Experiencing Shoulder Pain from Car Accident? Everything You Need to Know
Car accidents are an all too common occurrence in the United States and are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths nationwide. Car accident injuries can range in severity, but one of the most common is a shoulder injury. The shoulder joint is a crucial part of the body and is incredibly vulnerable to damage during a vehicle collision.
A shoulder injury can have a devastating impact on your lifestyle. In extreme circumstances, it could result in you being unable to use that arm for a significant amount of time. If you experience car accident shoulder injuries, it is essential to identify the issue, seek medical attention immediately, and consider your legal options for a personal injury claim.
Types of Shoulder Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
Not all shoulder injuries are created equal. Some could heal given a few weeks of rest, while others will drastically change the direction of your life. Figuring out the type of shoulder injury you have will impact medical treatment and potential legal damages in personal injury claims.
Here are some severe injuries you can experience in the shoulder socket, bones, soft tissues, and nerve systems.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue is a categorization that includes many parts of the body. Muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, fat, and blood vessels all fall under this umbrella term. Shoulder sprains result from muscles or ligaments being stretched or torn, affecting your range of motion. If there is impact damage to your soft tissues, it could be considered a contusion or bruise.
Whiplash during a car accident is caused by a jerking motion that strains the neck muscles and ligaments, often occurring in rear-end collisions. Your shoulder tendons can become damaged and may even tear, which would be labeled a rotator cuff tear. Rotator cuff tears involve damage to the tendons in the shoulder and can lead to a permanent loss of range of motion if untreated.
Soft tissue damage can cause severe pain and long-term consequences, so identifying the symptoms early can help reduce future medical costs.
Fractures and Dislocations
Fracture is another term for break. If the bones in and around your shoulder break, there may be a long recovery process and significant pain. Clavicle fractures take place in the collarbone between your neck and shoulder.
The scapula, also known as the shoulder blade, can experience substantial fractures due to a motor vehicle accident. If your upper arm bone or humerus breaks, this could also be considered a shoulder sprain. A dislocated shoulder occurs when the upper arm bone pops out of its cup-shaped socket. Shoulder dislocation can be incredibly painful.
As the body’s most flexible joint, dislocated shoulders are relatively common in car accidents. Even minor injuries to your shoulder can alter the course of your life if they are left untreated.
Nerve Damage
Nerve damage in and around the shoulder is another shoulder injury that a car accident can cause. If one of the nerves in your shoulder becomes pinched, the symptoms would be pain, numbness, or a tingling sensation.
If damage occurs to the network of nerves between your neck and shoulder, this could be classified as a brachial plexus injury. The more significant the nerve damage, the more complex the road to recovery after a shoulder injury.
Identifying Symptoms of a Shoulder Injury
Shoulder injuries after a car accident can cause many symptoms. Some may not be immediately noticeable in the aftermath but could manifest in the days and weeks following the collision. Knowing the symptoms of a shoulder injury can help you seek medical care and evaluate your potential for a shoulder injury claim.
Common symptoms of car accident shoulder injuries include:
- Immediate pain
- Immediate swelling
- Limited range of motion
- Stiffness
- Difficulty lifting or rotating your arm
- Popping or grinding sensations
- Shoulder weakness
- Bruising
- Discoloration
- Radiating pain to the neck or arm
If you experience any of these symptoms shortly after a car accident, you should schedule an appointment with a medical professional to examine it.
Diagnosis and Medical Treatment Options
If you suspect that you are suffering from a car accident shoulder injury, you should contact a medical professional. They can examine your shoulder and determine the problem, which may require extensive testing. Treatment for your shoulder injury can then be completed.
Seeking Medical Evaluation
The sooner you get a diagnosis for your shoulder injury, the easier it will be to treat. Your doctor may recommend several types of tests to diagnose the issue accurately. Imaging tests are beneficial, especially X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. Schedule these examinations with your doctor as soon as possible to get a quick diagnosis. If you fail to treat rotator cuff injuries, nerve damage, fractures, or other shoulder injuries, you could face lifelong consequences.
Non-Surgical Treatment
Many of the most common shoulder injuries will not require surgery for treatment. There are plenty of non-surgical strategies that could help you manage the pain and heal after a car accident.
The RICE method is popular and includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy and rehab to increase your chances of healing a damaged shoulder blade, muscle, or torn rotator cuff. You can also take pain medication and anti-inflammatories to relieve your shoulder joint. In more extreme cases, you may take injections to help with the healing process, such as corticosteroids or platelet-rich plasma.
All these methods can help you avoid surgical intervention while still healing after a severe accident.
Surgical Interventions
A more serious injury may require surgery for complete healing or pain reduction. If you have experienced significant shoulder fractures, a rotator cuff tear, shoulder impingement, labral tear injuries, or a tendon disorder, surgery may be the only option. Some surgery options include an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, a superior capsular reconstruction, a stemless shoulder arthroplasty, and a SLAP repair.
The type of surgery will affect the recovery period, but on average, optimal recovery and a return to normal activities can take three to six months.
Legal Considerations for Shoulder Injuries in Car Accidents
If you are hurt in a car accident, you may be able to file a shoulder injury claim to recover compensation for legal damages. To have a successful case, you must prove that someone else’s negligence caused the accident that led to your shoulder injury. You must also prove that your injury resulted in damages.
Here are a few things you should know if you plan to seek compensation for shoulder injuries after an auto accident.
Establishing Liability and Fault
Proving negligence is the key to winning fair compensation with your claim. In most states, establishing liability requires evidence that the defendant had a duty of care to uphold, that their duty of care was breached, that there is a link between their actions and the accident, and that you suffered legal damages as a direct result.
Evidence must prove that these elements are more likely than not to be true. Types of evidence supporting your claim include police reports, eyewitness statements, medical records from your treatment, images of the accident scene, surveillance camera footage, etc.
If you are in a car accident and experience shoulder-related injuries, you can only win a fair settlement if you prove negligence was involved.
Working with a Personal Injury Lawyer on Your Shoulder Injury Claim
Typically, with shoulder pain after car accident compensation, the best way to strengthen your claim is to work with an experienced personal injury attorney. These legal professionals can help protect your rights under state law and maximize remuneration for your legal damages. They investigate the accident, collect substantial evidence, negotiate with the insurance company, and represent you in a trial if your case goes that far. Your personal injury attorney could be the difference between a fair shoulder injury settlement and walking away with nothing.
If you’ve suffered a rotator cuff injury, filing a claim can help you recover the necessary compensation for various losses, including medical expenses for treatments, surgeries, and lost wages due to time off work.
Attempting to file a claim on your own means going up against the defendant, their insurance company, and possibly an employer, depending on the nature of the accident. Working with a personal injury law firm levels the playing field, giving accident victims a better chance of securing fair settlements.
Compensation You Can Get for Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident
Shoulder injury claims come down to legal damages suffered by the victims. With the help of your personal injury lawyer, your damages will be assessed to calculate fair compensation for those losses. There are three types of damages in a shoulder injury case: economic, non-economic, and punitive. Punitive damages are only awarded if the defendant in your personal injury case behaved recklessly or with malicious intent.
Economic
Economic damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. If a person dies in a car accident, surviving family members could also pursue loss of financial support and funeral costs.
Non-Economic
Non-economic damages include emotional distress, physical shoulder pain, disfigurement, disability, and loss of quality of life. In a wrongful death claim, the surviving families could also claim loss of companionship for non-economic damages.
A personal injury attorney will help you assess and prove all damages during your claim.
Recovery and Rehabilitation for Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder pain can be challenging to live with. This is why treating serious shoulder injuries as quickly as possible is vital. That means following your doctor’s treatment plan as closely as possible. They know what is best to address your shoulder pain and heal the damage, so stick to the plan to ensure a successful recovery.
A treatment plan for shoulder injuries may involve several steps. Physical therapy exercises and stretches are common, especially if you want to maintain mobility and reduce the shoulder pain you are experiencing. Specific chronic pain management techniques, such as medication, ice, heat, compression, and rest, may also be necessary.
One of the most challenging aspects of shoulder pain after a car accident is dealing with the changes to your lifestyle. A shoulder joint issue could mean you cannot play sports for an extended period or participate in other hobbies.
Hopefully, these lifestyle changes will be temporary during your recovery. However, some serious injuries could mean permanent alterations to your life rhythms.
Your Path to Healing and Justice
Healing from severe shoulder injuries is difficult enough when your finances are in order. However, if you are facing lost wages, high medical costs, and emotional trauma after the car accident on top of your shoulder pain, it can be challenging to see a brighter future.
The Mitch Grissim & Associates team can guide you through your shoulder injury case to obtain a fair settlement that covers all your losses, including medical bills and lost wages. Whether you are dealing with persistent shoulder pain, a torn rotator cuff, or strained shoulder muscles, a car accident lawyer from our firm will increase your chances of winning.
To get your free consultation about shoulder injury cases and your options, contact our team today at 615-255-9999 or through the online form. We will ensure you receive the shoulder injury settlement you need to cover all your losses after the accident.
