A shoulder injury after a car accident can significantly impact your daily life, making simple tasks like getting dressed, driving or picking up your child extremely challenging. Extensive medical treatment may be needed to recover from shoulder injuries.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Most Common Shoulder Injury From a Car Accident?
- How Do I Know if My Shoulder Injuries Are Severe?
- What Evidence Can Link My Shoulder Injury to the Car Accident?
- How Much Compensation Can I Receive for My Shoulder Injuries?
- Call Roden Law if You Have a Shoulder Injury After a Car Accident
If you have suffered a shoulder injury in a Charleston car crash due to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for your damages. Understanding the nature of your injury, its potential long-term effects and your legal options is essential for protecting your right and securing fair compensation.
At Roden Law, our Charleston car accident attorneys are here to help you through the legal process so you can focus on your recovery. During a free consultation, you can ask us questions about your potential case and get a better understanding on your legal options.
Call today to schedule your free consultation: 1-844-RESULTS
What Is the Most Common Shoulder Injury From a Car Accident?
Car accidents frequently cause various shoulder injuries, with rotator cuff tears being the most common. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and enable arm movement. During a collision, the sudden impact can cause these tissues to stretch, tear or become severely damaged.
While rotator cuff injuries are one of the most frequent injuries, other common shoulder injuries from car accidents include:
- Shoulder Fractures: Breaks in the bones of the shoulder can cause victims to experience severe pain, swelling and difficulty moving the arm.
- Shoulder Dislocation: This occurs when the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder socket, causing intense pain and limited mobility.
- Labral Tears: The labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the shoulder socket and helps keep the joint stable. Tears in this cartilage can lead to pain and instability in the shoulder.
- Bursitis: This involves inflammation of small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints and reduce friction between bones, tendons and muscles. This may lead to pain and swelling, particularly during arm movement.
- AC Joint Separation: This may happen when the joint connecting your collarbone to shoulder blade becomes damaged due to a fall or direct blow to the shoulder, leading to a visible bump on the shoulder.
Shoulder injuries occur when the body is thrown forward during impact, especially if you are gripping the steering wheel tightly. Side-impact collisions can also cause direct trauma to the shoulder area.
How Do I Know if My Shoulder Injuries Are Severe?
Recognizing the severity of a shoulder injury early can ensure you receive proper treatment and detailed documentation for your injury claim. Warning signs of a serious shoulder injury include:
- Visible deformity or swelling
- Weakness in the arm or shoulder
- Bruising around the shoulder area
- Inability to raise your arm above your head
- Inability to raise your arm above your head
- Pain that worsens at night or prevents sleep
- Numbness or tingling extending down your arm
- A popping or grinding sensation when moving your shoulder
Do not dismiss these symptoms as minor or temporary. Some shoulder injuries may seem manageable initially but can become worse without proper medical attention. Additionally, adrenaline released during the accident can mask pain, making injuries appear less severe than they are.
What Evidence Can Link My Shoulder Injury to the Car Accident?
Building a strong connection between your shoulder injury and the car accident requires solid evidence. Below are the types of evidence that can help link your injuries to the accident.
Medical Documentation
If you go to the emergency room or urgent care, be sure that you obtain records that shows details of your injuries. Documents show immediate care after a car accident, prove the severity of your injuries and could indicate the type of medical treatment you will need to recover.
Other medical documentations you may use as evidence may include:
- Physical therapy records
- Treatment plans and physician notes
- Documentation of any surgical procedures
- Diagnostic imaging results (X-rays, MRI, CT scans)
Accident-Related Evidence
A police report detailing the crash circumstances can help indicate who was at fault. Photographs of the accident scene may show the point of impact and how the crash occurred. If you could not take photos at the scene, check for video footage from nearby surveillance cameras or dashcams, including your own or another driver’s.
If any witnesses observe the accident, they can provide statements describing the collision. This evidence strengthen your case, especially when witnesses account of what happened aligns with your perspective of how the accident happened.
After you take your vehicle to the repair shop, be sure to get a repair estimate so that it may be added into your compensation. It is a good idea to have any evidence that shows damages to your property so that you may receive compensation for it.
Expert Testimony
Expert testimony from medical and accident reconstruction can provide valuable insight into the car crash. A medical professional can explain how the crash caused your injury. This type of information is significant especially if the insurance company attempt to dismiss your claims.
In some cases, it may be difficult to determine how the accident happened. An accident reconstruction expert can examine a crash and demonstrate the force and direction of impact. Knowledge from an accident reconstruction can help establish who is at-fault for a crash.
Some car crash victims may have challenges with going back to work after a collision. As a result, they can miss work or may have a reduced earning capacity if they can not return to the same type of work they were used to doing before the car accident.
An occupational expert can describe how your injury affects your ability to work so that you may receive compensation for lost wages, future earning potential and diminished capacity to perform your job. Their testimony can ensure you have a solid case and help ensure you receive fair compensation for the financial impact of your injuries.
How Much Compensation Can I Receive for My Shoulder Injuries?
Every case is different; therefore, the compensation amount may vary depending on the severity of the injury, duration it takes to recover and how the crash impact on your daily activities.
It is recommended to speak to a licensed attorney to get a better understanding of your injuries. They can determine your case value based on the specific, unique details and events of your case.
Below are the type of compensation you may be eligible for after sustaining a shoulder injury in a car crash.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the types of compensation that is related to monetary value. Examples of economic damages include:
- Lost wages during recovery
- Current and future medical expenses
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Transportation expenses for medical appointments
- Reduced earning capacity if the injury affects your ability to work
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages focus on compensating car crash victims for the intangible losses that resulted from an injury. Some of these non-economic damages are:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Impact on personal relationships
- Physical impairment or disfigurement
Call Roden Law if You Have a Shoulder Injury After a Car Accident
Do not let a shoulder injury from a car accident derail your life without proper compensation. If you are unsure what steps to take, it is a good idea to seek help from a licensed attorney.
At Roden Law, we know how shoulder injuries can disrupt your life. Our team gathers evidence, works with medical experts and fights for your compensation. Schedule a free consultation today. You do not pay any fees unless we win your case.
Experienced Lawyers. Proven Results: 1-844-RESULTS