The sternum, also known as the breastbone, is very strong because it is designed to protect your internal organs such as the heart and lungs. It takes great force to fracture the sternum, and once it is broken, it will require emergency medical treatment.
Many actions can lead to fractured sternum symptoms. This is often the result of car accidents, construction accidents, and other personal injury accidents caused by someone else’s negligent actions. If you fracture your sternum, you will likely be in tremendous pain and face a lengthy road to recovery.
Englander Peebles is a law firm with personal injury attorneys who focus on helping victims who have suffered a fractured sternum in accidents or other acts of negligence. Our team understands the complexities of this type of injury and provides personalized, compassionate representation. In this informative article, you will learn more about the symptoms of a broken sternum as well as your legal rights when pursuing compensation for this type of injury.
What Is a Fractured Sternum?
Your sternum is the bone in the center of your chest that is connected to the collarbone and your first 7 ribs. When this bone is broken, it is usually due to extreme force. Car accidents are generally the most common ways a sternum can be fractured though it can happen in other ways.
What Can Cause a Fractured Sternum?
As mentioned, since motor vehicle accidents are such common events, they are the most likely reason for a fractured sternum. Falls from ladders or scaffolding can also result in breaking the breastbone, which happens to many construction workers on the job.
In contact sports, it is possible for players to sustain a broken sternum. Despite the protective gear, some impacts can still lead to this injury. Physical assaults can leave a victim with this type of painful injury.
Symptoms of a Broken Sternum
Signs of a sternum fracture are hard to miss. You will likely realize you have this injury after an event such as a car crash or fall when you experience pain and tenderness in your chest. This pain will be sudden and you may even hear an audible crunching sound at the moment of impact.
Swelling and bruising on the breastbone are common fractured sternum symptoms as well. You will likely experience difficulty breathing, and the pain in your chest may worsen when you breathe deeply or cough. If you twist or turn your torso, the pain may become even more pronounced.
A broken breastbone is something that must be treated promptly by doctors. Even if you don’t hear a loud crunch when you collide with the steering wheel or suffer a fall, it is always best to seek medical treatment immediately. If you’ve been in a serious accident, head to the emergency room to get X-rays and other imaging tests to check for fractures in your sternum.
Treating the Symptoms of a Broken Sternum
If there are no other complications, you may simply have to wait for your broken sternum to heal. This can take 2 or 3 months, which will be painful, especially when you move your arms, or turn and twist your torso. For many accident victims with this injury, it will be impossible to go to work or even do simple daily activities around the home.
Since there will be more pain when you move, your doctor will likely order you to rest and limit your activities. This means you’ll need to take time off work to allow the injury enough time to heal and the pain to subside.
Depending on the severity of your fractured sternum injury, your doctor may refer you to an occupational therapist or a physical therapist. You will likely need to practice deep breathing exercises to reduce your risk of developing complications in your lungs.
In severe circumstances, you may require surgery to reconnect your sternum back to your rib cage. Regardless of severity, if you are diagnosed with a fractured sternum, you should plan on taking time to recover from the injury. This can be problematic since you might exhaust your employment benefits and lose out on wages. Fortunately, an attorney can help you fight for fair compensation that covers your medical bills, future medical treatments, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses such as hiring help around the house, and even your pain and suffering.
Understanding Your Legal Rights After a Broken Sternum Injury
The legal process for personal injuries can be complex, especially if multiple parties are involved. In Florida car accidents, the no-fault insurance model means you would be covered for your injuries by your insurance. However, in serious accidents, you may be entitled to seek compensation from the driver who caused the accident as long as you are 50% or less at fault for the accident. This is a recent change from the pure comparative negligence model that was in place until March 2023. With these changes to the law, it could mean that the insurance company might try to increase your percentage of fault for the accident leading to your sternum fracture to reduce their payout or deny your claim.
Whether you were in a car accident, slip and fall accident, construction accident, or another type of personal injury, you should make sure you have the evidence needed to hold the other party responsible. Your evidence will depend on the circumstances, such as a police report after a car crash or an incident report at a store where you suffered a fractured sternum in a slip and fall.
You will also need medical records, witness statements, photos, videos or surveillance footage, and expert witnesses to prove that the other person or entity should be liable for your sternum fracture.
If you experience the symptoms of a sternum fracture, go to the hospital and then contact a personal injury attorney from Englander Peebles to get help navigating the legal process and seeking compensation for your financial losses.