Shoulder Injury – In General
Our shoulders are the most movable joints in our bodies. They have a role in almost all of our daily movement. When you sustain a shoulder injury, it affects your ability to complete daily activities. The injury can also cause pain and discomfort. In serious cases, the shoulder injury can be life-changing.
The shoulder joint is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and humerus (bone in upper arm). The shoulder must be mobile enough to allow the wide range of motions of the arm and hand. Yet, the shoulder must also be stable enough to allow for actions such as lifting, pushing, and pulling.
Injuries occur when the shoulder becomes unstable. Instability occurs when shoulder is not properly anchored by surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Instability can also occur from a car accident, a fall, or other incidents that compromise the complexity of the shoulder.
The following is a list of potential shoulder injuries:
- Dislocations: the upper arm bone is no longer in the socket of the shoulder blade
- Fractures: involves a partial or total crack through a bone; usually occurs as a result of an impact injury
- Frozen shoulder: a consequence of rotator cuff disease; rotator cuff disease can be caused by trauma; common symptoms are pain in front and side of the shoulder increasing when the shoulder is moved away from the body and an inability to hold the arm up
- Separations: not an injury to the shoulder joint itself, but to the “AC” joint (acromioclavicular joint, where the collarbone meets the highest point of shoulder blade); most common cause is a fall directly on the shoulder that injures the ligaments that surround and stabilize the AC joint; ligaments attaching to the collarbone tear and cause separation of the collarbone and wingbone.
- Sprains: tear of shoulder ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bones to one another)
- Strains: a shoulder injury that involves stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon
- Torn rotator cuffs: tears of one or more of the four tendons surrounding the rotator cuff muscles, symptoms include severe pain that radiates through the arm, tenderness at the site of injury, limited range of motion
To read more about common shoulder injuries, visit the website of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Contact Us
At Fairlie & Lippy, we will work with medical professionals to analyze the nature and extent of your injury. We will also discuss appropriate medical treatment and assess the need for future rehabilitation. While short-term care and rehabilitation can repair some injuries, other injuries may require surgery. If your job requires you to use your shoulder—lifting, pushing, or pulling—we will address that, as well.
Click the below video to watch attorney Steven Fairlie explain some of the initial issues with shoulder injury cases and insurance companies.
In all personal injury cases, it is necessary to seek fair and adequate compensation right away. Obtaining more compensation after your case goes to trial or settles isn’t possible.