Rib injuries are quite painful. The rib cage surrounds vital organs and flexes whenever you breathe, laugh, or stretch. In some cases, a rib injury can be treated. Other times you may have to live with the injury and manage your pain with medication.
If your rib injury resulted from another party’s negligence, it can be compensable. But you should not allow an insurer to tell you otherwise. Indeed, rib injuries can lead to more pain than other conditions and can result in higher compensation. An attorney from an Atlanta personal injury law firm can help you seek the full amount of compensation you deserve for your injury and resulting losses.
Kinds of Rib Injuries
After an accident, you should see a doctor immediately, particularly if you experience rib or chest pain or tenderness. Although you may want to wait since a rib injury may not be obvious right away, it’s not a good idea to delay visiting a doctor. Chest or rib pain can indicate more severe injuries. Also, insurers may point to delays in getting medical care to argue that you were not as seriously hurt as you claimed. A lot of rib injuries may fall into different categories such as fractured or broken ribs, costochondral separation, soft tissue injuries, intercostal strains, and flail chest injuries. Since your rib injury may present the same symptoms such as sharp pain, swelling, and tenderness, a CT scan or X-rays may have to be done to verify the kind and seriousness of your rib damage.
Steps to Take After an Accident
After a car accident, call the police right away. If you suffer some injuries, call 911. If possible, get the insurance information of the other driver and call your insurer. Take pictures or videos of the crash scene if safe to do so. Try to take photos or record videos from various angles and sides to capture enough details. Also, get the name and contact information of any witnesses because their testimony can be important to your case. After all this, see a doctor even if you feel okay after the accident.
Kinds of Documentation and Evidence to Collect
Get copies of medical exams you have such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Request a copy of the official police report and even a bodycam video from the responding police officer. In addition, speak to the rescue personnel or EMT to get vital information that can support your claim.
Check if there is a video of the crash from businesses in the area. Also, the police or a local government agency may have traffic cameras nearby. Keep in mind that your injury lawyer can collect evidence for you and provide insight into the next steps to take.
What to Expect from the Insurance Company?
Insurers use different tactics to avoid paying valid claims. But their approach can be different if you have an attorney representing you. An experienced personal injury attorney is aware of the common tactics that insurers employ and counter them. These include the following:
- Delaying claims. Insurers may not process claims right away hoping the evidence available may deteriorate, be lost, or that you will give up.
- Ignoring facts. Insurance companies may ignore or misinterpret facts to justify their low payout.
- Not paying for losses. Insurers may not pay your claim or give a payout lower than your coverage.
- Misinterpreting the policy. Some insurers may redefine the coverage of a policy.
If you suffer a rib injury due to the negligence of another party, you can seek compensation for your damages. This includes medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Also, you may be able to recover future medical costs if the rib injury results in prolonged complications.
