Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Chest Injury and Abdominal Injury Claims
If you suffer a chest injury or abdominal injury as the result of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.
At The Legal Line, our lawyers are experts in all areas of personal injury and we can provide you with specialist accident claim advice on a cost-free basis. Contact us on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online.
Causes of Chest and Abdominal Injuries
Chest Injuries
Abdominal Injuries
Making a Personal Injury Claim
Compensation
Our Personal Injury Lawyers
Previous Compensation Claims for Chest Injuries and Abdominal Injuries
Causes of Chest and Abdominal Injuries
Injuries to the chest and abdomen (often known collectively as the trunk or torso) can be very serious, as they contain our internal organs. These types of injury can occur if a person suffers a blunt impact, crush injury or a wound from a penetrating object.
Some of the main causes of injuries to the chest and abdomen are:
• Road accidents – many road accidents, but in particular head-on collisions, carry a risk of injuries to the chest and abdomen. The force of a seatbelt or airbag can also cause this type of injury.
• Cycle accidents – in a cycling accident, the cyclist may be thrown against the handlebars of their bicycle with an impact to the chest or abdomen.
• Accidents at work – many types of workplace accident result in injuries to the torso area. Industrial accidents such as accidents in factories, warehouses or building sites often involve heavy equipment or machinery and this can result in more serious injuries.
• Falls – if the victim of a slip, trip or fall impacts with the floor or a nearby object, this can cause abdominal injuries or chest injuries.
• Medical negligence - surgical errors and hospital acquired infections are examples of how clinical negligence can cause damage to the organs within the abdomen and chest.
If you suffer a chest injury or abdominal injury and you believe someone else was to blame, a personal injury claim may be possible, so you should seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity.
Chest Injuries
Chest injuries range in severity, from minor bruising, wounds and scalds, to more serious injuries such as fractures or damage to the heart, lungs or blood vessels. Severe chest injuries may even be fatal.
Injuries affecting the chest are not only caused by accidents. For example, industrial diseases and other conditions caused by prolonged exposure to hazardous substances may also affect the lungs.
Types of chest injury include:
• Fractured / bruised ribs
• Fractured / bruised sternum
• Lung injuries
• Heart injuries
• Respiratory illnesses (e.g. occupational asthma, asbestosis, mesothelioma)
• Lacerations / penetrating wounds
• Damage to major blood vessels
• Muscle injuries
• Inhalation of smoke / toxic fumes
• Burns
Chest injuries can be very debilitating, because they often affect the sufferers ability to breathe normally and they can make movement difficult and uncomfortable.
Abdominal Injuries
Trauma to the abdomen can result in a range of injuries, dependent upon the type of accident a person was involved in. Some types of abdominal injury are:
• Hernias
• Damaged internal organs (e.g. liver, spleen, kidneys, bowel, bladder, reproductive organs)
• Injured abdominal muscles (torn muscles, strained muscles etc.)
• Food poisoning
• Fractured Pelvis
• Lacerations / penetrating wounds
• Internal bleeding
Victims of abdominal injuries may make a full recovery without the need for medical intervention, medical or surgical treatment may be necessary and, in some cases, there may be permanent damage or even a fatality.
Making a Personal Injury Claim
If you suffer a chest injury or abdominal injury and you believe that your accident was caused by the negligent actions of someone else, or their failure to act, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. The first steps to take are to obtain medical advice about your injury and to record as much information as you can about the accident (for example witness details, the time and date of the incident and so on).
You should seek the advice of a specialist injury lawyer at the earliest opportunity. They will advise first of all whether your case has good prospects of success and, if so, how best to pursue it. Your lawyer will collate all of the necessary evidence, calculate your losses and handle the claim on your behalf.
In any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, failed in that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence. They may also be liable if they breached a statutory regulation.
Who you claim against will depend upon the type of accident you were involved in. It may be, for example, another driver in a road accident, your employer if you suffered an injury at work, the owner or occupier of a commercial premises if you were involved in an accident in a public place, or a local authority for a trip on a defective pavement.
Some people will be unable to work whilst recovering from an injury to their chest or abdomen, either because of the nature of their job or the severity of the injury. Carrying out their regular duties, such as looking after their children and home can also be a problem. This can result in a loss of earnings, costs for care and assistance they may require and transport costs if the injury renders them unable to drive. Making a compensation claim can be very helpful under these circumstances, to ensure that the accident does not result in unnecessary financial difficulties.
Compensation
There are two elements to a compensation award for an injury to the chest or abdomen. The first, called general damages, is for the pain and suffering you have gone through and any loss of amenity (for example an inability to play sports, walk the dog or drive). The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after an accident or forever if that is what the medical evidence supports.
The second element of a compensation award, for your losses and expenses, is known as special damages and aims to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred. This may include an amount for loss of earnings, costs of treatment and so on. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to your injury so that these can be reclaimed.
In serious cases, where a person may no longer be able to continue their employment, this can be taken into account. Costs for care, equipment, transport and housing modifications can also be factored into the calculations.
If the person is still able to work but not in the same role as before, particularly if they held a public service role such as a doctor, firefighter or police officer, an extra amount may be awarded for loss of ‘congenial employment’. These awards are made in recognition that some jobs provide greater rewards than monetary benefits alone, such as the satisfaction gained from providing a service to the public. A court can also make a financial award to recognise that an injured worker's prospects on the open labour market may be limited.
Our Personal Injury Lawyers
At The Legal Line, our solicitors are specialists in the field of personal injury, with a wealth of experience in recovering compensation for the victims of accidents caused by negligence and industrial diseases.
Your case will be handled efficiently and sympathetically by a specialist personal injury lawyer and we will always work hard to ensure that the best possible outcome is achieved.
Previous Compensation Claims for Chest Injuries and Abdominal Injuries
We have acted on behalf of many innocent victims of chest and abdominal injuries caused by avoidable accidents. Details of some of these cases can be found in our personal injury news and client stories sections, or by following the links below:
Multi-vehicle Road Accident Causes Serious Injuries
Claim Made Against Waste Company for Fatal Accident
Family of Tragic Road Accident Victim Receives Compensation
Machine Operator Receives Damages in Occupational Dermatitis Claim
Compensation for Woman Assaulted by Pupil With Challenging Behaviour
£80,000 Compensation for Road Accident Passenger
Rear-end Shunt Causes Personal Injury to Driver
Driver Suffers Personal Injury in Collision With Unmarked Skip
Office Worker Awarded Damages for Tripping Accident
Compensation for Pedestrian Knocked Down by Driver
£828,000 Compensation for Injured Motorcyclist
Workplace Accident Occurs Due To Lack of Staircase Lighting
Compensation Claim for Cyclist With Multiple Injuries
Employee Injured by Unsafe Machinery Receives Compensation
Child Seriously Injured in Road Accident Receives Compensation
Hernia Compensation for Man Injured in Manual Handling Accident
Machine
Operator Injured by Defective Equipment Receives Compensation
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