compensation for broken rib injury claims can look at the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) and its collection of guideline compensation brackets for some support.

We’ve created a table using these brackets, focusing on injuries related to broken ribs. Only the top entry hasn’t come out of the JCG.

Just remember that this is only a guide and you’ll get a better idea of what personal injury compensation you can claim by speaking to us.

InjurySeverityAmount
Serious Broken Rib Injuries And Monetary LossesSeriousUp to £100,000+
Chest InjuryLung Removal/Serious Heart Damage£122,850 to £183,190
Chest InjuryTraumatic Injury£80,240 to £122,850
Chest InjuryDamage to Chest and Lung(s)£38,210 to £66,920
Chest InjuryFractures of RibsUp to £4,820
Digestive SystemDamage Resulting from Traumatic Injury (i)£52,490 to £75,550

Special Damages For Injured Ribs Claims

Your compensation award may also include special damages. Special damages can cover for the financial losses that have been directly caused by your injuries.

Examples of special damages can include:

  • Loss of earnings due to needing to take time off work to recover. This can include past, present and future losses.
  • Travel costs if, for example, you’ve had to pay for public transport to receive treatment needed for your injuries.
  • The cost of ongoing care or special aid equipment you require for day-to-day activities while still recovering from your injuries.

You will need to provide evidence of these financial losses in order to claim the back under special damages. Receipts, invoices and payslips could all be used as proof of your financial losses.

You can contact our advisors for more information on how much compensation for broken ribs you could claim if you have a valid case.

Make A Broken Rib Claim With One Of Our No Win No Fee Solicitors

If you are eligible to seek compensation for fractured ribs, you may wish to work with a solicitor on your claim. One of our personal injury solicitors could support your case. They typically work under a No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). 

When your solicitor works on your claim under this type of agreement, they generally don’t charge you upfront for their services. Additionally, if your claim does not succeed, you will not be charged for their work.

However, if the outcome of your claim for a broken rib is successful, your solicitor will take a success fee out of your compensation. This amount is a percentage that is subject to a legal limit. 

To see if you are eligible to claim for cracked ribs, speak to an advisor from our team. If it seems like you have valid grounds for a claim, they could connect you to one of our solicitors. 

To talk to an advisor:

Thank you for reading our broken rib injury claims guide. For more information on what your compensation payout may include following a successful bruise ribs injury claim, call our team.