Fractured, Bruised and Broken Ribs 

Broken or bruised ribs are very painful and there isn’t really much you can do about it.

That’s what most people think that they have to live with the pain.

If you have been injured in a car accident though you should seek medical attention right away.

Even though bruised or broken ribs are hard to treat and the only thing you can really do is rest, a doctor may be able to wrap the broken or bruised ribs and give you some medication for the pain.

But you must see a doctor right away.

Call our law firm ASAP because the Nevada statute of limitations can fly by really fast.

Insurance companies like Geico and State Farm love to deny claims when they can.

Rib Injury From
Car Accident

No one really thinks about the rib cage too much until it hurts or at least I don’t.

But if you think about it, the rib cage protects vital organs of the body and acts as the protective shield.

The rib cage can withstand a lot of force before they are bruised or damaged.

Since car accidents mostly occur with excessive force or speed this creates the perfect environment for bruised or broken ribs.

If you are the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash you can be thrown forward and against the seatbelt or even hit the steering wheel causing a rib injury.

This can also happen when you are hit from behind and shoved forward.

Of course a head on, t-bone, or rollover accident can cause great damage to your rib cage.

Being the passenger is no better; you can be thrown forward and hit the dashboard, which is usually made of heavy duty plastic materials.

This can also cause rib damage from the accident.

Crushing accidents can also cause a rib injury.

If your vehicle was crushed while you were in the car, or you were pulled from the car by paramedics by the jaws of life you might have sustained a rib injury while being rescued from the initial accident.

Believe it or not it happens.

Common Chest and Rib Injuries 

Usually the most common rib or chest injuries in a car accident are fractured or bruised ribs.

But there are sometimes more severe injuries associated with rib injuries if you were injured in a car accident.

1. Ruptured aorta- As we stated the ribs protect vital organs and if the ribs are broken this can cause the aorta or large artery connecting the heart to the rest of the body can be ruptured. A ruptured aorta usually leads to death due to severe blood loss or loss of oxygen to the brain while trying to stop the bleeding from the ruperted aorta.
2. Pulmonary contusions– These are injuries to lungs from the broken rib. This causes bleeding of the lungs and can cause respiratory distress or failure and even death.
3. Destruction of the rib cage– If the rib cage that protects the vital organs is severely damaged and broken this can cause a failure of the entire rib cage including the ligaments and muscle tissue. This may never heal properly and cause lifelong pain and suffering.
4. Soft tissue damage- This sounds like it is, the soft tissue or muscle and tendons are damaged and bruised from the impact of the accident. Soft tissue damage can take a long time to heal and are associated with the following symptoms – breathing difficulty, pain and strain of the muscle and tendons, swelling of the chest, heaviness of the chest, inability to move certain parts of your body from the pain
5. Fractured clavicle and sternum- The clavicle also known as the collarbone is one of the most common broken bones after a car accident. The sternum fractures are less common but more serious since the sternum protects the heart and lungs and if broken can cause heart and lung punctures.

Treatment for Broken or Bruised Ribs

Always get medical attention immediately after an accident.

You never know how hurt you might be.

Rib fractures can be very painful but there are some common treatments that might be able to help you after a car accident involving a rib injury or broken rib.

1. Surgery- rib or chest surgery is only reserved for severe cases that have life threatening injuries like a ruptured aorta or collapsed lung.
2. Medications- painkillers and anti inflammatory medications might be supplied to alleviate pain and swelling and also keep you sedated to limit movement and pain. Doctors try not to prescribe too many painkillers since they are usually highly addictive.
3. Physical therapy or rehabilitation therapy- these are both usually long term solutions to rebuild the muscles and movement after a rib injury from a car accident
4. Casts and splints- this doesn’t happen often but in severe cases doctors may cast the broken rib area to immobilize and let the injury heal
5. Hospitalization- most of the time doctors want to send people home from the hospital after an accident but to stabilize and immobilize rib injuries after an accident some doctors may choose to keep an accident victim in the hospital for a period of time.

Having car accident injuries like broken ribs require long term care and healing.

Medical expenses are costly.

Injuries also may require you to miss work for a long period of time causing loss of income, and don’t forgot about car repairs.

Calling a good personal injury attorney can minimize the out of pocket cost to you and your family.

What’s Next After Fracturing Ribs 

We have told you what might happen with rib fractures in an accident and what the immediate care might be.

What are the other factors that might greatly affect your daily life if you fracture your ribs in a car accident?

How long should you stay out of work, or avoid exercise etc?

The most important thing after a rib injury is time.

Most doctors say that since rib injuries take significant time to heal because they are difficult areas to treat and even immobilized.

So long term healing and improper healing are all concerns of doctors after rib injuries.

Other medical conditions are also a concern and can hinder the healing process.

If you have a medical condition that affects your immune system, healing from a rib fracture can be more complicated than if you were a completely healthy person. 

Doctors recommend the following to assist with faster and proper healing.

1. Don’t smoke
2. Be as stress free as possible
3. Avoid any strenuous activity, this may be the most difficult because this reduced activity can last for several months
4. Rest and keep hydrated are both very important
5. Eat a balanced diet, though we should be doing this everyday anyway

After a car accident involving rib injuries you need a legal advocate that you can trust so you can focus on your healing.

Personal Injury Claim for Rib Injuries

All car accidents are different and there is no way to precisely predict what your personal injury claim from a rib fracture accident is worth.

There are some factors that can help your attorney determine what the claim might be.

1. Long term injury or disability with long term pain and suffering
2. Permanent disfigurement and scarring 
3. Medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity
4. Negligence by the person at fault for the accident 

These are just some of the basic factors that can affect the outcome of a claim involving a rib injury accident.

Consulting a legal team can have a more favorable outcome after a car accident involving rib injury.

Richard Harris Law Firm

We have been the top legal team in Las Vegas for over forty years.

We are experts in all accident injury cases including rib injuries after a car accident.

The Richard Harris Law firm only gets paid if we win your case, that means we work on a contingency basis and cover all the costs while we are working on your case.

We have been able to recover over $1 billion dollars for our clients.

We offer free case reviews, so if you have been injured in a car accident and have been hurt then call us today and you can speak with an attorney.

If you have been injured in a car accident call The Richard Harris Law Firm today in Nevada.