Pubic Rami Fracture Compensation Claims In The UK
By Mary Nora. Last Updated 6th December 2022. Welcome to our guide on making a pubic rami fracture compensation claim. Have you been involved in an accident caused by the negligence of someone who owed you a duty of care? Did you fracture one or more of the group of bones that make up the pubic rami as a result? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Pubic Rami fracture compensation claims guide.
When you suffer from a pelvic fracture, this can cause you a severe amount of pain and discomfort. You may find that you’re not able to walk in the way you usually do or that you need help doing activities that you can usually do alone.
If this is the case, personal injury compensation could help. Its aim is to return you to the position you were in before you sustained your injuries as much as possible.
If you would like any more information on making a claim for an injury of this nature, please read on. Alternatively, you can get in touch with our team by:
- Calling 020 3870 4868
- Writing to us at UK Law.co.uk
- Use our ‘live support’ option, bottom right
Services And Information
- Everything You Need To Know About Pubic Rami Fracture Compensation Claims
- What Is A Pubic Rami Fracture?
- Pubis Anatomy
- Symptoms Of Pelvic Fractures
- What Causes A Pubic Rami To Fracture?
- Hip Injury Claims – Average Compensation For Hip Injury In the UK
- Treating A Fractured Pubic Rami
- What Is An Undiagnosed Or Misdiagnosed Fracture?
- How Do Misdiagnosed Fractures Happen?
- How Long After Fracturing My Pubic Rami Could I Claim Compensation?
- Check What To Do Next
- No Win No Fee Basis Pubic Rami Fracture Compensation Claims
- Read These Guides Next
- Bone Fracture Claim FAQs
Everything You Need To Know About Pubic Rami Fracture Compensation Claims
In this guide, we will begin by looking at what a pubic rami fracture is and the anatomy of the pubis. We’ll examine the kind of symptoms that might present themselves when you suffer from a fracture of this nature.
Furthermore, we explain the legislation that outlines the duty of care that is owed to you while at work, in public or while on the road. In addition, we’ll look at how this duty can be breached, resulting in you being injured.
This guide will also examine how compensation is calculated and the different kinds of damages that can be included in your claim. We will examine the evidence required to prove the losses that you have incurred as a result of your injuries.
This guide will also examine how medical negligence could mean that your pubic rami fracture is missed or misdiagnosed. We look at how you may be able to claim compensation if this negligence has resulted in your condition worsening.
To summarise, we will look at how a No Win No Fee agreement could help you fund legal representation for your claim. We will also look at some frequently asked questions about pubic rami fractures.
What Is A Pubic Rami Fracture?
Pubic rami fractures are cracks or breaks in the bones that make up the bottom of the pelvis. They can particularly affect the elderly or those with underlying bone conditions.
A pubic rami fracture can be either displaced or non-displaced. A displaced fracture is one where the bones have moved out of position from one another. A non-displaced fracture is one where the bones are still aligned.
You can also sustain a hairline fracture on the pubis, which is a crack in the bone that does not separate it in two. A hairline fracture may not be particularly painful; in some cases, you may not realise that you have sustained a hairline pubis rami fracture at all.
Displaced and non-displaced fractures can be further divided into categories of open and closed fractures. An open fracture is one where the skin is broken, but a closed fracture does not cause a wound. An open fracture could pose a greater risk of infection to both the skin and bone.
The graph below shows the number of different kinds of injuries reported to RIDDOR by British employers in 2019/20. Although this does not specify the number of pubis rami injuries, injuries of this nature may be included in the torso injury category.
Pubis rami compensation claims statistics graph
Pubis Anatomy
The pubis can be found just below the abdomen to the front of the body. As well as providing support, it offers protection to the bladder and reproductive organs.
We often refer to our “hip bones”; however, the bones that we’re referring to are actually three separate bones. These are the pubis, the ischium and the ilium. The pubis is made up of two smaller bones, called the pubic rami.
The pubic rami are a group of bones at the bottom of the pelvis. They consist of the superior public ramus and the inferior public ramus.
The superior pubic ramus is the upper of the two rami and has an inner flat portion and a narrower outside portion. It extends from the body to join with the ramus on the opposite side.
The inferior ramus is the lower of the two rami and is part of the pelvis. It joins with the inferior ischium ramus.
Symptoms Of Pelvic Fractures
There are a number of different symptoms that a pubic rami fracture might cause you to experience. These include:
- Pain in the groin, hip, lower back or pelvis
- Swelling and bruising in the pelvic area
- Numbness or tingling in the genitals or thighs
- Pain while sitting or using the toilet
If you experience an unstable pelvic fracture, meaning that the bones are no longer in alignment, then you may suffer from heavy bleeding. This may not be noticeable because it’s contained in your abdomen; however, you may experience pale, clammy skin or a loss of consciousness because of the drop in blood pressure.
A fracture to the pubic ramus will usually cause you pain but might not stop you from being able to walk. You should always seek medical attention if you think you may have fractured your pubic rami, even if you’re still able to move around.
What Causes A Pubic Rami To Fracture?
While you’re in public, the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 outlines the duty of care owed to you by those in control of public places (the “occupier”) towards those that use them. If you, for example, fell on a loose floor tile in a shop and suffered a pubic rami fracture as a result, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries.
The Highway Code outlines the duty of care that road users all owe to one another. All drivers are expected to adhere to the standards of care and skill of the average motorist. This includes things like abiding by the speed limits and following instructions given by road signs. Failure to do this, for instance, by pulling out of a junction without checking that it was safe to do so, could cause a road traffic accident in which your pubic rami was fractured.
Hip Injury Claims – Average Compensation For Hip Injury In the UK
If you’re eligible to make a hip injury claim, you may want to get an idea of the average compensation for a hip injury in the UK. Each hip injury claim is unique and, therefore, will be valued on a case-by-case basis. For instance, if your hip injury results in a hip replacement, you could receive compensation for the hip replacement and any suffering or financial loss it caused.
A successful hip injury claim could cover both general damages and special damages. Compensation for your pain and suffering is known as general damages.
Bracketed figures from the Judicial College Guidelines also serve as a guide when solicitors are valuing claims. Amounts from this publication can be seen in the table below. These amounts should only be used as a guide.
| Pelvic area | Notes | Potential award |
|---|---|---|
| Severe (i) | Extensive fractures with injury to internal organs such as the bladder. | £78,400 to £130,930 |
| Severe (ii) | Ischial and pubic rami fracture dislocation | £61,910 to £78,400 |
| Severe (iii) | Fracture of the acetabulum leading to degenerative changes | £39,170 to £52,500
|
| Moderate (i) | Significant injury with no major permanent damage. | £26,590 to £39,170 |
| Lesser injuries | Significant injury no residual disability | £3,950 to £12,590 |
| Mild | Soft tissue injury with complete recovery expected | Up to £3,950 |
Special Damages
The second head of damages is special damages, and this compensates you for any financial loss incurred as a result of your injuries. Special damages can include:
- Loss of earnings if you have to take time off work
- Childcare costs
- Travel expenses to and from hospital appointments or meetings with your solicitor
- The cost of treatment that you couldn’t get on the NHS.
- Modifications to your home to accommodate any disabilities, e.g. a ramp for a wheelchair or a stairlift
- Lost deposits for things like holidays that you’re no longer able to go on
When you make a claim for special damages, it’s really important that you provide evidence to support your claim. This can include things like bills or invoices for costs you have incurred. To find out more about what evidence could be used to support special damages, get in touch with us today.
Treating A Fractured Pubic Rami
When you seek medical attention for the symptoms of a pubic rami fracture, an X-ray will usually be performed. This will show the medical professional treating you whereabouts the fracture is and how severe it is. It will also be able to confirm whether your fracture is displaced or non-displaced. The kind of fracture you’re suffering from will dictate the treatment you are given.
A fractured pubic ramus will usually not require surgery. Instead, they will often be left to heal without intervention, and this will usually take 6 to 8 weeks. However, more serious fractures may take longer.
You will normally be encouraged to walk straight away after a pubic rami fracture if you’re well enough to do so. Walking will encourage circulation and help your injury heal quicker. You may be given a walking aid and advised on how to properly weight bear by a physiotherapist.
An Occupational Therapist (OT) might come to see you while you’re in the hospital. They can assess you to see how well you’re likely to manage daily activities when you’re at home. If you need any equipment in order to manage at home, this will be arranged by your OT.
In cases of seriously displaced fractures or ones where the bone has been broken into multiple pieces, surgery may be needed. During surgery, the pieces of bone will be positioned and then held together with plates or pins as they heal.
What Is An Undiagnosed Or Misdiagnosed Fracture?
As we have already mentioned, you should seek medical attention straight away if you think there is a possibility you have broken your hip. But sometimes, when you seek medical attention for a fracture, it can be missed or misdiagnosed, meaning that you don’t get the right treatment for your injury.
In order to claim compensation for misdiagnosis, you need to show that the doctor breached their duty of care towards you. This means that you need to show that the care you received fell below an acceptable standard. You also need to prove that you were caused illness, injury or a worsening of your condition as a result.
Just because your injury was missed or misdiagnosed does not mean that you were the victim of medical negligence. Sometimes, your doctor can adhere to the standards of their profession and provide care of an acceptable standard and still fail to diagnose a condition.
In order to determine whether negligence occurred, the courts will usually administer something called the Bolam Test. This is where a panel of medical professionals who specialise in the same field of medicine as the doctor in question are asked how they would have acted in the same scenario.
If they say they would have taken the same course of action, then this indicates that the doctor was acting in accordance with the standards of their profession. The doctor would not be considered negligent, even if misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis occurred.
If, however, the panel of peers say that they would have taken a different course of action, then the doctor would be considered negligent. This could provide grounds for a compensation claim if the doctor’s negligence directly caused injury, illness or the worsening of a condition.
How Do Misdiagnosed Fractures Happen?
There are a number of reasons that fractured pubic ramus could be missed or misdiagnosed as something else. For instance:
- A healthcare provider may not have arranged for the right diagnostic tests (such as an X-ray) to be performed.
- The X-ray or other test may not have been performed properly. This could mean that the fracture is difficult to see.
- Results from the X-ray might be misinterpreted, meaning that the results of the X-ray are misread, and the condition is missed.
- The results of the X-ray may be lost or mixed up with those of another patient.
As we have already mentioned, just because a fracture was missed or misdiagnosed does not mean that negligence occurred. But if you feel you have suffered avoidable harm because a medical professional failed to provide you with an appropriate level of care, then you may be able to claim. Contact our team for more information.
How Long After Fracturing My Pubic Rami Could I Claim Compensation?
There is generally a three-year time limit that applies to personal injury or medical negligence claims. This can either run from the date the accident occurred or (if applicable) the date that you became aware that your injuries were the result of negligence.
However, there are some exceptions to this. These include:
- Child accident claims. If you’re under 18 at the time the accident happens, you cannot pursue your own claim. While you’re underage, you cannot pursue your own claim, and so a litigation friend can do this for you. This is a person who acts in your best interests to pursue a claim on your behalf. Once you turn 18, if no claim has been made, you have until your 21st birthday to make a claim.
- Mentally incapacitated claims. If the injured person does not have the mental capacity to make a claim on their own behalf, a litigation friend can pursue one for them. The 3-year time limit starts in the event that the injured person regains the mental capacity to make their own claim; otherwise, it’s suspended indefinitely, and a litigation friend can make a claim at any point.
If you would like to know more about the time limits that apply to claims of this nature, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team for more information.
Check What To Do Next
When you sustain a pubic rami fracture, there are a number of things that you should do. The first of these is to seek medical attention for your injuries. The benefit of this is twofold; it means that you receive the treatment needed for the injury you have sustained and also provides evidence to support a future claim.
You should also gather as much evidence to prove the circumstances of the accident as you can. This can include things like CCTV footage of the accident occurring, a report in an accident book or the details of any witnesses who saw it happen. However, you can still claim even if there was no witness to the accident in which you were injured.
You should also collect evidence as to the costs that your injury has caused you to experience. This could be in the form of bank statements, receipts or bills.
While there is no legal obligation to have a solicitor work on your behalf to make a claim, we recommend that you seek legal representation. This can help the process run more smoothly and can help you get more money from an injury claim. Read on to find out how a No Win No Fee agreement could help you fund legal representation.
No Win No Fee Basis – pubic rami fracture compensation
A No Win No Fee agreement is a contract between you and your solicitor that sets out what they need to do in order to receive payment. It means that you won’t be asked to pay them anything in order for them to start working on your claim or while it’s ongoing.
You also won’t be asked to pay anything to them in the event that your claim is unsuccessful. The only time you’ll be asked to pay is if you win your claim. Then, a legally capped success fee will be deducted from your compensation to cover their costs.
Why not start today and give your pubic rami fracture compensation claim the best start? Simply:
- Call our friendly team for a free, no-obligation chat on 020 3870 4868
- Write to us if you prefer at UK Law.co.uk.
- Get on-the-spot help with our ‘live support’ option, bottom right
Read These Guides Next
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to read our article on pubic rami fracture compensation. At UK Law, we can help with all aspects of personal injury and so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can also click on the links below for specific topics, such as:
- Cycling accident claims
- Medical negligence claims
- Supermarket accident claims
- How do I know if I’ve broken a bone?
- Occupational Therapy
- General Medical Council- Duties of a Doctor
Pubic Rami Fracture Compensation FAQs
Can you act as a Litigation Friend?
When the injuries are sustained by someone under the age of 18, it is possible for an adult to act on the child’s behalf. This is known as being a ‘litigation friend’. You can apply to be a litigation friend or be appointed as one by the court.
How much is a hip injury worth?
There is no one answer to this question as each case is decided individually. The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injury, how severely you’ve been impacted and the value of the special damages head of your claim.
How long does it take to heal a fractured pubic ramus?
Heal times for injuries such as this can vary. Factors such as age and general health can all have a bearing. This kind of fracture usually takes 6-8 weeks to heal but may take longer.
Can you fully recover from a pubic rami Fracture?
You can usually recover from a pelvic fracture, especially if the fracture is less severe and you’re at a good fitness level. However, some really serious fractures can impact your mobility in the long term.
Thank you for reading our guide on pubic rami fracture compensation claims.
Guide by FE
Checked by NC
