In Georgia, Can I Recover Compensation For a Rib Injury After a Car Accident?

Key Points:

• Injuries to the ribs and the vital muscles and connective tissue around them can be very painful and are compensable injuries when caused by a car accident.
• In Georgia, getting a medical evaluation following a car accident to document your rib pain is critically important to proving your case.
• Even if medical care is limited because a doctor tells you “there isnt much that can be done” to treat cracked or strained ribs, it may be worthwhile to contact a personal injuryt lawyer.
• A free consultation with a car accident attorney could help you obtain a full and fair settlement.

As you know, rib injuries are painful! Your rib cage surrounds and protects your vital organs and moves and flexes every time you breathe, stretch, or laugh (or cry). Sometimes treatment is available. Other times the doctor may, or has, told you there is nothing he or she can do except prescribe some pain medication and wait for you to heal.

When an accident is not your fault and has been caused by the negligence of another driver, your rib injury is as compensable as any other injury, such as a broken bone or herniated disc. Don’t let an insurance company tell you otherwise. In fact, rib injuries can be more painful than many other conditions and can lead to significant compensation.

Table of Contents

What Types of Rib Injuries Are Often Seen in Car Accidents?

It’s crucial to see a doctor right away after a crash, especially if you experience chest or rib pain or tenderness. While it may be tempting to want to wait (who wants to go to the emergency room?), because rib injuries may not be as obvious as other injuries, it may not be a good idea to delay going to the emergency room or a doctor or urgent care right away. First, rib or chest pain could be a sign of more serious injuries. Secondly, insurance companies and their adjusters may point to any delay in receiving care to claim that you were “not that hurt” or “not hurt at all,” when you are actually suffering from a very painful condition.

Many rib injuries fall into one of these categories:

• Fractured or broken ribs
• Soft tissue injuries and bruising
• Costochondral separation (ribs separated from the sternum)
• Intercostal strains (muscles between the ribs are overstretched)
• Flail chest injury (multiple rib fractures)

Because your injuries may have similar symptoms like sharp pains, tenderness, and swelling of the area, an x-ray or CT scan may be needed to verify the type and severity of your rib damage.

What Steps Should I Take After a Car Accident?

If you are in a car accident, the first thing you should do is call the police. If there are injuries, you should dial 911.

Get the other driver’s insurance information and contact your own insurance company.

Take photos of the accident scene, but only if it’s safe to do so. Take pictures or record video from different angles and different sides to capture as much detail as possible.

Get the contact information for anyone who witnessed the accident. Their testimony can be beneficial.

See a doctor. Even if you are feeling fine immediately after a car accident, you may find yourself in pain days later.

What Types of Documentation and Evidence Should I Gather?

Be sure to get copies of all medical examinations you have after the accident. This includes X-rays, MRIs, and CAT scans.

You should also request a copy of the police report and bodycam video from the officers who arrived on the scene. Additionally, you can speak to the emergency personnel who assisted at the scene, such as EMTs or rescue personnel.

It also doesn’t hurt to check to see if there is any additional video of the accident. Check with the police or the local government to find out if there are traffic cameras nearby. You can also talk to businesses in the area that may have security cameras that recorded the accident.

Remember, a personal injury attorney can help you with gathering evidence and offering insight into what you should do next.

Will an Insurance Company Try to Avoid Paying for My Injuries?

Insurance companies use various tactics to avoid paying for legitimate injuries and you should be aware of them.

• Delaying your Claim – They will do this in the hope your evidence may deteriorate, be lost, or you’ll simply give up.
• Ignoring Facts – They will often ignore or purposely misinterpret facts to justify a lower payout.
• Refusing to Pay for Losses – Insurance companies may refuse to pay your claim or offer a payout much lower than what the policy actually covers.
• Misinterpreting the Policy – An insurance company may try to redefine what a policy covers.

Can Compensation for Rib Injuries Be Recovered?

In Georgia, when you suffer because of the negligence of others, you can be compensated for those damages. This includes not just medical expenses, but also money lost because you could not work, and, in some cases, compensation for your pain and suffering.

You may also recover for future medical costs if your injuries lead to prolonged complications.

What are my Legal Options if Insurance Doesn’t Cover my Medical Bills?

If you find the insurance company won’t pay to cover the medical bills arising from the rib injuries you received in a car accident, you have several options.

The first is to file a lawsuit on your own. However, the insurance company will have a team of lawyers fighting against you. If you aren’t familiar with all the laws and legal processes, things can get tricky.

Your other option is to hire a personal injury attorney. Many will offer a free consultation to go over the specifics of your case. They will be able to help you gather all the evidence, file the proper legal paperwork, and be your guide through the process.

Can Rib Injuries Be Life-Threatening?

After a car accident, victims often think it is normal to be sore and a rib injury may not be treated immediately. This is why a visit to the hospital or doctor’s office following an accident is important.

Because your ribs protect vital organs, such as your heart and lungs, chest trauma can lead to serious or even fatal complications such as:

• Pneumothorax: A lung collapse that occurs when a broken rib or foreign object tears into the lung or chest wall.
• Cardiac and associated blood vessel injury: Extensive trauma to the aorta or the coronary artery can be fatal.
• Ruptured spleen: A rupture of the outer capsule of the spleen can cause life-threatening bleeding into the abdominal cavity.

The longer rib injuries go untreated, the higher the risk of complications or mortality. This is particularly true with elderly victims, whose bones may be brittle and more prone to breakage.

What is the Treatment for Rib Injuries?

Unlike other bones, your ribs cannot be put into a cast to keep them immobile during healing. Because they need to expand and contract the chest, even binding or taping your ribs may not be advised by your doctor.

The treatment prescribed by your doctor will depend on the type of rib injury you have.

If bruised or fractured, your doctor may suggest you practice slow, deep breathing and gentle coughing exercises every two hours.

Your doctor may also prescribe certain medications to ease pain after your accident.

It’s important to see a medical professional and follow all their recommended instructions to avoid further complications and extended recovery time.

What are the Long-Term Effects of a Rib Injury?

As with nearly all other injuries, your healing and recovery time varies and depends on many things. The severity of your injury, your suggested treatment, and your overall health, age, and activity level have an impact on how quickly and how well you heal.

Because you may have to remain inactive while healing, it can make it difficult or impossible for you to work, take care of your children, or even go to the grocery store. The burden of medical expenses from your injury can be devastating when you cannot earn a paycheck.

All this can be factored into how much compensation you may receive from the insurance company. There are your immediate and long-term medical costs, which can include physical therapy and expensive prescription drugs to help you manage pain. If you are unable to work you will need compensation to help pay your bills. There’s also the possibility you will need to pay for in-home care until you’re back on your feet.

The Millar Law Firm can help you get the compensation you need to recover and get back to your life. Call us today at (770) 400-0000 or contact us online to set up a free consultation with one of our attorneys.