Shoulder Injury Lawyers

Other injuries include rotator cuff tears, shoulder impingement, shoulder joint or labral tears due to the instinctive bracing of your body for impact, the sudden, sometimes violent jolt of the impact itself, the instantaneous tightening of your seat belt at the split-second of impact, and, if you are in the front seat, the deployment of the airbag.

Virtually any type of collision could cause a severe shoulder injury, including:

• Rear end collisions
• Head on collisions
• T-bone accidents
• Sideswipe accidents
• Rollover accidents

Once you’ve sought medical treatment for your shoulder injury, it is crucial to contact a car accident attorney right away. Your lawyer can investigate the cause of the crash, determine whether another party was negligent, and help you pursue the compensation you’re rightfully owed.

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint and is composed of the clavicle (collarbone), scapula (shoulder blade), and humerus (upper arm bone), as well as numerous tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

Shoulder injuries will generally fall into two broad categories, instability and impingement.

• Instability is when a shoulder joint is out of alignment which causes pain when you raise your arm. A common symptom of this type of injury is that it feels like the shoulder is slipping out of its joint. This type of injury is commonly reported by victims of car accidents.
• Impingement happens when a shoulder muscle rubs against the top of the scapula or shoulder blade.

Injuries to the shoulder can also be placed into three general categories: fractures, dislocations, and soft tissue injuries. These injuries range from minor to extremely serious, and often include:

After an accident, shoulder injuries can reveal themselves in multiple ways, including:

• Your shoulder is stiff and tender and hurts more at night and interferes with sleep.
• Your shoulder hurts in a specific location that worsens with physical exertion.
• You suffer pain when you move the arm in any direction.
• You notice weakness in your shoulder while performing activities that previously caused no pain or discomfort.
• You feel pain or tenderness in your shoulder when you reach overhead or reach behind your back.
• There is inflammation, tingling, loss of feeling, or weakness in your shoulder.
• Your shoulder area is discolored, pale, or has a bluish tint.

After any crash – and particularly if you’ve suffered a shoulder injury – be sure to seek immediate medical attention. Getting treated right away can improve your chances of a speedy recovery, limit complications caused by not seeking medical care, and generate a medical record. This is crucial, because the insurance company for the driver responsible for the crash could argue that any delay in treatment is a sign that you are not as hurt as you claim.