Average Settlement for Broken Clavicle

The clavicle, or collarbone, is a bone that connects the shoulder blade to the breastbone. It is an essential part of our skeletal system. If you suffer a clavicle fracture, it might take several months for you to fully recover.

Broken clavicles are often the result of an accident, such as a slip and fall or a car crash. In these situations, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. Our Long Island personal injury lawyers will fight to get you maximum compensation.

The Odierno Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers advocate for accident victims in Suffolk and Nassau Counties in New York. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you’ll never pay a fee unless we recover money for you. Reach out to our law offices today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team.

Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment for a Clavicle Fracture

The clavicle, or collarbone, is the bone that connects your shoulder blade to the breastbone (sternum). A broken clavicle is often the result of a traumatic incident, such as a fall, a sports injury, a motor vehicle accident, or a birth injury. Teenagers and children are at higher risk of a clavicle fracture, along with older adults who may be more prone to falls and tend to have more brittle bones. 

Like any other type of broken bone, a broken clavicle can be painful. Symptoms of a clavicle fracture include:

• Swelling, tenderness, and/or bruising
• Stiffness or an inability to move the shoulder
• A bump on or near the shoulder
• Pain that increases when moving the shoulder
• A grinding or cracking sound when moving the shoulder
• Skin over the clavicle that might look tent-like when pinched gently

If you notice symptoms of a broken collarbone, particularly after a traffic accident, fall, or other traumatic event, you should seek medical treatment immediately. A failure to get care can lead to complications such as:

• A lump in the bone where the bone knits together
• Osteoarthritis, particularly if the break occurs where the collarbone connects to the shoulder blade or sternum
• Poor or slow healing, which can shorten the bone and cause further complications
• Injury to the nerves or blood vessels surrounding the clavicle, if the break has jagged or sharp edges.

A broken collarbone is diagnosed with an X-ray and/or a CT scan. If the scan shows evidence of a break, then the typical treatment is to immobilize the area while it heals. This usually involves wearing a sling, which may be required for 6 to 12 weeks for adults with a broken collarbone. For less serious breaks, a sling, ice, and over-the-counter pain medications may be the main treatment.

For more severe clavicle fractures, such as when the collarbone breaks through the skin, is broken in several places, or is out of place, it may require surgery. During an operation, an orthopedic surgeon may use plates, rods, and/or screws to secure the bone so that it can heal. For all broken collarbones, physical therapy may be necessary to restore movement and function to the shoulder and arm area once the bone has healed.

A broken clavicle can be incredibly painful, particularly because it is in an area that can’t be cast. That can make it hard to keep the area still while it heals. If you have suffered a broken clavicle in an accident, our Long Island personal injury attorneys will work hard to get you the compensation that you deserve.

How Much Is My Broken Clavicle Case Worth?

In a personal injury case, you may be able to recover three types of damages. Economic and non-economic damages compensate an accident victim for their losses. Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the accident was the result of intentional or reckless conduct.

Economic damages pay for your direct financial losses. These types of losses can usually be documented through things like invoices, bills, estimates, and pay stubs. Examples of non-economic damages include lost wages, reduced earning capacity, property damage, medical expenses, and future medical treatment.

Non-economic damages pay for indirect losses. While non-economic damages are harder to document, they are just as important as things like getting your car fixed. Non-economic damages may include money for things like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, scarring, disfigurement, and emotional distress.

Any settlement for a broken clavicle case should include both economic and non-economic damages. In some cases, it may also include punitive damages, which are designed to penalize a wrongdoer. For example, if you were hurt in a drunk driving accident, you may be entitled to punitive damages.

When it comes to car accidents, New York is a no-fault state, which means that all drivers are required to carry a special type of insurance (often referred to as personal injury protection or PIP). Your no-fault insurance will cover your medical treatment and lost income from car accident injuries, regardless of who was responsible for the accident. This makes it easier to get your immediate expenses covered after an accident.

For minor injuries, your claim for medical expenses and lost wages will go through the no-fault system. However, if your broken clavicle was the result of a motor vehicle accident, you may still be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. New York law permits accident victims to pursue a personal injury claim if they suffer a serious injury, which includes fractures. 

Taking a case out of the no-fault system means that you can seek financial compensation for all of your losses from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Any settlement should include money for your economic and non-economic damages and (if applicable) punitive damages.

During a free initial consultation, our Long Island personal injury lawyers will listen to your story and offer you advice on your legal rights and options. We will also offer you a ballpark estimate on the value of your case. This estimate may change over time as we learn more about the case and more evidence is exchanged through the litigation process. 

The insurance company will have its own estimate of the value of your broken clavicle claim, which will almost always be far less than our analysis of the value of your case. Our goal will always be to get you maximum compensation for your injuries, while the insurance company will try to get you to accept an offer for as little money as possible. Having a skilled Long Island personal injury attorney on your side is the best way to get the money that you deserve for your injuries.

At The Odierno Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers, we take every single case seriously. We won’t simply accept a lowball settlement offer for your clavicle fracture claim. Instead, we will fight to get you a top-dollar settlement. If the insurance company refuses to offer you fair compensation, we will take your case to trial and ask a jury to return a verdict in your favor.

What Factors Impact the Value of My Personal Injury Claim?

When it comes to broken clavicle cases, there is no such thing as an average settlement. For example, a slip and fall case involving a less serious collarbone fracture may result in a $75,000 settlement. A bicycle accident claim where the victim needed surgery to stabilize the bone may lead to a $250,000 settlement.

The value of any accident claim will largely be based on the facts of the case. This includes things such as:

• The severity of the injuries, with more serious injuries typically resulting in higher settlements;
• Whether there is a permanent disability, which can impact a person’s future earning potential; 
• How long a person had to take off work while they recovered;
• If there is documentation of the injury to connect it to the accident; and
• Emotional injuries, such as trauma and pain and suffering.

There are other factors related to the claim that can affect the value of a broken collarbone settlement, such as:

• The at-fault party’s insurance policy limits, with lower coverage levels resulting in smaller settlements;
• Whether the accident victim was somewhat responsible for the incident, which can reduce the settlement value under the principles of contributory negligence;
• The overall strength of the evidence in the case; and
• If the accident victim has legal representation.

This last factor is particularly important when it comes to getting a fair settlement. Studies show that people who are represented by counsel in personal injury claims recover significantly more money compared to people who represent themselves.

The reason why is relatively straightforward. Insurance companies will always try to get accident victims to resolve their claim for as little money as possible. When you have a lawyer on your side, they know that they cannot bully you into taking an unfair settlement. Instead, they have to weigh the risks of the case going to trial, which often leads to a much more appropriate settlement.

Our law firm is skilled at negotiating high-value settlements for our clients in all types of injury cases, including broken clavicle claims. We understand how painful a fractured collarbone can be, and how much it can limit your ability to work and do daily activities at home. We will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

Hurt in an Accident? We Can Help.

A broken clavicle can take months to heal, and you may not be able to work or do much while you are recovering. If you have been hurt in a slip and fall, motor vehicle crash, or another type of accident, we will work with you to get you maximum compensation for your claim. Our law firm won’t back down from a fight and will work tirelessly to get you top dollar for your fractured collarbone.

At The Odierno Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers, we represent clients throughout Long Island who have broken bones in all types of accidents. We are skilled at negotiating fair settlements for our clients and, when necessary, at taking our clients’ cases to court to get them the money that they deserve. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Long Island personal injury lawyer, call us at 631-973-6221 or fill out our online contact form.