How Much Compensation for Broken Ribs at Work?

In the grand scheme of things, broken ribs aren’t the most serious injury you could sustain in a workplace accident. However, such injuries can be very painful and put you out of action for quite some time. Therefore, if you’ve suffered broken ribs at work and believe your employer is to blame for your suffering, you may be entitled to start a personal injury claim against them. In this guide, you’ll read when it might be possible to claim compensation for broken ribs, how the claims process works and the types of evidence you could use to support your case.

We are ready to help if you have any questions about how much compensation for broken ribs you might receive. By speaking to an advisor on our team, your claim can be assessed and free legal advice about your options can be provided. If there’s a fair chance that you’ll be compensated, one of our accident-at-work solicitors might agree to represent you. If that happens, they’ll do so on a No Win, No Fee basis.

To find out more about how we can help, you can:

• Call us on 0333 241 2519 now.
• Ask questions via our 24/7 live chat service.

There’s a lot more information on how to claim for broken ribs at work throughout the remainder of this article but please call now with any other questions.

What Types of Broken Ribs Can We Help With?

Your rib cage plays an important role in protecting your heart and lungs. Most people have 12 pairs of ribs which are connected to the spine at the back of the ribcage and the sternum at the front.

Common types of broken rib injuries we can help with are:

• Simple Rib Fracture: The most common type of rib injury and generally the least severe, often healing on its own with proper rest and care.
• Hairline Fracture: Also known as a stress fracture, this involves a small crack in the rib which is normally painful but is less severe than a complete break.
• Displaced Rib Fracture: In this type of fracture, the bone breaks into two or more pieces and moves so that the ends are not aligned. This can potentially damage internal organs and tissues around the ribs.
• Non-displaced Rib Fracture: The bone cracks either partway or all the way through but does not move and maintains its proper alignment and is typically less complicated than a displaced fracture.
• Multiple Rib Fractures: This involves fractures in two or more ribs and can severely compromise chest structure and function, potentially leading to serious complications such as pneumothorax (punctured lung) which can be fatal if not treated swiftly.

Treatment and recovery depend on the type and severity of the rib fracture, ranging from rest and pain management to surgical intervention in more severe cases.

Can I Make a Broken Rib at Work Claim?

Legally, your employer is obligated to reduce the risk of workplace injuries where reasonably possible. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that all employers have a duty to “ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”.

To uphold this duty and to try and prevent injuries such as broken ribs at work, some of the steps employers could take include:

• Regularly checking the workplace for potential hazards.
• Writing and maintaining a health and safety policy that all staff are aware of.
• Ensuring all staff receive adequate safety training.
• Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff where identified risks cannot be removed.

If these or other measures are not implemented, an employer could be deemed to have been negligent. As such, any staff who sustained broken ribs at work as a result of this negligence could be entitled to claim compensation for their suffering if it can generally be proven that:

• At the time of your accident, your employer owed you a legal duty of care.
• Your employer’s negligence caused you to be involved in an accident.
• Your ribs were broken as a direct consequence of that negligence.

If you believe that you should be compensated for a broken rib at work, please call the number above now to discuss your case with a legal advisor.

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to Broken Ribs in the Workplace?

Here are a few examples of when you could claim compensation for broken ribs following an accident at work caused by negligence:

• You fell whilst working at a height and broke 4 ribs because you were not given a safety harness by your employer.
• Your ribs were broken after falling down a flight of stairs because a broken handrail gave way.
• You sustained a fractured rib after being struck by a heavy object that fell from an unsecured shelf in the warehouse.
• You were a delivery driver involved in an accident that caused multiple rib fractures after being provided with a company vehicle that had not been properly maintained.
• You broke your ribs while lifting heavy equipment because no training was provided by your employer on proper lifting techniques.

Many more scenarios could lead to broken ribs at work. Crucially, if you’re to sue your employer, you will need to prove that the incident occurred because your employer acted negligently. If you’d like us to check whether this is the case, please call our legal advisors now.

What Should I Do If I Sustain a Fractured Rib at Work?

If you sustain a fractured rib at work, you may need to take some or all of the following steps:

• Inform your supervisor about the accident as soon as you can.
• Ensure the incident is logged in the company’s accident book.
• Visit your GP or a hospital to have your diagnosis confirmed.

These steps are important because:

1. A medical professional will be able to rule out a more severe injury.
2. Your employer could use the information to prevent similar accidents in the future.

They could also provide you with some of the evidence you’ll need when claiming for broken ribs at work.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Broken Rib Compensation Claims?

Typically, an employer’s insurance company won’t readily agree to compensate a worker for broken ribs resulting from a workplace accident. Therefore, it’s crucial for the worker to gather and present comprehensive evidence to establish a) employer liability, b) the circumstances of the accident, and c) the severity of their injuries and suffering.

Here are some examples of the types of evidence that could be used to support a broken rib compensation claim:

• Pictures of any visible symptoms such as swelling and bruising.
• CCTV footage of the accident where available.
• Medical records to confirm your diagnosis.
• Contact information for anyone who witnessed you being injured.
• Photographs of anything that caused the accident to occur (broken equipment, slippery floor etc).
• A copy of an accident report form to confirm that the accident occurred at work on the date you have specified.

As part of the consultation we provide, we’ll consider any evidence you have available to support your claim. Therefore, why not get in touch now and let us know what happened?

How Long Do I Have to Claim Broken Ribs Compensation?

In the UK, all personal injury claims are time-limited. Generally, you’ll have 3 years to claim broken ribs compensation from the date of your accident. This time limit is defined in the Limitation Act 1980.

Crucially, the Limitation Act enables claims to be rejected if they become statute-barred i.e. if they are made outside of the 3-year limitation period. Therefore, it is advisable to begin your claim as soon as you can to best avoid missing out on any compensation you could be entitled to.

How Much Compensation for Broken Ribs at Work?

Two main heads of loss will normally contribute to calculating the amount of compensation awarded for broken ribs at work.

The first, general damages, covers the pain and suffering your broken ribs have caused. As such, your solicitor will obtain copies of your medical records and independent medical reports to help value your claim.

We’ve used JCG data to demonstrate potential settlements for rib fractures. Please be aware that the figures cannot be guaranteed because each broken ribs claim is unique.

• Compensation for broken ribs causing damage to the chest and lungs with some ongoing disability might range from £31,310 – £54,830.
• A broken rib resulting in a collapsed lung but with full recovery could see compensation between £2,190 – £5,320.
• For a penetrating wound that causes permanent tissue damage but no significant long-term effects on lung function, awards might range from £12,590 – £17,960.
• Lastly, for broken ribs at work causing disability and severe pain lasting several weeks, compensation could be up to £3,950.

Another head of loss, special damages, could contribute to any compensation you’re paid if you’ve lost out financially because of your injuries. For instance, broken ribs compensation could include damages to cover:

• Loss of earnings.
• Support costs if someone cared for you while you were injured.
• Travel expenses.
• Medical costs (including prescription fees).
• Future loss of earnings for more serious conditions which affect your ability to earn.

Evidence will of course be needed to prove any costs you try to claim back. Therefore, you should retain any relevant receipts, payslips and bank statements to support your claim.

Can I Be Sacked for Suing My Employer?

Legally, you should not face any type of retaliation from your employer if you sue them for broken ribs caused by their negligence. That means you cannot be sacked, disciplined, demoted, picked on or bullied as a consequence of your claim. Should such actions occur, you could be entitled to make a separate claim for unfair or constructive dismissal.

How Long Does a Broken Ribs at Work Claim Take?

Generally, the duration of broken rib compensation claims is affected by:

• The severity of your injuries and whether you’ve recovered by the time you start your claim.
• How long it takes for liability to be accepted or proven.

For instance, if you suffered a simple rib fracture and recovered in around 4 weeks, you could receive a compensation payout within 3 to 4 months so long as your employer accepts liability for the accident quickly.

Conversely, if you sustained multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung, more time might needed to assess how well you’ll recover. These claims can take up to a year or longer in some circumstances.

Do You Need a Solicitor to Make a Broken Ribs at Work Claim?

Taking legal action against an employer can be complex and stressful. In many cases, your employer’s insurance provider may contest the claim or try to limit how much compensation for broken ribs you’ll be paid (if any).

Taking on legal representation could improve your chances of making a successful claim and should make the process much easier. If you work with an accident-at-work solicitor from our panel, they’ll:

• Ensure that your claim is filed correctly and on time.
• Collect and collate the evidence needed to prove your case.
• Deal with your employer and their insurers on your behalf.
• Handle all negotiations and deal with any objections raised.
• Ensure that you are kept up to date throughout the claims process.

Another benefit of working with our solicitors is that you will only have to pay for their work if the claim is successful as they provide a No Win, No Fee service for all accepted claims.

This means they’ll work on your case without being paid upfront after you’ve signed a contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

The CFA means that a percentage of any compensation you receive will be deducted to cover your solicitor’s success fee. This percentage is legally capped at 25 per cent of your payout for your protection.

To check if you could start a No Win, No Fee broken ribs at work claim, please speak to a legal advisor now.

Contacting Us About a Broken Rib Injury Claim

We’re ready to help if you believe you should be compensated after breaking your ribs at work. To find out if you could be entitled to a compensation payout, you can:

• Phone 0333 241 2519 24/7.
• Use our 24/7 live chat service to ask any questions.

An advisor will initially assess your case, offer free legal advice and answer any questions you might have. Any broken rib injury claims taken on by our solicitors will proceed on a No Win, No Fee basis.