Rotator cuff settlement after a car accident

Upper arm and shoulder injuries are highly common in car crashes. Your shoulder is very complex and comprises tendons, cartilage, and ligaments which makes it susceptible to injury when subjected to unnatural forces which occur in car accidents. Additionally, among the most common shoulder or upper arm injuries involve the rotator cuff. The trauma of a vehicular accident may cause significant damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your shoulder, leading to permanent injuries that might require surgery. Let’s discuss more about rotator cuff injuries and how you can get a fair settlement.

What is a rotator cuff?

A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surrounds your shoulder. It supports the arm bone within your shoulder joint/ socket. So, without the rotator cuff, you wouldn’t be able to lift your arms over your head to get dressed, climb, or play sports. If your rotator cuff is injured or torn, then these tasks would be extremely difficult to do. Not to mention, it’s also very painful to perform daily tasks such as opening a jar or reaching to get something off the shelf.

Normally, a rotator cuff injury involves a strain or tear of the muscles, tendons, or joint capsule. Your tendons, which are bands of tissue within your rotator cuff that connect muscles to your bones, are susceptible to injuries from falls, overuse, and car accidents.

What are the signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff injury?

Pain is the most common symptom associated with a rotator cuff injury. You may experience pain when you’re trying to lift or lower the arm on your affected shoulder. Here are other signs you should look out for:

  • Pain after a fall or car crash
  • Pain while trying to move your arm or shoulder in certain positions
  • A cracking noise in your joint when you move your shoulder or arm a certain way
  • Pain when performing daily tasks like putting on clothes or washing your hair
  • Muscle weakness
  • Pain while sleeping or resting
  • Pain while carrying or lifting heavy items
  • Pain that radiates down your affected arm

What is the settlement amount for a rotator cuff injury?

If you have a rotator cuff injury after a car accident, then you might be wondering what the average settlement for a torn rotator cuff is or how much your injury to the rotator cuff is worth. There’s no formula to determine exactly what your case is worth. Every case is unique. However, there are certain variables insurance companies and attorneys consider in evaluating the value of a case, including:

  • Whether the accident was caused by the other person or whether there’s a dispute about who’s at fault
  • Whether your injury was obviously caused by the accident or whether there’s a dispute about what caused your injury
  • The length of your recovery
  • The amount of medical bills from your injury
  • The amount of lost wages/ income because of your injury
  • The county where the lawsuit will be filed
  • How well you’ve recovered from your injury, i.e., are you totally healed, or do you still experience problems

Since it’s difficult to calculate a rotator cuff injury settlement amount, it’s highly recommended that you hire a personal injury attorney to handle your case. Having a legal expert at your side ensures that you get the right settlement amount. Contact us for a free case evaluation. 304-594-1800.