06 Dec Fractured Sternum: Causes, Symptoms, and Compensation
A fractured sternum, often called a broken breastbone, is a painful injury that can complicate your daily life. The sternum is a flat bone in the center of your chest that protects important organs like the heart and lungs, and your ribs connect to it.
When this bone is injured, it often leads to discomfort and complications that can greatly affect daily life. Engaging in normal activities becomes challenging. Since the sternum is vital for breathing and maintaining posture, a fracture can make routine tasks difficult.
You may find it hard to lift what used to feel like a trivial weight. Exercising can become nearly impossible. Being aware of the causes, potential legal options for compensation, and symptoms of a fractured sternum can assist you through your recovery.
Causes of a Fractured Sternum
Fractured sternums are caused by different factors that may result in blows or a hit to the chest. Some of these causes include:
Car Accidents
High-impact collisions, especially when there are no airbags or faulty airbags in the car, can cause a sternum fracture. When these accidents happen, you cannot control how your body reacts to them. The force immediately pulls you over, and before you know it, your chest ends up with a hard hit on the steering wheel.
Sports Injuries
Contact sports like football or rugby can lead to blunt-force trauma to the chest. Rugby, especially, isn’t a game for the weak. If you are fragile to the bone and play rugby, you’re likely to develop a fractured sternum.
Falls
Hard falls onto the chest or accidents involving heavy objects can also cause this injury. It could either be due to our own mistakes or someone else’s carelessness. Walking in the dark at midnight, a misstep while trying to catch the school bus, and the most common of all, a slippery floor, can all lead to a hard fall.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
In rare cases, CPR, particularly if it’s performed with too much force, can cause a fractured sternum. CPR involves chest compressions to help restart the heart during a cardiac arrest, but if done too aggressively, it can lead to broken bones in the chest, including the sternum.
Symptoms of a Fractured Sternum
The symptoms of a fractured sternum are hard to miss and often include:
- Sharp chest pain, especially when breathing deeply, coughing, or sneezing.
- Swelling and bruising around the chest area.
- Difficulty breathing or a sensation of tightness in the chest.
- Visible deformity or tenderness along the breastbone.
Pursuing Compensation for a Fractured Sternum
If your injury was your fault, then it’s on you. However, if it was caused by someone else, then you may be entitled to compensation. The amount of compensation you can receive depends on how severe your injury is and if it leads to long-term problems.
Factors influencing your claim may include:
-
- Medical Expenses: Costs for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.
- Lost Wages: You may also be compensated for time off work due to the injury.
- Pain and Suffering: Acknowledgment of physical pain and emotional distress. That feeling of being a burden on a relative who’s taken care of you.
Why You Need a Lawyer
Handling personal injury claims can be difficult, especially when you’re trying to recover from a serious injury. A good lawyer can help simplify the process and ensure you receive fair compensation for your damages.
It’s also important to know the causes, signs, and legal options regarding a broken sternum so you can heal and seek justice. If someone else’s carelessness caused your injury, talk to a lawyer to protect your rights.
——————————————
The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition.
Some links are sponsored. Products are not warranted or endorsed.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.
Last Updated on December 6, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD