Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims Guide – Calculate Amounts Of Compensation
By Fern Mitchell. Last Updated 8th April 2021. Welcome to our guide on punctured lung compensation claims and pneumothorax compensation claims. In the online guide below, we will take a look at how to make a chest injury claim, such as a punctured lung compensation claim. We will take an in-depth look at what this kind of injury is, what the symptoms are, and how it is treated. We then examine why you may be in a position to make a claim for a punctured lung due to one of the example scenarios included.
Punctured lung compensation claims guide
As each claim is different, it is difficult to try and provide answers to every possible question you might have. If you do require more detailed information or answers to specific questions related to your claim, then please call and speak to one of our expert advisors on 0800 073 8804. They will be happy to answer your questions, evaluate your claim for you, and arrange for one of our solicitors to help you make a No Win No Fee claim.
Select A Section:
- A Guide To Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims
- What Is A Punctured Lung Or Pneumothorax?
- Types And Causes Of Pneumothorax Injuries
- What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumothorax?
- Punctured Lungs Caused By Stabbing And Other Criminal Assaults
- Punctured Lung Injuries At Work
- Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Acupuncture
- Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Dry Needling
- Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Car And Other Road Traffic Accidents
- Punctured Lungs Caused By Medical Negligence
- Treatment, Recovery And Aftercare For Pneumothorax Injuries
- Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims Calculator (Updated April 2021)
- Special Damages Awarded To Punctured Lung Victims
- No Win No Fee Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims
- Begin Your Punctured Lung Claim
- Supporting References
- Punctured Lung Compensation Claims- FAQs
A Guide To Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims
The aim of this online guide is to give you knowledge of the reasons why you could be eligible to make a claim for a chest injury such as a collapsed lung and how a lawyer can help you with this. We start with a top-level overview of what a punctured lung is and move on from there.
The next part of this guide is given over to medical information and facts. We look at what can cause a punctured lung, as well as the main symptoms the injury could cause.
The guide then moves on to look at some of the more common reasons why people may need to make a compensation claim for a punctured lung. We have included sections that cover criminal injuries and workplace accidents. Acupuncture and dry needling are also explained in relation to how these treatments could cause a collapsed lung. We look at how road traffic accidents could cause lung damage, and lastly, how a mistake made by a medical professional could result in a punctured lung. The last section of this part of the guide will discuss how a punctured lung is treated and how recovery would be likely to proceed.
The last three sections of this guide are all related to some of the financial considerations that apply when making pneumothorax compensation claims. We have included an example table of compensation ranges for different severities of chest/lung injuries. You will also find a section that lists some of the kinds of damages your overall settlement might comprise if you win your claim. Lastly, we cover No Win No Fee claims, how they work and the key benefits of using a solicitor working under a No Win No Fee agreement.
If you have any questions about the process of making a personal injury claim for a punctured lung or about the contents of this guide, our claims team is here to help. Reach out to one of our claim advisors on the number at the bottom of this page to have your questions about punctured lung compensation claims answered right away.
What Is A Punctured Lung Or Pneumothorax?
A collapsed lung, or to give this medical condition its official name, pneumothorax, occurs when air gets into the small cavity between the outside of your lungs and the inside of your rib cage. This cavity then expands, forcing one or both lungs to collapse due to the pressure. A punctured lung may not always result in a collapsed lung. The severity of the condition can range from minor, with very little air trapped in the cavity, and it will clear up on its own over time to extremely severe, possibly life-threatening, that will require emergency treatment.
The condition is generally a result of a tear or a puncture in your lung that leaks into the cavity below the rib cage. However, in some cases, the air may come from an external source. The smaller the hole in the lung, the less likely it is for the lung to collapse completely.
If you suffered a chest injury that resulted in a punctured or collapsed lung due to factors that were the responsibility of a third party, you could be able to make a compensation claim. We could provide you with a solicitor to facilitate this. Call and speak to our advisors to learn how, or read on to find out more about punctured lung compensation claims.
Types And Causes Of Pneumothorax Injuries
There are three types of collapsed lung conditions. The medical condition we have described in the previous section is a general overview of what a collapsed lung is. Now we need to look at the three specific types of a collapsed lung and how they differ.
- Traumatic pneumothorax – the most common type of trauma to the chest. This could be in the form of fractured ribs; it could be a bullet or a stab wound, for example.
- Primary spontaneous pneumothorax – as the name suggests, this medical condition occurs for a non-specific reason. Generally, a small leak on the lung will have led to air getting trapped below the rib cage.
- Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax – in this case, the hole in the lung is caused by another medical condition that has damaged the lung. This might be cancer, asthma, or some chronic pulmonary illness such as COVID-19.
No matter which type of injury you have suffered resulting in a punctured lung, if a third party was to blame, you may have a valid claim. Speak to an advisor to discuss pneumothorax compensation claims today.
What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumothorax?
A collapsed or punctured lung should be fairly simple for a doctor to diagnose due to the obvious nature of most of the key symptoms. Not all of the symptoms below may manifest together at the same time and could include:
- Chest pain.
- Being short of breath.
- Abnormal or strange breathing patterns.
- The chest feeling tight and restrictive.
- Rising heart rate.
- Skin going blue.
- General fatigue.
If you have been suffering symptoms such as these, and you are diagnosed with a punctured lung, we could be able to help you make a claim if a third party was responsible for your injury. Call our claims team to arrange a personal injury solicitor to process your claim for you, or speak with a member of our team about punctured lung compensation claims today.
Punctured Lungs Caused By Stabbing And Other Criminal Assaults
As we have explained above, a case of traumatic pneumothorax could be caused by a knife in a stabbing. The process of making a criminal injury claim is a little different. Your solicitor will apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation.
The CICA will become a surrogate defendant in relation to claiming compensation. It will be the CICA, out of the fund that they manage, that will pay compensation to you in the case of a criminal injury claim. We can provide you with more information about applying to the CICA for compensation if you give our team a call.
For more information about pneumothorax compensation claims following different kinds of injury, please read on.
Punctured Lung Injuries At Work
Every business in the UK that employs staff must comply with all of the rules and regulations that relate to safety, such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 and all of the health and safety guidelines monitored by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that are applicable to the business. The employer must proactively evaluate workplace hazards and take reasonable steps to remove them.
As the chart below shows, based on data from HSE, we can see that concussion and internal injuries were the most common single-injury cause of death to workers in Great Britain in 2019/20.
punctured lung compensation claims and pneumothorax compensation claims statistics graph
When compliance protocols fail, this could lead to a work accident that injures an employee in some way, such as a punctured or collapsed lung. In such cases, if it can be proven that negligence on the part of the employer was the cause of the accident, the affected parties may be able to pursue punctured lung compensation claims. Speak to our team today to learn how we can help you with a workplace accident and injury claim.
Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that is used to control pain and overall wellness. This treatment relies on the practitioner inserting long needles into certain areas of the patient’s body. The needles can go up to an inch under the skin.
If an accident occurs whilst working close to the chest cavity, an acupuncturist could slip and puncture a lung. This could cause it to collapse. This could be construed as negligence, and the victim could be able to make a compensation claim for the harm they have suffered. To learn more about pneumothorax compensation claims, speak to one of our advisors today.
Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Dry Needling
Dry needling is a treatment similar to acupuncture that is used to relieve the symptoms of some musculoskeletal disorders. A trained practitioner will use thin monofilament needles underneath the skin to stimulate certain trigger points that can affect pain and movement.
It could be possible during a dry needling therapy session to puncture the lung of the patient. If this were to happen, it would be seen as negligent, and the injured party could have a viable basis for a compensation claim. We could be able to help in such punctured lung compensation claims; our claims team can tell you more if you give them a call.
Punctured Lung Injuries Caused By Car And Other Road Traffic Accidents
Road traffic accidents are the most common types of accidents in the UK. In some types of road accidents, the driver of a vehicle or their passenger could suffer extreme chest trauma. For example, the driver may be pushed up against the steering wheel if the driver airbag malfunctions in some way.
There really are a great many ways that a lung could be punctured in a road traffic accident. The takeaway here should be that as long as you were not to blame for the accident taking place, then it could be possible for us to help you make a personal injury claim for the harm you suffered. Speak to our claims team about this to learn more about pneumothorax compensation claims.
Punctured Lungs Caused By Medical Negligence
Every medical professional in the UK has a duty of care towards their patients. They must never do any harm to a patient that could have been avoided in some way. If they do harm a patient due to a mistake, oversight or omission, then this could be deemed medical negligence.
If clinical negligence can be proven, then we could provide you with one of our expert medical negligence claims lawyers to help you to get the compensation you could be eligible for. Call our team for further help and assistance with punctured lung compensation claims.
Treatment, Recovery And Aftercare For Pneumothorax Injuries
In some cases, it can be possible for a minor lung puncture to heal on its own and even for a minor collapse of the lung to clear up without treatment. For slightly worse cases, it may only require the administration of oxygen and rest for the patient to recover fully. The more serious the condition, the more invasive the treatment, which could involve a doctor sucking the air out from between the lungs and the rib cage with a hollow needle.
For the most serious cases of a collapsed lung, a tube will be inserted through the ribs into the cavity below to drain the air. In the most severe cases, the tube may need to be left in place for several days. For more severe damage to a lung that has caused it to collapse, surgery may be needed to repair the hole or tear in the lung.
Recovery from a punctured lung takes between 6 and 8 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury and the treatment administered. The tips below can be used by victims of a punctured lung to aid in their recovery:
- Make sure to take the medication prescribed and follow the instructions closely.
- Even though resting, be sure to stretch and move your limbs often.
- For the first few days, you should sleep propped up on a pillow.
- Don’t put any pressure on your rib cage.
- Don’t wear tight clothing.
- Stop smoking.
- Don’t drive.
- If you have been advised to do breathing exercises, do them.
For more information on pneumothorax compensation claims and how much they can attract, please read on to the next section.
Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims Calculator (Updated April 2021)
The table below is based on the guidelines published by the Judicial College. You can use this table to look up your medical condition and find out what the range of compensation is that you might be awarded if you win your claim.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | A | The most extreme cases of chest/lung injuries. This might include the total loss of a lung, as well as damage to the heart. There would be chronic pain, risk of death, and the resulting scar tissue would be significant. | £94,470 to £140,870 |
| Chest | B | This would be some form of traumatic injury to the chest, one or both lungs, and possibly the heart. There would be permanent symptoms and damage, with some level of loss of function or impairment in the future. The victim’s life expectancy would be shortened. | £61,710 to £94,470 |
| Chest | C | Some level of critical damage to the lungs or chest, that would result in an ongoing impairment of some kind. | £29,380 to £51,460 |
| Chest | D | A quite minor injury, for example, a deep penetrating wound that damages lung tissue, but will heal fully with no kind of impairment or loss of function. | £11,820 to £16,860 |
| Chest | E | Injuries that are caused by taking smoke or caustic/toxic fumes into the lungs. Recovery would be good, but there could be some permanent loss of lung capacity. | £5,000 to £11,820 |
| Chest | F | And injury that results in one or both lungs collapsing. However, complete recovery would be made in a fairly short time. | £2,060 to £5,000 |
| Chest | G | This category would include fairly minor injuries such as fractured ribs, lacerations, cuts, scrapes, etc. There would be no permanent impairment and recovery would take no more than a few weeks. | Up to £3,710 |
| Psychiatric Damage Generally | Severe | The injured person will have marked difficulties with life, work, education and relationships and the prognosis will be poor. | £51,460 to £108,620 |
| Psychiatric Damage Generally | Moderately Severe | The injured person will have significant difficulties with life, work, education and relationships but the prognosis will be better than in severe cases. | £17,900 to £51,460 |
| Psychiatric Damage Generally | Moderate | The injured person will have some difficulties with life, work, education and relationships but the prognosis will be good and marked improvement will have been made. | £5,500 to £17,900 |
| Psychiatric Damage Generally | Less Severe | The level of the award will take into consideration the length of the period of disability and the extent to which daily activities and sleep were affected. | £1,440 to £5,500 |
| Mental anguish | Fear of impending death/reduction in expectation of life. | £4,380 |
You could use a personal injury compensation calculator to do the same thing. You may like a much more accurate estimate of how much compensation you could claim that is based on your own unique situation. If this is the case, please call our claims team, and they will arrange for a lawyer to value your claim for you.
Special Damages Awarded To Punctured Lung Victims
When punctured lung compensation claims are pursued, if you are successful, you could be offered an out of court settlement or be awarded one in court. Either way, the settlement you receive could comprise a number of different types of damages.
General damages cover physical harm or injury. The level of compensation you receive will be calculated based on factors such as how much pain you suffered, the kind of treatment you underwent, and whether there will be any long-term or permanent disability. It will also take into account things like:
- Psychological harm.
- Physical harm.
- Shock and trauma.
- Loss of life quality.
- General pain and suffering.
Special damages are paid to the victim to make up for financial and other non-physical losses. When claiming for costs already incurred, you will need to provide documented proof of this spending. You can recover expenses such as:
- Loss of wages/salary.
- The cost of care.
- Out of pocket expenses.
- Loss of future earnings.
- The cost of private healthcare.
These are just some of the more common kinds of damage you might receive; there are more. To get a general idea of what kinds of damages you might be able to claim in pneumothorax compensation claims, please speak to our claims team today.
No Win No Fee Punctured Lung Pneumothorax Compensation Claims
We may be able to provide you with a solicitor working under a No Win No Fee arrangement to process your claim for you. Under such an agreement, you would not need to pay any fee at the start of the claims process or during it. If the claim is unsuccessful, the solicitor won’t ask to be paid their fees.
If the claim is successful, your lawyer will ask you to pay a small success fee, for which the upper limit is legally capped. This can be taken out of the compensation payment received for you by the lawyer. Our team can provide more information about No Win No Fee punctured lung compensation claims if you give them a call on the number in the section below.
Begin Your Punctured Lung Claim
Do you need some critical information such as details of the personal injury claims time limit your claim must start within? Or are you already convinced you have a valid claim and need a personal injury lawyer to process it for you? No matter what help you need, get in touch with our team of advisors, either by using our contact form or by calling us o 0800 073 8804.
Supporting References
You might like to look at these other web pages that have good information:
Support For Punctured Lung Injuries
Patient Information Related To A Punctured Lung
These other pages on our site could also help you:
How much compensation for an accident at work?
Punctured Lung Compensation Claims- FAQs
How serious is a punctured lung?
A punctured lung can be unproblematic if treated quickly, but if the collapse was caused by traumatic injury to your lung, such as a puncture that occured in an accident, then it’s more likely to happen again.
How long do compensation claims take to settle?
This depends on how complex your claim is and how severe the injuries are. Claims can be settled within a few months but can take much longer.
How do they fix a punctured lung?
A small pneumothorax and a small tear in the lung may heal on their own. Larger injuries may require a doctor sucking the air out of the space in your lung with a syringe. It can also be treated with a drain through the chest wall.
Can I claim for a punctured lung after a car accident?
Yes. If the accident was caused by the negligence of a third party and your lung was punctured as a result, for instance by a broken rib, you may be able to make a personal injury claim.
Can I claim for a punctured lung caused by medical negligence?
Yes. If the standard of care you received fell short of that of a competent medical professional, then you may be able to claim for any injuries you’ve sustained.
How much will I receive for a punctured lung?
This depends on the severity of the injuries you’ve sustained and how badly they’ve affected your quality of life.
How long do I have to make a punctured lung claim?
The personal injury claims time limit is three years from the date the accident took place.
What can be included in a punctured lung compensation claim?
A personal injury claim for a punctured lung will include payment for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced because of your injuries, as well as reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses you’ve incurred because of your injuries, like time off work.
Thank you for reading our guide on punctured lung compensation claims and pneumothorax compensation claims.
Guide by Wheeler
Edited by Billing
