Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyers – Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Injuries
Our personal injury attorneys help you recover financial compensation
Our experienced and aggressive car accident lawyers have handled hundreds of shoulder injuries caused by collisions, particularly T-bone type accidents, and obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars for the injured in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania. If you suffered a shoulder injury in a car accident, Romanow Law Group can help.
Injuries that cause shoulder pain after a car accident
The mechanism of a shoulder injury involves a combination of the sudden jerking movement due to the impact, as well as receiving a direct blow to the shoulder from the impact. Two of the most common shoulder injuries seen include the soft-tissue shoulder bursitis injury and the more severe rotator cuff tear. Symptoms of a shoulder injury after a car accident include sharp pain, deep bruising, tenderness, knotting, or weakness in the shoulder. Doctors often use body imaging equipment to diagnose shoulder damage.
Dislocation
The force of a car accident temporarily destabilizes the body leading to dislocated joints. The ball socket joint in the shoulder may be partially or fully dislocated in a car accident.
Fracture
In a car accident, the most fractured shoulder bones include the collarbone (clavicle), shoulder blade (scapula), and upper arm (humerus).
Bursitis
Bursitis is a painful condition that occurs when the bursae—small, fluid-filled sacs — which provide cushioning to the shoulder tendons, muscles, and bones become inflamed from the impact of the accident. The injured person will often experience stiffness, pain, and swelling in the shoulder joint.
Typically, after several weeks of chiropractic or rehabilitative care combined with a regimen of pain killers and anti-inflammatories, rest, and hot/cold compresses, bursitis will go away.
Rotator cuff tear
A rotator cuff tear caused by a car accident is more severe than bursitis. The human shoulder is comprised of three bones: the upper arm bone or “humerus”, the shoulder blade or “scapula”, and the collarbone or “clavicle.” Think of the human shoulder as an apparatus of a ball-and-socket joint: the head of the upper arm bone is the “ball” and it fits into a socket within the shoulder blade.
In turn, the rotator cuff is what keeps the arm inside the shoulder socket. The rotator cuff itself is what attaches the upper arm to the shoulder blade and allows the entire arm to move, lift objects, and rotate. When one or more of the rotator cuff tendons is torn, the cuff is not fully attached to the upper arm. The result is that movement of the arm becomes severely restricted and accompanied by pain.
Soft tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries like muscle strain, a pulled tendon, or a torn ligament are very common in the shoulder. A so-called “SLAP tear” is a type of shoulder soft tissue injury that occurs when the labrum and cartilage that surrounds the shoulder joint is torn. If an attachment point is severed, surgery may be necessary to repair it.
Whiplash
This type of injury is often associated with the neck but can extend to the shoulder as well. When a vehicle is struck, the force can jolt and jerk an occupant’s head and neck, rapidly injuring it. Whiplash could also cause referred pain in the shoulders, which means the shoulder was injured trying to overcompensate for the neck damage. Whiplash and referred pain may be treated with physical therapy, pain management medication, and lifestyle changes.
Most shoulder injuries heal with proper medical treatment. However, some cause chronic pain and lifelong disabilities. Some Pittsburgh car accident victims with shoulder injuries wind up needing multiple surgeries spread out over years.
Romanow Law Group fights to get injured people the compensation they need to recover their health and comfort after a crash.
Average shoulder injury car accident compensation in Pittsburgh
In general, Pennsylvania car accident settlements are determined by injury type and severity as well as fault and available insurances. There is no single average. In general, the more painful, life-altering, and treatment-intensive an injury is, the more damages a car accident victim is entitled to collect. Shoulder injuries and torn rotator cuffs after car accidents can be long-term injuries that may require multiple surgeries over the course of a lifetime.
Among other things, car accident shoulder injury settlements should address the following expenses and losses:
- Current medical expenses.
- Future surgeries and medical treatment.
- Physical therapy.
- Lost wages.
- Diminished earning potential.
- Emotional distress.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment.
Because every accident, injury, and victim are different, there is no average payout for a Pittsburgh car accident shoulder injury. Most shoulder injury car accident claims settle for anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the circumstances. If there were injuries in addition to shoulder damage, the payout would be larger. Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars in damages for injured crash victims and the families of fatal accident victims. This includes a $1.09 million win for a serious car accident and a separate $78,500 win for whiplash.
Averages don’t say much about individual claim value. If you want to know how much your injury is worth, contact us for a free claim estimate. At no cost to you, we can tell you how much your claim may be worth and help you decide what to do next.
Was your shoulder or rotator cuff injured in a Pittsburgh car accident? Don’t settle for less
If you are experiencing these symptoms, our attorneys ensure that you get the proper diagnostics. Rotator cuff tears should be confirmed through x-rays or an MRI. As knowledgeable personal injury lawyers with deep ties in the medical community, our lawyers will secure several appointments, and can even arrange transportation to the proper medical facility through our free shuttle service.
Rotator cuff tears often require extensive conservative treatment followed by a consultation with an orthopedic specialist or surgeon. We make sure that you get the first-class medical care and maximum compensation that you deserve. While there are nonsurgical options for partial or minor rotator cuff tears, such as strength training and steroid injections, full tears or other major tears will often require surgical intervention, such as rotator cuff repair or arthroscopic surgery.
Our Pittsburgh shoulder injury lawyers fight for maximum compensation
Whether you suffered bursitis, a rotator cuff tear, a broken collarbone or a dislocated shoulder, Romanow Law Group will fight to make sure you get the medical treatment you need. Then we will fight the insurance companies to make sure you get the financial compensation you deserve.
If you sustained a shoulder injury in a car accident, you need powerful and effective legal representation. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer at Romanow Law Group. Call 1-844-GET-MORE or contact us online.