Compensation For Shoulder Injuries Under Iowa Law
A shoulder injury because of a car accident can have major impacts on your life. Basic activities of daily living can be affected, things like lifting objects, getting dressed, or driving. Significant medical treatment may be necessary to recover from a shoulder injury. Let’s discuss.
If you have suffered a shoulder injury in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence, Iowa law allows you to seek compensation for your injuries. Understanding the nature of shoulder injuries, their potential long-term effects, and your legal rights is essential. Our firm regularly handles cases involving shoulder injuries caused by car accidents.
Rotator cuff tears are the most common shoulder injuries caused by a car accident. Your rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and enable arm movement. During a car accident, the sudden and forceful impact can cause these tissues to stretch, tear, or become severely damaged.
Car accidents can also cause other types of shoulder injuries:
Shoulder Fractures: Breaks in the shoulder bones.
Shoulder Dislocation: This happens when the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder socket.
Labral Tears: The labrum is a cartilage ring that surrounds the shoulder socket. It helps keep the joint stable. Tears in the labrum can lead to pain and instability in the shoulder.
Bursitis: This concerns inflammation of small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joints and reduce friction between bones, tendons, and muscles. This inflammation may cause pain and swelling, especially during arm movement.
AC Joint Separation: This can happen if the joint connecting your collarbone to your shoulder blade is damaged, causing a visible bump on the shoulder.
Shoulder injuries can occur because of direct trauma to the shoulder when your vehicle is struck from the side. They can also happen if your body is thrust forward because of the collision’s force, especially if you’re gripping the steering wheel or braced against the dashboard, door frame, or arm rest.
It’s crucial that you recognize the severity of a shoulder injury early. That’ll ensure that you receive proper and timely medical treatment for your injured shoulder. The resulting medical documentation will also be important for your legal claim. Through our cases involving shoulder injuries, we’ve identified various warning signs that a shoulder problem after an accident may be something more than a simple bump and bruise :
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.
These types of symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. A shoulder injury can seem minor at first but then worsen as you use the shoulder and don’t seek proper medical attention. Also, it’s very common for adrenaline that’s released during and immediately after an accident to cover up pain, making your shoulder injury seem worse than it actually is. Contacting an attorney right after the accident will be helpful to ensure that the necessary evidence is gathered and preserved for your claim and to assist you with seeking medical care.