Shoulder Pain after Car Crash
Experiencing shoulder pain after being involved in an accident is common. Sometimes the pain immediately follows the crash, though depending on the type of injury, you may not notice it until you try to sleep on it or until you make a certain movement, like trying to lift and object or reach for something.
The most common types of shoulder injuries suffered in crashes are:
- Torn rotator cuff – a tear involving the group of tendons and muscles that make up the rotator cuff that holds the shoulder socket together
- SLAP tears – a tear in the cartilage that surrounds and stabilizes the joint where the head of the arm bone enters the socket of the shoulder blade
- Impingements – when tendons or fluid filled bursa are pinched in the bones of the shoulder
- Separation – occurs when the shoulder blade separates from the collarbone
- Fractures – a break in any of the bones that make up the shoulder
Aside from these injuries, shoulder pain may be experienced if you suffer whiplash, or a chest or back injury that causes pain to radiate to or behind the shoulder.
Insurance Companies Have a Problem with Shoulder Injuries
The insurance company for the at-fault driver may challenge your claim for injury compensation by blaming it on a pre-existing condition, or an underlying condition that makes the shoulder injury feel worse. They may also offer far below what you are asking for based on the premise that your injury will heal and the pain will resolve.
So Who Pays for Your Injury
If the accident occurs in a no-fault state, your Personal Injury Protection coverage will pay the medical costs associated with your injury. Otherwise, the insurance company of the at-fault driver will cover those costs. In either case, you may need to prove the extent of your injury as well as the expected duration of your treatment and recovery. Your medical records will go a long way in helping you with your case.
Instead of spending your recovery fighting with insurance companies, talk to us. We’ve been fighting insurance companies and protecting the rights of those injured by the negligence of someone else and we will do the same for you. Contact us today to learn more about compensation for injuries and what we will do for you.