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Car Accident Shoulder Injury Settlements

Shoulder injury car accident settlement guide

Car Accident Shoulder Injury Settlement Guide

Car Accident Settlement

Car accident shoulder injuries are very common and can be rather uncomfortable if not painful. Because these injuries have a wide range of possible outcomes, all the way from minor shoulder pain to debilitating lifelong issues, the amount for your car accident shoulder injury settlement can be hard to predict.

However, using a combination of past data and known types of shoulder and arm injuries can sometimes help us come up with some guesses. The purpose of this article is to review the major considerations in shoulder and arm personal injury cases, and to cover recent car accident settlements and verdicts in these cases.

How Much Is a Shoulder Injury Worth in a Car Accident Settlement?

When it comes down to having an injury that affects your life, job, and stress levels, it’s normal to start thinking about compensation or a settlement for any effects that may have occurred in the car accident. As we’ve mentioned before, the amount that you get for your injuries can vary tremendously based on a number of factors, including age, number of people in the car, the vehicle itself, and who was at fault. However, there are a few things we can look at to properly predict if your shoulder pain is going to bring you a settlement.

How are Shoulder Injuries Valued in Car Accident Settlements?

Unfortunately, valuing a shoulder injury after a car accident means arriving at a reasonable ‘guesstimate’ of what a jury would award to you in a lawsuit or what an insurance company would pay out in a shoulder injury settlement. 

The major factors in valuing any shoulder and arm injury case is how severe your damages are, and what the chances are the jury would find the defendant liable when/if the case goes to court.

However, estimating what you could receive in a car accident shoulder surgery settlement or car accident rotator cuff surgery settlement can be challenging for one big reason: During a trial, it is usually the jury that will decide the amount of money the insurance company or defendant must pay you.

Easily Predicted Costs for Shoulder Injuries

Some shoulder and arm injury damages – such as lost earnings and medical costs – are simple to predict, for instance. These losses are usually the amount that you can show you have paid/lost, and will keep paying/losing as you recover. But for subjective pain and suffering damages, predictions of a settlement amount are just a guess.

This guess is based upon research of past awards that were won in previous arm and shoulder injury cases. But every personal injury case and jury varies. So even the most educated analysis by a personal injury attorney of your pain and suffering damages could be off by a significant margin. Why is this?

Simply put, many arm and shoulder injuries will affect different plaintiffs differently. For example, if you are an active golfer and you played 18 holes every Saturday, perhaps your shoulder impingement or rotator cuff injury prevents you from enjoying this activity. The damages incurred for pain and suffering in this type of case might be higher than a person who was sedentary before the car accident, and as such the compensation for the car accident will likely be higher.

The Type of Injury Will Affect Your Settlement

If you had an earlier shoulder injury, such as rotator cuff surgery, that the accident makes more likely to recur, it is possible you could receive a lower settlement. Also, if the arm or shoulder injury prevents you from earning your living, the defendant may be responsible for years of lost or reduced wages.

The other major issue regarding the value of the shoulder and arm injury settlement is how likely the other person would be found negligent at the trial. If there is little evidence that the other person caused the accident, the value of your shoulder injury drops. Even if the chances of a higher settlement are great, the defendant could be willing to go to trial to try to prevail and pay little or nothing. And if fault is unclear, the plaintiff may want to settle as there is a chance of getting nothing from a jury.

Types of Shoulder Injuries from Car Accidents

The shoulder is a complex joint that includes nerves, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This means the types of injuries that can occur are numerous and varied in severity. For example, you may experience nothing more than a temporary loss of strength that a good night of sleep will resolve.

On the other end of the spectrum, you can lose flexibility, motion, and feeling in any part of your shoulder or arm that stops you from working. Often, injuries in car accidents are somewhere between shoulder pain and complete lifetime dysfunction – but where on the spectrum these injuries land greatly varies.

There are many kinds of shoulder injuries with different degrees of severity that can result from car accidents. Any and all of these injuries can result in a shoulder injury car accident settlement. Usually, a shoulder injury is to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that hold the shoulder together. But there are cases of fractures of the bones that meet at the shoulder joint.

There are two major types of shoulder injuries.

Instability Injuries

Sometimes in a sudden jolt or high-impact crash, a shoulder joint will come out of alignment. This is considered an instability injury. Often, these types of injuries are referred to as “dislocation injuries“. If you try and move your arm with an instability injury, it will cause pain when raised over your head. These types of injuries are common in car accidents, but also in sports and falls.

Instability injuries are a common shoulder injury from car accident.

Impingement Injuries

The second type of shoulder injury is impingement when muscles rub against the top of your shoulder blade. Impingement may occur from moving your arm overhead repetitively.

Trauma from a car accident can cause many serious shoulder injuries:

  • Rotator cuff tear
  • Sprains
  • Strains
  • Torn labrum
  • Fractures
  • Dislocated shoulder joint
  • Bursitis

Rotator Cuff Injury Settlements 

One of the most frequent shoulder injuries in a car accident is a rotator cuff injury, which makes it a major focus in many car accident settlements. A torn rotator cuff is painful and debilitating, and can seriously limit your range of motion, making completing your daily tasks a chore. Fortunately, these types of injuries are usually temporary, but in the short term they can completely change a person’s life.

What Is a Rotator Cuff Tear?

A rotator cuff tear happens when one of the four tendons suffers injury. Rotator cuff tears can occur from repetitive use, but they are common in car accidents.

Insurance companies are notorious in car accident claims for trying to argue that your torn rotator cuff is a degenerative condition and not related to your car accident. 

Rear-End Collisions and Rotator Cuff Tears

Almost any kind of car accident can cause a shoulder injury such as a rotator cuff tear. But one of the most common injuries to the rotator cuff occurs in a a rear-end collision.

In most rear-end collisions, the driver winds up looking in the rear-view mirror shortly before they are hit. This often results in tensing up to brace oneself against the inevitable. This tension can absorb tons of force when the vehicle hits you from behind, so in this sense, the tension does its job in protecting your core. However, this tension is also what causes rotator cuff tears, as your shoulders and arms wind up taking a lot more of the impact.

Shoulder Injury Car Accident Settlement

Signs of a Rotator Cuff Tear From a Car Accident

Remember, your doctor is the only one who can diagnose your shoulder injury like a torn rotator cuff. Their findings will be vital to making a personal injury claim. You could experience these symptoms after your car accident that could be a sign of a major shoulder injury, such as a rotator cuff tear:

  • Sudden and severe pain at the top or outside of the shoulder
  • Pain that radiates through your arm
  • Limited range of motion
  • Shoulder swelling
  • Difficulty sleeping because of pressure on the shoulder
  • The overall weakening of the shoulder joint
  • Popping or clicking when you move your arm

Other Arm and Shoulder Injury Symptoms

Interestingly, the shoulder is a type of ball and socket joint with three major bones. These bones are the scapula, clavicle and humerus (arm bone). All of the bones are joined at the shoulder joint by ligaments, muscles, tendons and the joint capsule. When functioning normally, the shoulder joint has the largest range of motion in the body. To clarify, this mobility has advantages, but it also means the joint is more prone to injury in violent accidents.

After a car accident, it is important to take note if you are suffering from any shoulder pain. Recovery from a shoulder injury can take months and it is critical to have it diagnosed as soon as possible. Some of the most common shoulder and arm injury symptoms to watch for are:

  • Stiff and tender shoulder that hurts the most at night; sleep is often difficult
  • Lack of feeling, weakness, inflammation in the shoulder
  • Physical exertion makes shoulder pain worse
  • Difficulty moving the arm in any direction without pain
  • Concentrated, focused pain in the shoulder joint
  • Shoulder appears bruised or pale

What is an Average Shoulder and Arm Injury Settlement?

Here is a real car accident shoulder injury settlement story, as well as some verdict and settlement information for various arm and shoulder injury car accident settlements. 

Car Accident Shoulder Injury Settlement Example: Mike in Denver, CO

 

Facts

 

On December 2, 2020 I was driving my 2020 Toyota Prius at 6:30 p.m. on Bannock Avenue near 6th Avenue in Downtown Denver, Colorado. I was going to pick up my girlfriend for dinner when suddenly and without notice I was side-swiped by a Ford Explorer SUV on the drivers side of my vehicle, causing my injuries and damages. The impact, and the intensity of the impact caused my vehicle to strike the center divider in the roadway, making this a dual impact crash. The airbags in my vehicle deployed, and my car was later deemed a total loss.

 

Shoulder Injuries Suffered in the Car Accident

 

Immediately after the crash, I was shocked, scared, and nervous. I exited my vehicle and walked towards the sidewalk to call 911. The police and paramedics arrived on scene and evaluated me. I had immediate pain in my left shoulder, along with my neck, and low back. The paramedics wanted to transport me to the emergency room, but I declined because I was worried about the cost of the ambulance and ER bill. I told EMS that I would drive myself later that night if my pain worsened.

 

The police took my statement and also spoke with the other driver. Thankfully, the other driver admitted that I was in his blind spot and admitted fault at the scene. Police officers provided me with the police report number and the other drivers insurance info at the scene.

 

I arrived home a couple hours later and began experiencing the progressive onset of pain and discomfort in my left shoulder, neck and back. I attempted to relieve my ailments via the use of home remedies such as Advil and Tylenol, hot/cold packs, and rest. Unfortunately, my pain and symptoms continued to worsen, and at this time, I decided to take an Uber to urgent care.

 

I arrived to Rocky Mountain Urgent Care in Lakewood, Colorado and had severe left shoulder pain and discomfort. I was examined by the on call physician, and the pain in my left shoulder was sharp, stiff, and achy. X-rays were taken of my left shoulder which revealed no fracture or dislocation. I also had neck and low back pain, however my left shoulder pain was most prominent. I was discharged home later that evening with a prescription for Norco and Flexeril to help with muscle spasms and reduce pain. I was instructed to follow up with my primary care physician in 1-2 days for evaluation.

 

The next day, the other drivers insurance company called me to to let me know that they accepted 100% liability for the accident. This was a relief because I sustained injuries as a result of the other drivers negligence and knew that I would require additional medical care and treatment for my injuries. The other driver was insured with State Farm, and the adjuster disclosed that he carried a minimum Colorado policy with bodily injury limits of $25,000.

 

Two days later, I went to to my primary care physician, Dr. Patel, M.D. in Denver Colorado for treatment of my injuries. At this time, I had left shoulder pain and stiffness, neck and low back pain that was constant throughout the day. My left shoulder pain was worse than my neck and low back pain. My left shoulder felt weak, and I had difficulty raising my arm above my head. I experienced increased left shoulder pain when reaching for objects, working on a computer, and lifting. The pain was constant throughout the day and my pain levels were 8/10. I was having difficulty finding a comfortable position to sleep at night, which caused me to wake up 3-4 times a night. Dr. Patel refilled my prescription for Norco and recommended that I begin a course of physical therapy.

 

Three days later I found a Chiropractor close to home in Downtown Denver Colorado. Fortunately, they were able to see me right away. I presented to Old Town Chiropractic on December 15, 2021 for treatment of my injuries. At this time, I had sharp, achy, and stiff left shoulder pain. My neck and low back pain was still present, and the neck pain radiated to my left shoulder which made the pain worse. My low back pain felt sharp and stiff. Even the simplest of tasks such as bending down to tie my shoes caused increased pain. There was tenderness to palpation of my cervical and lumbar spine along with my left shoulder. My pain levels were still 8/10 and the pain was constant throughout the day. As a result of my ongoing left shoulder pain and discomfort, I was prescribed an MRI of my left shoulder.

 

On December 20, 2020, I presented to Twin Peaks Radiology for my left shoulder MRI. The impression revealed the following shoulder injuries as a result of the car accident:

 

Left Shoulder MRI:

 

Severe acromioclavicular hypertrophy with mild anterior subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis.

Full thickness partial tear of the distal anterior supraspinatus tendon spanning up to 16 mm x 12 mm

Mild infraspinatus tendinosis with low-grade interstitial tearing.

Mild long head biceps tendinosis. Biceps tendon is perched medially without subluxation.There are degenerative cystic changes of the lesser tuberosity.

 

On December 26, 2020 I returned to Dr. Patel, M.D. for a follow up visit. He reviewed the results of my left shoulder MRI with me and advised that there were positive findings. As a result of the positive findings on my MRI, including the full thickness partial tear of the distal anterior supraspinatus tendon, he recommended that I seek a consultation with an Orthopedic specialist for further evaluation and treatment.

 

On January 2, 2021 I presented to Dr. Jensen, M.D. in Denver Colorado for an Orthopedic consultation. My primary care physician sent Dr. Jensen the results of my left shoulder MRI so he could review the results with me and provide treatment recommendations. At this time, I had left shoulder, neck, and low back pain and discomfort. My left shoulder pain was significantly limiting my ability to carry out my daily activities, and even driving my car became difficult. I had to hold the steering wheel with my right hand instead of my left due to increased pain when extending or flexing my left arm/shoulder. I was still unable to effectively lift my left shoulder above my head and my pain levels were at a 7/10. Dr. Jensen recommended a left shoulder steroid injection to decrease pain, inflammation and swelling. My pain was so severe that I decided to move forward with the injection.

 

On January 7, 2021 I presented to Dr. Jensen’s surgery center in Downtown Denver for a left shoulder steroid injection. The procedure went well and provided me with some much-needed temporary pain relief. After the injection, I was instructed to return for a follow up visit with Dr. Jensen next week.

 

The following week, I presented to Dr. Jensen, M.D. for a follow up visit. My pain levels had decreased to 6/10, however my left shoulder was still stiff, sore, and weak. Dr. Jensen recommended a second left shoulder steroid injection and instructed me to begin a course of physical therapy to regain strength and my active range of motion. I declined to move forward with the second steroid injection, however Dr. Jensen said that he would note the cost of the injection in his medical report so I could recover the cost for it from the insurance company.

 

Three days later I began treatment at Downtown Denver Physical Therapy. The goal of physical therapy was to decrease pain and improve my active range of motion. Physical therapy was difficult and painful at first, however over time, my active range of motion in my left shoulder increased and I was finally able to lift my left shoulder above my head. My pain levels had decreased to 3-4/10. I continued treatment with Downtown Denver Physical Therapy over the course of 4-6 weeks prior to being discharged with symptoms and instructions to follow up for further care and treatment as needed.

 

Negotiation & Shoulder Injury Settlement Offer

 

My medical care and treatment was finished and I knew that it was time to submit a settlement demand to State Farm to be compensated for my injuries and damages. I collected all of my medical records and bills from my treating doctors and made sure to include the recommendation for the second left shoulder steroid injection in my demand. The cost of each steroid injection was $10,000. My physical therapist also recommended that I return for an additional 4-6 weeks of treatment if I had a significant flare up of pain.

 

My total medical bills were $15,000, so I submitted a Policy Limit Demand to State Farm. Since my car was a total loss and I sustained a partial tear of my left shoulder, I knew that State Farm should tender the full $25,000 policy limits to settle my case. I submitted my demand to the insurance company and made sure to detail the exact nature, extent, and severity of my injuries. I included the recommendation for the second left shoulder steroid injection at a cost of $10,000 along with my recommendation for 4-6 weeks of future physical therapy treatment and gave State Farm 14 days to respond to my demand with a car accident shoulder injury settlement offer. 10 days later, the State Farm adjuster called me and advised that the insurance company would be extending a full policy limit offer of $25,000 to settle my case. The adjuster emailed me a car accident settlement release which I promptly signed and returned. I received my settlement check for $25,000 from State Farm one week later.

Actual Shoulder Injury Settlement Amounts:

  • Median verdict and settlement for torn rotator cuff cases in Renoma County, LA $72,500
  • Median verdict and settlement for torn rotator cuff cases in all of Georgia: $25,000
  • $100,000: Client in Rhode Island had car hit in rear end at high speed by someone without insurance. This led to a complete rotator cuff tear, a painful injury. The case was worth more, but the limits of insurance coverage was reached at $100,000. This is a good example why people should buy as much uninsured motorist coverage they can afford.
  • $737,000: A plaintiff in Illinois was rear ended, and the liability for the case was clear. The initial offer from the insurance company was only $190,000. The attorney on the case used a vocational rehabilitation specialist to show the level of work restriction and lost wages, resulting in a much higher settlement.

Shoulder Injury Settlement Calculator

Has an accident caused a shoulder or arm injury? Find out how much financial compensation you may be legally entitled to. It takes just minutes with our free online Car Accident Shoulder Injury Settlement Calculator.

Car Accident Settlement

Talk To An Attorney for Car Accident Shoulder Injury Settlement Help

If you were injured in a car accident and suffered a shoulder injury, it is important to consult an experienced personal injury attorney. Shoulder injuries can be very painful and expensive to repair. To get the highest amount of compensation for your injury, have your shoulder injury case reviewed by a personal injury attorney today at no cost.

FAQ About rear end car accidents

Shoulder Injury Settlements

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What’s the Average Settlement for a Torn Labrum?

Suffering a torn labrum in a car accident can have a major impact on your life. You will have trouble lifting items of varying weight, you will have trouble rotating your arm, you will have routine popping or grinding and you will also suffer from pain and discomfort for quite a long time. There are other problems that can arise from suffering a torn labrum, all of which can lead to an extended amount of time out of work. So, what’s the average settlement for a torn labrum?

Settlements Vary Based on Circumstances

It’s hard to pinpoint the average settlement for a torn labrum because each injury is different. Your case will depend on the circumstances involved. For example, how serious was the injury you suffered? Did your injury require surgery? Are you looking at months of rehabilitation? Will you be unable to work for six months to a year? All of these factors must be taken into consideration when determining a settlement value.

Medical Evaluation is Required

In order to receive a settlement for a torn labrum from a car accident you will need to be medically evaluated. Your settlement will be based on the following injuries:

  • Reduced motion
  • Swelling
  • Radiating pain
  • Popping in the shoulder when it moves
  • Pressure on the shoulder
  • Severe and sudden pain on the outside or top of the shoulder

The Bottom Line

The bottom line when it comes to determining a settlement value for your torn labrum is that it can range from as low as $25,000 to as high as $200,000 or more. All of the factors mentioned above need to be taken into consideration by your personal injury attorney when seeking compensation.

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I’m Having Neck and Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident. Can I Get Compensation for My Injuries?

Suffering an injury in a car accident can change your life in an instant. You might not be able to care for yourself on a daily basis, you might be out of work for months, and you might need to go through extensive rehabilitation. No matter the circumstances, even the most minor of car accidents can lead to neck and shoulder pain. So, can you get compensation for your injuries after a car accident?

Whiplash is a Serious Injury

One of the most serious injuries you can suffer in a car accident is that of whiplash. The impact of the striking vehicle into your vehicle does not have to be at a high rate of speed to cause whiplash. The sheer movement of your head and neck in a swift motion can lead to whiplash injuries. Whiplash can cause severe pain in the neck and shoulder areas of the body to the point where you cannot work.

File a Claim for Injuries

It is imperative that if you are suffering any type of pain following an accident you should file a claim for your injuries. Whiplash injuries might not appear on an x-ray or CT scan, but they can still be quite painful. It is best to speak with a personal injury attorney immediately after being injured in a car accident to build a case.

Collect Evidence

The best way you can improve your chances of receiving compensation for your injuries is to collect evidence. Speak to witnesses, take pictures of the accident scene, seek medical evaluation and refrain from speaking to insurance companies before talking to an attorney. Collecting as much evidence as possible can help improve your chances of recovering compensation for your car accident injuries.

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How Much Compensation Will I Get for a Shoulder Injury?

One of the most common types of personal injury cases involves the shoulder. The shoulder is one of the most important parts of the body. You use your shoulder more often than you might think. Everyday tasks will be difficult to complete if you suffer a shoulder injury in a car accident, construction accident, or any other type of accident. Victims of shoulder injuries often want to know how much compensation they can get for such an injury. The factors explained below help determine the value of compensation.

Estimate Your Damages

The first step in determining how much compensation you can get for a shoulder injury is to estimate your damages. You will need to provide your attorney with how much money you have spent related to the injury since it happened. This includes providing originals or copies of all medical bills related to the shoulder injury. If the injury is serious enough to keep you out of work you will need to provide the number of days missed and your salary information. You will also want to determine how much pain and suffering you’ve gone through since the injury. This is a difficult injury to pinpoint because it is not concrete like a physical injury.

Will the Defendant be Found Liable?

You also need to weigh the chances that the defendant will be found liable if the case reaches trial. If you, as the plaintiff, have little evidence to prove that the defendant was the cause of your injury, the value of your case drops significantly. If there’s a high chance the defendant will be held responsible, your case’s value will be high.

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Can a Car Accident Cause a Labral Tear?

Car accidents can be traumatizing in more ways than one. For starters, a car accident can cause you to suffer physical and emotional injuries, such as a labral tear and post-traumatic stress disorder. A labral tear is a serious issue that can change how you live your life because of the limited mobility you will have with your arm. The labrum is made up of fibrocartilage tissue that connects to the socket of your shoulder to keep the shoulder stable. A labral tear happens when there is damage to the fibrocartilage tissue and it can lead to serious pain and other issues with your shoulder and arm.

How Labral Tears Happen in Car Accidents

Labral tears can happen because of any of the following circumstances in a car accident:

  • You were holding onto the steering wheel with a tight grip when the accident happened;
  • Your shoulder suffered a direct blow in the car accident;
  • You anticipated the car accident, which led your body to become tense or tight.

Common Symptoms of a Labral Tear

The symptoms you will most likely experience from a labral tear caused by a car accident include the following:

  • Instability in the joint
  • Weakness
  • Vague pain
  • Stiffness
  • Clicking or popping when moving the shoulder

Impacts of a Labral Tear on Your Life

A labral tear can have a major impact on your daily life, especially since it involves the shoulder, which you use more often than not during the course of the day. Some of the impacts you will experience include the following:

  • Inability to lift objects
  • Loss of arm rotation
  • Grinding or clicking feeling and sounds
  • Ongoing pain and discomfort
  • Shoulder dislocation
  • Feeling of heaviness in the arm
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What type of payout can I expect for shoulder surgery after a car accident?

If you have injured your shoulder and needed surgery from being involved in a car accident, you can expect a large settlement value. Once again, determining how much the settlement value is worth has many different variables to be considered while coming up with a value. Shoulder injuries that require surgery result in a higher payout than injuries that don’t require surgery. Some settlement examples include:

  • $170,000- shoulder injury requiring surgery caused by trucking accident
  • $250,000- shoulder injury requiring surgery resulting from car accident
  • $275,000- shoulder injury/multiple other injuries requiring surgery resulting from car accident
  • $250,000- torn rotator cuff requiring surgery
  • $689,000- torn rotator cuff requiring surgery resulting in loss of his job
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How much should a settlement be for a rotator cuff surgery?

There are many different types of shoulder injuries with a wide range of severity from a torn rotator cuff to broken bones and fractures. In the case of a shoulder injury, it is very common to see torn rotator cuffs and unfortunately, is common that rotator cuff injuries may require surgery.  If untreated by surgery, it is possible that it will not heal and will remain torn. When determining how much a settlement should be also has many factors that help decide how much a victim should be owed. Some factors that go into determining the case value include:

  • How severe was the tear?
  • Was surgery required?
  • How long was the recovery time?
  • Pain and suffering
  • What was the physical therapy process like?
  • Compensation for loss of wages
  • Was the shoulder able to fully recover?

Some examples of real settlement verdicts of torn rotator cuff injuries that required surgery include:

  •  $190,000- bus accident resulting in torn rotator cuff requiring surgery
  • $250,000- rear-end collision resulting in torn rotator cuff requiring surgery
  • $340,000- left turn collision resulting in torn rotator cuff requiring surgery
  • $300,000- struck by vehicle walking on the side of the road resulting in torn rotator cuff requiring surgery
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What’s the average settlement for a torn labrum?

Car accidents cause many injuries to all areas of the body. One common shoulder injury you may sustain from a car accident is a torn labrum. The labrum is the cartilage tissue attached and surrounding your shoulder socket to help keep the ball of the joint set in place. A torn labrum can require surgery and a painful, lengthy recovery. There is no exact amount a victim of a torn labrum can except due to many variables that are unique to each individual case. Some examples of settlements received for a torn labrum include:

  • $315,000- car accident resulting in torn tendons and torn labrum requiring surgery and 8 week recovery timeframe
  • $275,000- car accident resulting in torn labrum along with other injuries, requiring surgery.
  • $300,000- car accident suffering torn labrum, torn tendons and rotator cuff requiring surgery.
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Can whiplash affect your shoulder?

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury causing muscle and ligament strains, typically known for affecting your neck and spine. However, whiplash injuries, particularly severe ones, are known for expanding symptoms beyond the neck. It is very possible to experience shoulder pain in the case of a severe whiplash injury. Depending on many different factors such as, what type of accident you were involved in (t-bone, rear-end), or how the safety restraints restricted you from moving can influence how your body is affected by the whiplash. If you are experiencing whiplash after a collision, you may also be experiencing shoulder pain known as Impingement Syndrome. This happens when your tendon rubs against your shoulder blade causing irritation, swelling and pain. The backward and sudden forward motion that causes whiplash may also cause pain to areas below your neck and shoulders.

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Can shoulder impingement be caused by a car accident?

Shoulder impingement after a car accident is one of the most frequent shoulder injuries. Shoulder impingement can restrict your ability to move your shoulder and can cause weakness and pain when you reach for and lift things.

While other body joints have bones that are surrounded by muscles and tendons, the shoulder is unique. It has muscles and tendons that are also surrounded by bones. The muscles of your rotator cuff are between the head of your upper arm bone or humorous and the bony projection on your shoulder blade called the acromion.

Impingement can happen when the tendons of your rotator cuff rub against these bones. This can be caused by repetitive motions, but also can be caused by the violent forces of a car accident. A common car accident scenario is if you see in your rear view mirror that you are about to be hit from behind. It is natural to grip the steering wheel and tense up. When the collision occurs, some of that impact can be transferred into the delicate shoulder joint, causing rotator cuff damage and/or joint impingement.

Some of the common symptoms of impingement after a car accident include:

  • Pain when you reach over your head
  • Pain when you try to reach behind you
  • Muscle weakness in the shoulder when trying to lift something
  • Shoulder pain that radiates from the front of the shoulder to the side of the arm
  • Swelling or tenderness in the front part of the shoulder

It is important to know that shoulder impingement is common after car accidents and it will get progressively worse without treatment. Your range of motion may decline as time goes by. That is why it is so important to have a doctor look you over as soon as possible after the accident.

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What’s the average car accident settlement for arm & shoulder injuries?

Shoulder injuries in car accidents can be serious and very painful. They can often prevent you from doing your work and various activities that you enjoy. While the shoulder has the most free range motion of any joint in the body, it is easily damaged in a car accident or other type of accident.

Shoulder injuries can range from a dislocated shoulder and torn ligaments, to a torn rotator cuff, to a shoulder fracture, or simply a severely broken arm. More specifically, you could have a fracture of the collar bone, humerous or top of the upper arm bone or scapula or shoulder blade.

Another serious shoulder injury that can lead to a large settlement is a dislocation of the collar bone; this is also known as a separated shoulder. Another type of dislocation is of the sternoclavicular joint between the sternum and clavicle. The glenohumeral joint also can be dislocated, which is the ball and socket joint of the shoulder.

How much an arm and shoulder injury personal injury settlement will be dependent upon many factors that vary widely. Some of the factors to determine the settlement value are:

  • Whether any tear in the shoulder ligaments and tissue was full or partial
  • Whether you needed surgery on your arm or shoulder
  • How well you healed after the surgery
  • How well your injury responded to physical therapy
  • How much work time you missed
  • Whether you were able to regain full range of motion; if you have a permanent disability, this will increase the settlement value
  • Whether the arm or shoulder was on your dominant side

Some arm and shoulder injuries on the less serious side can range from $10,000 to $25,000, if the injury generally heals well and missed work time is less. But for more serious, long term injuries, settlements of $75,000 to $100,000 or more are not uncommon.

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Can shoulder bursitis be caused by a car accident?

Many people have shoulder problems after they are in a car accident. The trauma to your shoulder joint due to the high impact of a car crash can cause a variety of shoulder injuries, including bursitis. Bursitis in the shoulder is essentially an inflamed shoulder bursa. The bursa is a sac filled with fluid that helps to reduce friction in the shoulder. It is common for the bursa sac to be damaged in a car accident.

Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint with three major bones, which are held in place by tendons, ligaments and muscles. The shoulder joint usually has the greatest range of motion in your body. Because of the range of motion, this joint is more easily injured than others.

After a car accident, if you have pain in the shoulder, this is a warning sign that you should have it checked out right away. Some of the common types of pain that can indicate a serious shoulder injury, including bursitis, are:

  • Tingling, weakness, numbness and swelling in the shoulder
  • Shoulder pain in a certain spot that can get worse when you exert yourself
  • Difficulty moving the arm in any way without pain
  • Sudden, serious pain in your shoulder
  • A pale, blue or discolored shoulder

One of the common types of shoulder injury after a car accident is frozen shoulder. This is where the injury from the car accident leads to pain and inflammation that eventually limits your ability to move the joint. It is common for bursitis to form in the shoulder after a car accident and cause this limited range of motion.

If you stop moving the shoulder much for several weeks due to bursitis, the tissue in the shoulder will get thicker and shrink. This will cause pain and make you move the shoulder less. This is a vicious cycle that can lead to long term disability.

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Can you get a rotator cuff injury from a car accident?

Do not believe what the car insurance company tells you. You can certainly get a tear in a rotator cuff from a car accident! A torn rotator cuff is a very painful and debilitating injury that can limit your shoulder’s range of motion. Completing daily tasks can become an exercise in torture. Unfortunately, a torn rotator cuff is a very common injury from all types of car accidents, including rear end collisions.

A tear in the rotator cuff happens when one of the four tendons are injured, either from wear and tear, or in a violent collision such as a car accident. Insurance companies like to try to claim that a torn rotator cuff is only from wear and tear, but this is nonsense. It is clear by a complete medical examination by a medical professional when a torn rotator cuff is caused by a car accident or other type of collision.

Any type of car crash can cause this injury, but it is especially common with the rear end crash. If you think you are about to be hit from behind, you may tense up and grab the steering wheel. Your shoulder is tensed, and if it is, it is entirely possible for the force of the accident to be transmitted into the shoulder and rotator cuff.

Only your doctor can diagnose a torn rotator cuff, and their findings are crucial to your claim. But if you have these symptoms after a car accident, you might have this serious shoulder injury:

  • Severe and/or sudden pain to the top or outside part of the shoulder
  • Pain that radiates through the arm
  • Reduced motion
  • Swelling
  • Difficulty sleeping because of pressure on the shoulder
  • Popping or clicking of the shoulder when you move your arm

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About Michael Eisner, Esq
| mike@lawsuitinfocenter.com
Michael Eisner earned his Juris Doctorate from George Washington University and practiced law in Illinois for 4 years before leaving to focus his energy on writing full time. He writes about the intersection of law and technology, and enjoys creating content that helps regular people understand how these topics can impact the lives of everyday people in ways they don’t realize.
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