ER Sent me home with 7 breaks in my ribs

[eyeonforever]

What is the name of your state? Iowa
I fell down and my ribs were broken in 7 places. They took 2 chest x-rays and told me that I didn't have any broken bones. They sent me home. The next day I was in severe pain and panting. The ambulance took me back to the ER for 2 more chest x-rays and still told me I had no broken bones. But when I arrived there I had a tension-nuemo which means one of the broken ribs had punctured my lung and collapsed it (?) That's why I was panting.

Someone told me I could only get compensation for the additional injury I suffered because they sent me home. And that wasn't worth much? What would it be worth?

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state? Iowa
I fell down and my ribs were broken in 7 places. They took 2 chest x-rays and told me that I didn't have any broken bones. They sent me home. The next day I was in severe pain and panting. The ambulance took me back to the ER for 2 more chest x-rays and still told me I had no broken bones. But when I arrived there I had a tension-nuemo which means one of the broken ribs had punctured my lung and collapsed it (?) That's why I was panting.

Someone told me I could only get compensation for the additional injury I suffered because they sent me home. And that wasn't worth much? What would it be worth?

There is no way for anyone here to know how much your additional injury could be worth.

You could make an appointment with a doctor in your area for a personal review of the x-rays and your medical records to see if the broken ribs should have been detected at the ER on your first visit.

Here is a link to Mayo Clinic’s information on broken ribs:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350769

Depending on what the doctor says, you may want to make an appointment with one or more medical malpractice lawyers in your area. Initial consultations are (generally) free.

Have your ribs healed?

 

[Taxing Matters]

Someone told me I could only get compensation for the additional injury I suffered because they sent me home. And that wasn't worth much? What would it be worth?

It might be worth nothing. The thing you need to realize here is that for you to win anything in malpractice against the hospital you have to show that they were negligent. If the x-rays didn't show anything broken and if given the information they had the appropriate thing to do under the applicable standard of care was release you to go home then they were not negligent and if they weren't negligent they owe you nothing. Remember that a bad outcome does not necessarily mean negligence. Medical tests are not always perfect in revealing the extent of the medical problems you have and sometimes there can be several different interpretations of the medical evidence all of which are valid given the current state of medical knowledge.

Even if the hospital was negligent it didn't cause your broken ribs, so it isn't responsible for that. It would only be liable for any additional damage caused by their negligence. Unless you suffered significant additional damage as a result of the one day delay that seems to be involved here there wouldn't be anything worth suing the hospital for. Did that one day delay make the condition worse or cause you to have to pay a lot more in medical bills than had they just kept you there the first time? If the answer to both is no then there is really nothing to pursue here.

 

[LdiJ]

I think that the punctured lung is almost guaranteed to have resulted in significantly more medical bills.

 

[cbg]

It is, however, true that breaks do not always show up on x-rays immediately, particularly if they are closed breaks. There can be swelling that disguises them. I have first hand experience with that.

 

[adjusterjack]

Someone told me I could only get compensation for the additional injury I suffered because they sent me home. And that wasn't worth much? What would it be worth?

Between a dollar and a gazillion dollars.

Forget about the money for a while. Concentrate on healing and then go see a lawyer and review your options.

 

[quincy]

Two things to note about broken ribs: They do not always show up on Xrays. And there is no real treatment for rib fractures other than perhaps pain medication. There is no cast or bandage wrap.

A question could be if the ER was remiss in not doing additional testing (e.g., like an MRI) on the first visit (although the lung puncture appears to have occurred at home after the first trip to the ER). That might have led to a hospital admission that first night - but the result might not have been different.

It does not sound like this is a case that a medical malpractice attorney would be interested in pursuing on a contingency basis because the costs do not justify what could be expected in damages awarded (if anything).

But you could take advantage of free initial consultations to get a better idea.

 

[TheGeekess]

Did you follow up with your regular physician after your trip to the ER?

 

[eyeonforever]

Two things to note about broken ribs: They do not always show up on Xrays. And there is no real treatment for rib fractures other than perhaps pain medication. There is no cast or bandage wrap.

A question could be if the ER was remiss in not doing additional testing (e.g., like an MRI) on the first visit (although the lung puncture appears to have occurred at home after the first trip to the ER). That might have led to a hospital admission that first night - but the result might not have been different.

It does not sound like this is a case that a medical malpractice attorney would be interested in pursuing on a contingency basis because the costs do not justify what could be expected in damages awarded (if anything).

But you could take advantage of free initial consultations to get a better idea.

Thanks, I thought so.

 

[quincy]

Thanks, I thought so.

You’re welcome, eyeonforever. We all appreciate the thanks, so thank you.

I hope your recovery is a quick and complete one.

 

[quincy]

eyeonforever, you can add any additional related questions to this thread instead of starting a new thread.

One question not asked of you yet - and it should have been - is: What caused your fall and where did it happen? We concentrated on medical malpractice.

 

[xylene]

Get a second opinion from a doctor in a different t hospital and a med mal consult.

Dont wait. Do not wait to deal with this.

Edit to add: you were told nothing was wrong and almost died. This does mean you win anything, but it is a set of facts you need to look into.

Hospital cover their butts and definitely make mistakes and cut corners.