A broken sternum after a car accident is a serious injury that takes anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to heal in straightforward cases, and significantly longer when the fracture is severe or requires surgery. The sternum, also called the breastbone, sits at the center of your chest and protects your heart, lungs, and major blood vessels. When that bone fractures in a crash, the pain is immediate, and the recovery is slow.
Is a Broken Sternum a Serious Injury?
Yes, and the seriousness depends on how the fracture occurred and whether it damaged surrounding structures. A hairline or non-displaced fracture is painful and limiting but not immediately life-threatening. A displaced fracture, where the bone has shifted out of position, is a different situation entirely.
Can a broken sternum kill you? In cases involving displaced fractures or high-velocity crashes, the answer is yes. The sternum sits directly in front of the heart and aorta. A fracture severe enough to shift bone fragments can puncture the heart, cause internal bleeding, or trigger a traumatic aortic injury (damage to the body’s main artery, which can be life-threatening).
According to research published in the National Library of Medicine, approximately 3.7% of vehicle accidents result in a sternum fracture, and associated cardiac injury is the primary concern in serious cases.
Even in less catastrophic scenarios, a broken sternum that is not properly managed can lead to complications, including pneumothorax (a collapsed lung), or chronic chest wall instability.
Symptoms of a Fractured Sternum After a Car Accident
The symptoms of a fractured sternum typically appear immediately after impact, though some people initially attribute the pain to general soreness and delay seeking care. That delay can be dangerous.
Symptoms of a fractured sternum to watch for include:
- Sharp, concentrated pain at the center of the chest that intensifies with breathing, coughing, or any upper body movement
- Visible bruising or swelling over the breastbone, sometimes appearing hours after the crash
- A grinding or crunching sensation when moving the chest, which indicates bone fragment movement
- Shortness of breath or difficulty drawing a full breath
- Tenderness when pressing on the chest
- Radiating pain into the shoulders, neck, or back, depending on the force of impact
- Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat, which may signal associated cardiac involvement requiring immediate attention
If you experience difficulty breathing, chest pressure, or irregular heartbeat after a crash, go to an emergency room immediately. These symptoms can indicate injuries beyond the sternum itself.
How a Cracked Sternum Is Diagnosed
Because sternum fractures are often missed on standard chest X-rays, a CT scan is the preferred diagnostic tool after a significant chest impact. A CT gives physicians a clearer view of bone alignment, the degree of displacement, and whether adjacent organs show signs of injury. An EKG is commonly ordered alongside imaging to check for cardiac contusion, which frequently accompanies sternum fractures from high-force crashes.
Treatment for a Broken Sternum
Treatment for a broken sternum depends directly on the severity of the fracture. For non-displaced fractures, where the bone has cracked but remains in proper alignment, treatment is typically conservative:
- Rest and significant restriction of physical activity, particularly anything involving the chest, arms, or upper body
- Oral pain medications or prescription-strength anti-inflammatories to manage pain and reduce swelling
- Ice therapy during the first 48 to 72 hours to reduce initial inflammation
- Breathing exercises recommended by a physician to prevent pneumonia, since shallow breathing from pain increases that risk
- Gradual physical therapy once initial healing has progressed to restore chest mobility and strength
Surgical intervention is required when the fracture involves displaced bone fragments, sternal instability, or associated injuries to the heart or lungs. Surgery typically involves internal fixation using plates and screws to realign and stabilize the sternum. Post-surgical recovery is significantly more involved and extends both the broken sternum healing time and the rehabilitation process.
How Long Does It Take for a Sternum to Heal After a Car Accident?
For a straightforward non-displaced fracture, the broken sternum healing time generally runs 8 to 12 weeks. During that window, patients are restricted from driving, lifting, and any activity that strains the chest wall.
Recovery time for more complex fractures or post-surgical cases can stretch to four to six months. Even after the bone itself has healed, many patients continue to experience pain, reduced range of motion, and fatigue during physical activity for months beyond the initial healing window. Chronic pain at the fracture site is not uncommon in cases involving significant displacement or trauma to surrounding tissue.
This extended recovery time carries real financial consequences, including missed work, ongoing medical appointments, physical therapy costs, and the inability to perform job duties or daily activities that require physical effort.
What a Broken Sternum Is Worth in a Car Accident Claim
A fractured sternum caused by another driver’s negligence gives rise to a car accident claim in Texas. The value of that claim depends on the severity of the injury, economic damages such as the length and cost of treatment, how the injury affected your ability to work, and the non-economic impact on your daily life.
Compensation in a sternum fracture claim may include:
- Emergency room, imaging, and hospitalization costs
- Surgery and post-surgical care if required
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses
- Lost wages during recovery time
- Reduced earning capacity if the injury caused lasting limitations
- Pain and suffering, including the ongoing physical discomfort during the healing process
- Emotional distress and mental anguish, particularly in cases involving cardiac complications or prolonged recovery
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Acting before that deadline, and while medical records and crash evidence are still fresh, puts your case in the strongest possible position.
FAQs By Crash Victims With Broken Sternums
Can a Broken Sternum Cause a Permanent Disability?
In some cases, yes. Most sternum fractures heal without lasting impairment, but severe displaced fractures, fractures involving cardiac or pulmonary complications, or cases where surgical repair does not fully restore chest wall stability can result in chronic pain, reduced lung capacity, or persistent weakness that limits physical activity long term.
If the injury affects the heart or surrounding structures, those complications can produce permanent functional limitations. For purposes of a personal injury claim, a physician’s evaluation of any lasting impairment is essential to documenting the full scope of your damages.
Can You Drive With a Broken Sternum?
Generally, no. Driving requires upper body movement, arm extension, and the ability to react quickly, all of which place direct stress on the chest wall and sternum. Most physicians restrict patients from driving for at least the first several weeks of recovery, and longer following surgery. The seatbelt is a concern, since an abrupt stop or minor collision can cause significant pain or re-injury at the fracture site. Your treating physician will advise when it is safe to return to driving.
How Do You Treat a Sternum Fracture From a Car Accident?
Treatment depends on whether the fracture is displaced. Non-displaced fractures are typically managed with rest, pain medication, ice, breathing exercises to prevent pneumonia, and gradual physical therapy as healing progresses. Displaced fractures or those involving the heart or lungs usually require surgery to realign and stabilize the bone with plates and screws, followed by a longer recovery.
Hurt in a Houston Car Accident? Our Team Is Here.
A broken sternum is not a minor injury, and the recovery time it demands deserves full compensation. If another driver caused the crash that fractured your sternum, Mokaram Injury Lawyers is available 24/7 to review your situation at no cost. With over 30 years of experience and $1 billion recovered for clients across Texas, our team knows how to build chest injury claims that reflect what your recovery actually costs.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Houston for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident in Houston, Texas, our team is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced personal injury attorneys at Mokaram Injury Lawyers and request your free, no-obligation consultation today.
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