Broken ribs may be thought of as a minor injury by some. Perhaps because fractured ribs sometimes heal on their own. But this isn’t the whole story. Even if they heal, rib injuries can cause extreme pain with every movement a victim makes over many weeks. The ribcage also protects vital organs and, in an accident, rib damage can cause life-threatening complications.
You may suffer rib damage when your car is t-boned by another driver at a Los Angeles intersection. You could fall on a slippery floor at a Walmart or Target and cracks some ribs.
When these accidents are caused by the carelessness of a driver or the negligence of a store owner or operator, you should take action to seek compensation for all recovery costs. Bring your case to a skilled Los Angeles Rib Injury Lawyer to discuss your options in a free consultation. This will be your first step towards earning the most recovery support possible.
Rib Injury Accident Dangers in Los Angeles
The ribcage supports your upper body and the important organs found there. They connect with the sternum (or breastbone) to protect the heart and lungs and other important blood vessels.
Any bruise or break in the ribs will make everyday activities excruciating for you. Breathing, coughing, sneezing, and even laughing all become extremely painful functions. Sleep is also a challenge when laying down causes so much pain. There’s often no position that provides relief.
Ribs may crack when you are out walking as a pedestrian and are struck by a distracted driver. Ribs can break when you fall down a set of poorly maintained stairs in a parking garage or at an apartment complex.
In each case, someone’s negligence can be linked to your rib injury. A driver should have paid more attention or a property manager or landlord should have completed vital repairs. This means they can be held liable for every medical bill that arrives in your mailbox. At-fault parties should be expected to replace the income you lose while you are out of work. Your Los Angeles Traumatic Injury Lawyer would also seek damages for the pain you endured and the emotional trauma an accident caused.
Recovery Time and Costs for a Rib Injury
The treatment for many rib injuries is just rest and pain medication. Doctors are often powerless to do much else than monitor as ribs slowly heal. When ribs are healing correctly, they can take two months or more to stop causing pain.
When ribs don’t line up to heal correctly, surgery might be necessary. Surgical stabilization of bones in the rib cage can cost anywhere between $15,000 dollars and $25,000 dollar. The final cost will depend on how many ribs are broken. Some ribs heal, but victims sometimes notice that pain doesn’t go away. A surgical correction can be necessary to relieve pain.
When ribs come loose to puncture lungs or lacerate the spleen, liver, or kidney, the prognosis becomes harder to predict. These injuries can cause life-threatening consequences. And as you’d imagine, the costs of such treatment will be enormous as it will include many days in the hospital.
What Can I Do to Maximize My Los Angeles Rib Injury Claim?
The more evidence you have to back up your injury claim, the more support you can demand from an at-fault party’s insurance provider.
One of the best places to secure strong evidence to show where the guilt lies will be on the scene of your rib injury accident.
If you can move after an accident, try to gather some key details on the scene to make sure you get the most out of your rib injury claim:
- Dial 911 and call for an ambulance. Let paramedics give you a full examination and check your ribs for any punctures through the skin. Go with them to the emergency room if necessary.
- Alert authorities. If you’ve been in a car accident, request an LAPD or California Highway Patrol response. Tell them everything you can remember about what happened. Officers will write up a collision report that will hopefully clear you of blame. If you are at a store or other business, alert an owner or manager. They will likely need to write up an incident report for their corporate offices.
- Take cellphone photos. In a slip-and-fall at a grocery store or on a residential property, show the obstacle that caused you to fall, clearly and from all angles. In a car accident, take photos of vehicle damage and any traffic signs ignored by the at-fault driver. Get images of any visible injuries and damaged clothing and personal property.
- Find out what witnesses saw. Make notes and write down contact information so your Los Angeles Rib Injury Attorney can reach them later.
- Exchange insurance information with everyone involved. If an at-fault driver is working for a rideshare, or a delivery or trucking company, be sure to get employee information.
- Make an appointment with your physician to get your ribs looked at and any other injuries documented. With the adrenaline flowing after an accident the pain of rib injuries may be masked. You may realize you have multiple fractured ribs the next morning. Get these new injuries documented. Follow your doctor’s advice.
- Keep any damaged personal items. If you were hit while on a bike, keep your damaged bike. If you were hurt in a slip-and-fall, keep your shoes to show your fall wasn’t because of worn-out shoes. If you were hit while on a motorcycle, keep your damaged clothing.
Contact Maison Law Serving Los Angeles Broken Rib Accident Victims
The best way to secure the most compensation possible for your rib injury is to partner with a skilled Los Angeles Traumatic Injury Lawyer. Your attorney will take the evidence you’ve gathered and conduct a full investigation of the at-fault parties and their employers. It may be possible to file accident claims against several different parties, giving you the best chance to secure full compensation for your hardships.
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, offers a free case evaluation for all rib injury victims. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and how to make sure you receive everything that’s fair for the pain and hardships you’ve endured. Contact Mr. Gasparian to schedule a free consultation and talk to a real lawyer today.
If you feel Maison Law can help you maximize your accident claim, you won’t need any money upfront. You don’t owe any attorney fees unless we win your case for you.
