Fractured Sternum

Fracturing a sternum in a car accident or work incident can result in prolonged hospital stays, meaning lots of missed time from work and less money to pay for costly medical bills. If you are injured in either a vehicular accident or while on the clock, contacting an expert Boston-based personal injury attorney at Altman & Altman LLP can help ensure that you are able to pay for your expenses and collect money while being unable to work.

Any injury can be traumatic, but a fractured sternum is a significantly debilitating injury which can require many weeks of rest and can be potentially life-threatening due to the close proximity of the sternum to vital internal organs, primarily the heart and the lungs. If you rely on using your body for your job, such as in construction work, a fractured sternum is an injury which will significantly impact your ability to perform at work for an extended period of time.

How did you fracture your sternum?

The sternum, also known as the breast plate, is an incredibly dense and strong bone at the center of our chest to which our ribs are connected. It, along with the ribs, serve as incredibly important protectors to both our heart and our lungs from trauma, which could be deadly.

Sternum fractures occur in nearly 10 percent of individuals who suffer a traumatic chest injury – which could result from a crushing injury such as a heavy piece of equipment falling on top of someone at a construction or job site. The most common way that a sternum is fractured, however, is as the result of a car collision.

When in a car collision, the sternum can be fractured from the sheer impact of the body stopping against the seat belt, but it is much more common when the person is unbuckled and slams their chest against the steering wheel.

Sternums can also be fractured as the result of CPR, when somebody tries to resuscitate someone who has stopped breathing, as a result of the pressure someone exerts when performing the lifesaving maneuver. Infants and people with weakened sternums, either through other disease or age, are especially at risk of fracturing their sternum.

Healing from a fractured sternum

In some cases, a fractured sternum is not necessarily too serious and can heal by simply reducing movement and resting. However, for more serious fractures or for those that damage internal organs, hospitalization and surgery may be necessary. In all of these cases, for those who work to make a living, a fractured sternum means you won’t be able to perform your work duties and collect a regular paycheck.

Healing from a fractured sternum can be a painful and lengthy process, and the last thing you need to worry about is filing workers’ compensation paperwork with your employer and insurance company, especially if you need to apply for long-term disability as the result of your injury. However, these are benefits guaranteed to you if you are injured at work or are injured in an accident through no fault of your own that limits your ability to perform your work duties.

At Altman & Altman LLP, we have over 50 years of experience advocating on behalf of our clients who are injured and need a team of experienced attorneys in their corner to ensure they receive the benefits that they are entitled to. We will work with insurance companies and employers to ensure these benefits are paid out in a timely and correct manner and take any incidents to court to fight on your behalf if necessary.

We have offices in Boston, Cambridge and elsewhere in Massachusetts. We have helped clients from all over the state recover from injuries that occurred at work or through the fault of negligent motorists, and we can help you as well. Call us for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.