Unfortunately, it’s impossible to provide an average settlement for a broken collarbone case. Because every accident case is different, your car accident lawyer would need to review the particular circumstances of your case to calculate all the damages you could recover.
Car accidents are one of the most common reasons for a fractured collarbone (clavicle) because most modern seatbelts are positioned right over or near the collarbone. So, while seatbelts enhance passenger safety by keeping victims from flying through the windshield, the force of the impact combined with the seatbelt tightening could break your collarbone. However, if the accident wasn’t your fault, you could recover damages from the negligent driver.
There Really Is No ‘Average Settlement’ Value for a Broken Collarbone
All the variables that come into play with a collarbone injury mean there is no “average” settlement value in these cases. First, the treatment costs vary significantly from one collarbone injury to another. Second, the injury’s impact on a victim’s life varies depending on whether the injury keeps them out of work (and for how long) or affects their ability to participate in daily activities.
Complicating the picture further is that no two people with broken collarbones have the same economic outlook. For example, a UPS driver who can’t work for a year due to a fractured collarbone might miss nearly six figures worth of income, whereas someone who works in an office may still have use of their fingers and be able to control a keyboard. They might only miss a few days of work.
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Your Damages Also Determine the Value of a Settlement
If you’ve broken your collarbone in a car accident you didn’t cause, the law allows you to demand compensation from the negligent driver. Fortunately, Louisiana law requires that drivers carry liability insurance to take financial responsibility for the damage they cause in a collision. Those damages could be economic and noneconomic.
Economic Damages
Economic (monetary) damages apply to accident victims’ expenses for treating their injuries (for example, a broken collarbone). Examples of economic damages include medical bills, such as surgery to repair a collarbone fracture, and your lost wages due to your inability to work after breaking your clavicle.
Noneconomic Damages
These are intangible losses, such as lost quality of life or pain and suffering. For example, most broken collarbones prevent accident victims from moving the affected arm. Suppose you are an avid golfer or basketball player who cannot continue playing either sport due to a fractured collarbone. You could demand damages for the lost enjoyment of these activities.
Both economic and noneconomic damages play essential roles in determining the value of a case or settlement.
What Is the Cost of Treating a Broken Collarbone?
The cost of treating a broken clavicle depends on factors such as:
- How severe is the broken bone?
- Did the broken collarbone penetrate the skin in a “greenstick” fracture?
- Has the collarbone been injured or broken previously?
- Does the injury require surgery?
- Will you need physical therapy?
That’s why the cost of treating a fractured collarbone can vary so much. With that said, your medical bills could range from $500 for injuries that don’t require surgery to as much as $20,000.
Your medical insurance might cover some of these costs (depending on your deductible and policy terms). However, if you didn’t cause the accident that broke your collarbone, you could hold the negligent party financially responsible. Even if their liability insurance covers only part of your medical bills, you have the right to seek the full extent of your damages from them.
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Why Are Broken Collarbones So Serious?
Collarbones play an important role in the human body. They stabilize the arm they are connected to and assist in your range of motion. As a result, you can’t move the arm connected to whichever collarbone you broke.
Unfortunately, collarbones are also relatively delicate as far as bones go. It doesn’t take much force to fracture one. Once that’s happened, both the broken collarbone and the connected arm typically must be immobilized while the fracture heals.
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Learn More About the Settlement Value of Your Collarbone Injury
In the unfortunate event you suffered a fractured clavicle due to someone else’s negligence, you want specific information about the potential value of your case rather than the “average settlement value.”
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers is a personal injury firm that can help you calculate your case’s value. We welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your accident, how much your injuries have cost, and the impact that breaking your collarbone has had on your life. Then, we can intelligently advise you on how much your broken collarbone case might be worth. Contact our office today for a free case evaluation.
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