If you’ve suffered a broken collarbone in a car accident that you can prove was caused by somebody else, then you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. Therefore, in this guide, we’re going to look at the types of accident that could lead to a claim. We’re also going to use a personal injury claims calculator to help work out different compensation amounts that could be paid. Finally, we’re going to use a fictitious case study to demonstrate how a broken collarbone could lead to a £20,000 compensation payout.
Here at Legal Helpline, we provide free advice for people who are considering a claim. Our advisors offer a no obligation assessment of your claim too. Should they believe your case might be successful, then they could introduce you to one of our panel of no win no fee solicitors. If you’d like to discuss your claim right away, please call 0161 696 9685 today.
If you’d rather find out more about how a fractured clavicle in a car accident could lead to compensation, please keep reading.
Jump To A Section
- Car Accident Leading To A Broken Collarbone
- Anatomy Of The Clavicle And Collarbone
- Kinds Of Car Accidents Which Happen On The UK’s Roads
- 10 Ways You Could Be Involved In A Car Accident
- Case Study: £20,000 Payout For A Broken Collarbone In A Car Accident
- Broken Collarbone Compensation Calculator
- No Win No Fee Broken Collarbone Compensation Claims
- How Do I Make A Broken Collarbone Compensation Claim?
- Talk To Legal Helpline About Your Case
- References And Resources
Car Accident Leading To A Broken Collarbone
Broken collarbone injury
According to the NHS, a broken collarbone is a common injury. It usually occurs following a fall but could happen following a blow to the bone too. The symptoms of a broken collarbone include:
- Tenderness and swelling around the collarbone area.
- Pins and needles or numbness.
- Bruising of the affected area.
- Rarely, there may be bleeding if the bone pierces the skin.
NHS advice states that if you suspect a fracture, break or other injury to the collarbone, you should use a towel to make a sling and then you should see your GP or local A&E straight away.
Usually, the collarbone is left to heal naturally. A sling is fitted to aid the recovery. In general, a broken collarbone takes around 6-8 weeks to fully recover. To ease the pain of the broken bone, you’ll be provided with painkillers.
Anatomy Of The Clavicle And Collarbone
The collarbone, or clavicle, is a long bone that sits between the shoulder blade and breastbone. There is one on each side of the body. The two ends of the clavicle are known as the medial end and the lateral end. The collarbone is connected to the breastbone and shoulder blade by strong ligaments.
Kinds Of Car Accidents Which Happen On The UK’s Roads
As discussed earlier, a blow to the clavicle can cause it to fracture. Therefore, there are a lot of scenarios where a car accident could lead to this type of injury. A common reason for a broken collarbone is when the victim puts their hands out, instinctively, to protect themselves from a fall or impact. The force through the hands and arms can lead to a fracture of the collarbone.
Also, seatbelt injuries can lead to broken collarbone too. Although the seatbelt aims to prevent movement of the upper body, if the impact is particularly heavy, then a fracture could occur.
Finally, another reason for a broken collarbone in a car accident is a direct impact to the area. This could be where an item in your vehicle which is not secured hits you or it could happen where the chest hits the steering wheel following a collision.
10 Ways You Could Be Involved In A Car Accident
Each year, the Department for Transport produce statistics relating to road traffic accidents. They show the number of injuries, the number of fatalities and the most common causes of road traffic accidents. Therefore, we’ve listed the top 10 reasons for car accidents. The statistics we’ve used come from the 2014 report.
- The driver failed to look properly – 53,259 reported incidents (46%).
- Driver failed to judge the speed or path of another vehicle – 27,551 (24%).
- Careless and reckless driving or the driver was in a hurry – 20,883 (18%).
- A poor manoeuvre or turn – 18,916 (16%).
- Loss of control – 15,350 (13%).
- Pedestrians failing to look properly – 10,888 (9%).
- Slippery road surface caused by adverse weather – 9,802 (8%).
- Sudden breaking – 8,768 (8%).
- Driving too close to the vehicle in front – 8,330 (7%).
- Driving too fast for the conditions – 7,921 (7%).
The percentages in these figures have been rounded to allow easier comparison. It’s worth remembering, that you’re not always going to be entitled to make a personal injury claim even if you have suffered a broken collarbone or similar injuries.
To be eligible to make a claim, you’ll need to be able to show that:
- You were involved in an accident.
- The accident was caused by another road user’s negligence.
- And that you suffered an injury or injuries because of the accident.
If you were partly to blame for the accident, it is sometimes possible to claim on a split-liability basis. This means that the claim would be handled on the same basis as normal, but your compensation would be reduced accordingly.
Case Study: £20,000 Payout For A Broken Collarbone In A Car Accident
Now we’re going to take a look at a case study where a driver, who we’ll name Mr Jones, received £20,000 in compensation for their injuries. The accident was caused because the defendant in the case pulled out of a junction and collided with Mr Jones’ vehicle because they hadn’t spotted it.
After the collision, Mr Jones visited A&E where he was found to have a broken collarbone, whiplash and bruising of the lower back and back injuries. The defendant admitted full liability for the claim which meant that no court case was required.
Following a medical assessment by an independent doctor, Mr Jones was advised that his injuries will fully recover but there may be some minor residual pain or aching for many years to come.
Mr Jones’ solicitors argued that compensation should include general damages to cover the pain and suffering caused by the injuries. Also, they successfully claimed for lost income because Mr Jones was unable to work for a period of time and travelling expenses due to the fact that Mr Jones had to use public transport while he was unable to drive due to his injuries.
Broken Collarbone Compensation Calculator
You might be wondering how much your broken collarbone is worth. Well, the amount of compensation you’ll receive is determined by things such as physical and psychological injuries as well as financial losses.
In the broken collarbone compensation calculator table below, we’ve provided examples of compensation payouts for certain injuries.
| Type of Injury | Severity | Typical Compensation Range | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clavicle (Collar Bone) | Fracture | £4,830 to £11,490 | The amount paid will depend on the nature of the fracture, any ongoing pain, how well the bone heals and any permanent disability caused by the fracture. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Severe | £18,020 to £45,070 | This range is often associated with neck injuries. Usually, damage to the brachial plexus will have happened and result in serious disability. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Serious | £11,980 to £18,020 | Includes a dislocated shoulder with damage to the lower region of the brachial plexus. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Moderate | £7,410 to £11,980 | Injuries that last for up to 2 years causing frozen shoulder or limited movement. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Minor | £4,080 to £7,410 | Soft tissue damage which is resolved completely within 2 years. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Minor | £2,300 to £4,080 | Soft tissue damage which is resolved completely within year. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Minor | Up to £2,300 | Soft tissue damage which is resolved completely within 3 months. |
As every case is unique, it’s impossible for us to offer a proper assessment of your claim until we’ve spoken to you. Therefore, please call an advisor to find out a more personalised estimate of your compensation amount.
Our panel of solicitors insist on a medical assessment by an independent doctor. This is because the level of compensation awarded is based on the severity of your injury. Therefore, the report will provide information on the extent of the injury, how it impacted you at the time and how you might be affected in the future. By using this report the solicitor will try to ensure you receive a full and fair compensation payment for your injuries.
No Win No Fee Broken Collarbone Compensation Claims
You needn’t worry about the cost of hiring a solicitor to handle your claim. That’s because our panel of solicitors provide a no win no fee service for any claim they handle.
After they’ve assessed your claim, if they believe it’s strong enough, they’ll provide you with a conditional fee agreement (CFA). This is your contract. The key points in the CFA are:
- That you don’t have to pay the solicitor’s fees unless they win compensation for you.
- If they do win, the level of success fee you’ll pay them.
Success fees are deducted from your compensation before it’s paid to you. This means you don’t need to find the funds to settle the solicitor’s fees yourself. The success fee is a fixed percentage of your compensation.
Using no win no fee means you’ll have less financial risk when claiming which means the whole process will be less stressful.
How Do I Make A Broken Collarbone Compensation Claim?
To begin your fractured collarbone claim, you’re going to need to provide some evidence of what happened, who was to blame and how you suffered. Claiming without evidence is very tricky. Here are some of the types of evidence a personal injury lawyer would want to see:
- Photographs of the accident scene to try and help prove who was to blame.
- Witness statements (or dashcam footage) from anybody who witnessed the accident.
- Medical reports from the doctor or hospital that treated you. These will be used to determine the extent of your clavicle fracture.
- Bank statements, receipts and pay slips to show how you’ve lost out financially. This could include travelling costs, loss of earnings and also medical costs amongst other things.
Once you’ve got as much evidence as possible, call an advisor. They’ll look at your claim and determine whether it could be successful. If they believe it could, you’ll be introduced to one of our panel of specialist solicitors who will:
- Try to resolve your case as quickly as possible.
- Ensure you’re updated throughout the claims process.
- Try to ensure you receive the full amount of compensation that your injuries deserve.
If you are considering a claim for a broken collarbone, please be aware of the personal injury claims time limit. In general, this is 3-years from the date the accident took place.
Talk To Legal Helpline About Your Case
Thanks for reading this guide about compensation amounts after suffering a broken collarbone from a car accident. We hope that you’d now like to use Legal Helpline to begin your claim. If so, here’s how to contact us:
- Call our team of specialist advisors on 0161 696 9685
- Use our online claims form to request a call back.
- Or please feel free to use our live chat facility from any page on this site.
When you contact us, our advisors will look at your fractured clavicle compensation claim with you. They’ll provide free advice and could introduce you to one of our panel of personal injury solicitors should your case be strong enough. There’s no pressure or obligation so you’ve got nothing to lose by calling today.
References And Resources
Now that you’ve come to the end of our guide on claiming for a broken clavicle following a car accident, we’ve linked to some more of our useful guides.
Road Traffic Accident Claims – This guide looks at other injuries that could be sustained in a car accident such as a back injury, a seatbelt injury and also head injuries.
Whiplash Claims – A more detailed look at personal injury claims for whiplash injuries.
Bus Accident Claims – Details of when it might be possible to claim if you’re injured while using a bus or other public transport.
Trusted External Resources
Finally, here are some external resources which you might find useful while researching compensation for a broken collarbone.
NHS Broken Collarbone Guide – A guide that shows the symptoms and treatment options for a broken collarbone. It also provides details about broken collarbone recovery times.
The Motor Insurers Bureau – An insurance industry backed scheme which could allow you to make a personal injury claim for a broken clavicle even if the other driver was uninsured.
When To Report An RTA – This guide from Police UK advises you of your responsibilities if you’re involved in a car accident.
Case study by Brett.