The body of a pedestrian struck by a California driver can suffer all types of trauma. The forces delivered by a car, SUV, or heavy truck are often more than enough to break even the strongest bones in the body.
The sternum (or breastbone) is a bone that runs down the center of the chest that helps protect nearby internal organs. A blow to the sternum or other connected bones can cause a painful chest fracture.
Pedestrians may be unable to reach a full range of motion for weeks and can endure intense pain as they heal. Going to work may be out of the question, but this means that victims aren’t receiving paychecks as their hospital bills skyrocket. A California pedestrian accident lawyer makes sure victims have the support to pay those bills and holds an at-fault driver’s insurance provider liable for many other damages.
A Free Consultation for California Pedestrian Accident Victims
When a driver’s carelessness is responsible for your sternum injury, you should go over your options with a skilled personal injury lawyer. A car insurance adjuster may tell you that you aren’t owed anything for your injuries or your financial and emotional hardships. This isn’t true, but if you aren’t aware of what you can demand from an at-fault driver’s insurer, you may miss out on securing the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
A California Pedestrian Accident Broken Bone Injury Lawyer protects you during settlement negotiations to make sure you and your family receive everything required to pay hospital and physical therapy bills. Contact Maison Law to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and find out what your chest injury is worth and how to maximize your pedestrian accident injury claim.
Sternum Fracture Dangers in California Pedestrian Accidents
The sternum is a large, flat bone located in the center of the chest. It’s connected to the ribs by strong cartilage to help form the front of the ribcage that protects vital internal organs. As Healthline explains, the ribcage safeguards the heart and lungs, and other major blood vessels.
The chest is especially vulnerable in a pedestrian collision and victims can suffer a direct blow on the breastbone from a car or hit their chest and ribs as they are sent to the road surface. Unfortunately, when a breastbone is subjected to enough force to break, it might mean that the heart and lungs also took damage.
Breathing is another major issue with a breastbone injury. Victims can stop coughing due to pain and may be slow to get rid of lung secretions naturally. A build-up of these secretions can cause a lung infection.
A broken breastbone means victims may have limited mobility and function for quite a while. They may face a pile of medical bills while also losing valuable hours at work. A California Pedestrian Accident Lawyer demands support for clients for their current hardships, but they also factor in any difficulties that may arise down the road.
Outlook for Sternum Fracture Patients
Healthline reports that many people with a normal sternum fracture can recover in around two and a half months. An emergency room visit may include an expensive X-ray or a CT scan. Further costs include money for pain medication when pain is too much to bear. Victims should also see their doctor on a regular basis as they recover to make sure healing is going according to plan.
When surgery is necessary to repair a breastbone, the costs will multiply quickly. When the sternum bone is displaced or broken in multiple places, metal plates and screws can be attached to hold it steady while healing is completed. Sometimes this surgery is used to make sure a sternum fracture doesn’t result in a visible deformity of the chest.
When surgeons get involved, healthcare costs can reach enormous heights. Victims can pay tens of thousands of dollars for care. Then they could be hit with physical therapy costs to restore flexibility and strength in the upper chest.
A California Broken Bone Pedestrian Accident Lawyer makes sure a car insurance company factors in current medical bills and any future care needed when deciding how much to provide in a settlement check.
Help for Victims in a Hit-And-Run Pedestrian Accident
Unfortunately, pedestrians are too often involved in accidents involving hit-and-run drivers. There may be many reasons that drivers decide to flee the scene of a pedestrian collision, but it’s a heartless decision no matter the excuse.
Leaving the scene of a crash often forces a pedestrian to wait longer on the critical care they need to survive. Not reporting an accident also usually leaves a victim on the road where they may be hit again. And if a driver escapes justice, a victim and the victim’s family may face the costs of recovery alone.
You can still seek recovery support, even if a guilty driver fled the scene and is never located. You would file a claim on your own car insurance policy depending on your uninsured motorist coverage.
Even when dealing with your own company, it’s important to beware of certain insurance tactics. Your own agent may be trying to limit the support you receive, simply to save the company money. A skilled personal injury lawyer can hold your car insurance provider accountable and make sure you are offered the maximum in compensation.
Compensation Available for Pedestrian Accident Sternum Fracture Victims
Every hardship a pedestrian and a pedestrian’s family endures must be submitted to the car insurance company. Anything that’s left off would end up as a cost that the victim would have to pay out of pocket.
That’s why having an experienced legal representative handling your claim can be so beneficial. Your lawyer will know about some damages you may not have realized could earn you additional support.
These are just a few of the factors that will be used to determine the amount on your insurance settlement check:
- Totals on medical bills.
- Rehabilitation costs.
- Estimates on the costs for life with a permanent disability stemming from a chest injury.
- Travel costs to medical appointments while you are unable to drive.
- The pain and emotional trauma you’ve suffered in recovery.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Lost income and benefits while you must be away from work.
Contact a California Breastbone Injury Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
California provides pedestrian accident victims up to two years to file an injury claim. Waiting longer usually means a claim will be thrown out and victims will be responsible for all medical bills.
If you or a loved one have suffered a pedestrian accident injury due to a careless driver’s mistake, contact a California Pedestrian Broken Bone Attorney with Maison Law.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all California accident victims and their families. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your chest fracture is worth and how to demand a fair settlement from an insurance company. We also help the victims of hit-and-run drivers and uninsured drivers seek the financial support they need.
