When someone breaks their sternum in a car crash, the first thing a lot of people think about is how much money they might get to pay for the pain and all the bills. But it’s really hard to say one exact number because every situation is different.
Some people get just a smaller amount of money if they get hurt, but it’s not too bad. That might be somewhere between $10,000 and $100,000. That can help pay for doctor visits, medicine, and a little extra for all the trouble it caused.
But if the injury is worse, if the bone is really broken or they have to go through surgery, then the money can get a lot bigger. It could even go over $250,000 to be able to cover the fractured sternum’s long-term effects.
What Is a Fractured Sternum?
The sternum is the flat bone in the middle of your chest. It’s called the breastbone, too. This bone helps protect really important organs like your heart, lungs, and big blood vessels. If it breaks, the pain can be bad, and it can make even simple things like breathing or moving really hard.
There are three parts of the sternum. The top part is called the manubrium. Your collarbone connects there, and the first ribs attach there, too.
The middle part is the body, and that’s where most of your ribs connect. The bottom pointy part is the xiphoid process. It’s mostly soft when you’re younger, but turns into bone as you get older.
A sternum can break in two main ways. First is a direct fracture, which happens when something hits your chest with a really hard force. For instance, a steering wheel or a seatbelt during a crash.
Then we have the indirect fracture, which is different because the force hits another part of your body, but then your sternum still cracks from the impact of the force.
What Factors Affect How Much You Can Get for a Broken Sternum?
These are the factors that influence what your compensation amount would be if you have a broken sternum:
Medical Costs
Medical bills are the most important factor in this category. The cost of surgery, rehabilitation, and even drugs for this condition can be outrageous. If this accident happened because someone was negligent, the law allows you to factor in every single dime into the compensation that you ask for.
All of Your Lost Wages
Lost wages or future earnings also count. If someone can’t work or makes less money later, that amount is included in the settlement.
Emotional Damage
Pain and suffering are really important because they are about how much your life is shaken. It is not always easy to see from the outside, but it is real. Sometimes the pain makes it hard to do normal things, the things you always did before.
Some victims suffer a loss of identity because of this. Under the law, this can be factored into the compensation as well.
The Insurance Company’s Limits and Policies
Insurance companies usually try to pay less than the full amount. They often use their own formulas or computer programs to decide how much to give.
What Is the Common Settlement Range for a Broken Sternum?
Broken sternums aren’t all the same. Some are small cracks; some need surgery. That changes the money you might get.
- Mild to Moderate Fractures: If someone only needed rest and medicine, the settlement is smaller, usually about $10,000 to $50,000.
- Significant Injuries: If someone had a longer recovery or therapy, or their daily life was disrupted, then it can go from $50,000 to $150,000.
- Severe or Surgical Cases: Major cracks in the sternum that needed surgery or caused lasting pain or broke other things inside can bag compensation up to $400,000.
The more serious the injury, the higher the settlement. If the sternum broke along with ribs or caused heart or pulmonary contusions, that can add more. Long-term pain and limits on work life make the settlement bigger, too.
Key Takeaways
- Broken sternums are really painful. Breathing, moving, and even simple things can be brutal.
- How much a settlement is worth depends on the injury, how it happened, and how it affects the victim’s usual routine.
- Small fractures get smaller payouts. Big fractures and surgeries, on the other hand, have higher figures.
- In the U.S., the money people get for a broken sternum usually falls somewhere between $10,000 and $100,000.
- Despite all the determining factors, your chances of getting the highest compensation possible depend on how good a lawyer you get.
