Were you recently involved in a car accident that injured your shoulder? If someone else caused the crash, their auto insurance company could owe you compensation for the medical expenses related to your shoulder injury and the pain you’ve endured. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you file a shoulder injury claim and demand fair compensation.
How much compensation you can recover for a shoulder injury after a car accident will depend on numerous factors including the severity of your injury. Working with a skilled Kentucky personal injury attorney who can place a fair value on your losses is the best way to seek fair compensation for a shoulder injury after a car accident.
Types of Shoulder Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
Car accidents, even those that happen at lower speeds, can cause serious shoulder injuries. Some injuries are due to the strain placed on the shoulders by seat belts during a crash. Common shoulder injuries include:
- Sprains and strains – A motor vehicle accident can cause ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the shoulder to stretch or tear or be pushed beyond the normal range of motion, leading to sprains and strains.
- Rotator cuff injuries – The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that hold together the bones of the shoulder joints. A torn rotator cuff injury can cause pain, weakness, and loss of mobility. Rotator cuff tears, including a partial tear, may require rotator cuff surgery to repair and involve weeks of recovery.
- Dislocations – A dislocation occurs when the top of the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder socket. This type of injury is extremely painful and can cause swelling, numbness, muscle spasms, and loss of mobility.
- Shoulder separation – The force of a vehicle collision or other trauma can tear the ligaments at the point where your collar bone meets your shoulder blade, causing separation. Shoulder separations may range from minor soft tissue injuries to serious injuries.
- Shoulder Fractures – The forces unleashed by car accidents can fracture the bones of the shoulder. Broken bones often require a lengthy recovery to heal fully. During this time, you may be unable to do your job, perform household chores, or participate in certain activities and hobbies.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), you should seek medical treatment for a shoulder injury if:
- You cannot rotate your arm into all of its normal positions
- You feel like your shoulder could slide or pop out of the socket
- You experience a lack of shoulder strength that limits your daily activities
It’s important to seek medical attention immediately if you have car accident injuries. Seeking medical care for a shoulder injury can stabilize the shoulder joint and prevent the injury from getting worse. The doctor’s notes of your diagnosis and treatment will also provide a medical record for your shoulder injury case. In general, more severe injuries require more extensive treatment and lead to higher claims for compensation for shoulder injury cases.
Factors That Influence Your Shoulder Injury Settlement
Many factors can influence a shoulder injury settlement, including:
- Medical expenses – You can seek reimbursement for medical bills already incurred for treatment of injuries such as a rotator cuff tear, as well as compensation for future care needs, such as physical therapy and long-term nursing.
- Lost wages – The value of your lost wages will depend on the length of your absence from work due to the car crash. In a personal injury claim, you can seek reimbursement of the income and employment benefits you lost while unable to work. If you sustained a permanent or disabling injury that interferes with your long-term work capabilities, you may be entitled to future lost wages and compensation for lost earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering – Severe shoulder injuries can significantly reduce your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. You may qualify for compensation for chronic and severe pain, loss of mobility, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment.
- Liability – A personal injury lawyer can help develop a shoulder injury case, showing the other party’s liability for the injury you sustained. If the liable party’s actions were clearly negligent, the personal injury law firm representing you may be able to negotiate a fair shoulder surgery settlement on your behalf without going to court.
- Insurance coverage – The insurance policies covering the accident and their policy limits will affect how much money you can recover. Kentucky motorists must have at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury auto liability insurance. Our experienced attorneys will investigate your claim and all available insurance policies to fully inform you of your options before you make any settlement.
Why It’s Hard to Give a Typical Settlement Number
There are so many variables in a personal injury case, and every car accident claim is unique. Therefore, it is impossible to give an average shoulder injury settlement. Be aware that online calculators are unreliable and may not account for all of your losses.
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), in a recent year, the nationwide average car accident claim for bodily injury was around $24,000, but, settlements can range widely. Some claims may be worth several thousand dollars, while those involving catastrophic or fatal injuries could add up to a million dollars or more.
How an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Helps
An experienced car accident lawyer with Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can fight for a fair settlement for you. Our attorneys handle cases involving car accident shoulder injuries. They use their legal knowledge to develop robust claims and negotiate on your behalf for a fair settlement. A personal injury lawyer can:
- Investigate the auto accident, identify all at-fault parties, establish negligence, and demand fair compensation
- Calculate your losses, including those related to pain and suffering
- Seek estimates regarding your future medical care and other accident-related expenses
- Prove the existence of a permanent or disabling shoulder injury that interferes with your work capabilities
- Establish your right to step outside the no-fault system and pursue a personal injury claim
- Negotiate for an out-of-court settlement on your behalf
- Review settlement packages and provide protection from insurance company pressure tactics
- Prepare your case for civil court and represent you at trial if necessary if the insurer refuses to agree to a fair rotator cuff injury settlement
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Today
The Kentucky Courage attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can pursue the car accident compensation you need to recover physically and financially from an automobile accident involving serious shoulder injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation. Learn how our Kentucky personal injury attorneys can help if you are struggling to recover from a torn rotator cuff or other shoulder injuries caused in a car accident by someone else’s negligence. Call us today.
