Rotator Cuff Tears Can Be Caused By a Car Accident

When most people think of car accidents and the injuries that follow, they assume victims deal with broken bones, lacerations, concussions, and neck and back injuries. While these injuries are certainly common in automobile accidents, there are other injuries that are less common yet are still caused by car accidents. One of these is a torn rotator cuff, which can put your life on hold immediately and make even the slightest of tasks far more difficult or impossible to complete. Unfortunately, insurance companies are very quick to dismiss a rotator cuff injury having taken place during a car crash. If you are now dealing with a torn rotator cuff after your car accident and the insurance company doesn’t believe you, put a Sherman Oaks personal injury attorney in charge of your case.

What is a Rotator Cuff and Why is it Important?

Your rotator cuff, which consists of the four muscles and tendons around your shoulder joint, allows your shoulder to have a full range of motion. In fact, should you not have a healthy rotator cuff, a simple act such as raising your arm can be almost impossible. When you are having rotator cuff issues following your car crash, don’t let an insurance company convince you compensation will not be coming your way. Instead, put the insurance company on notice by hiring a car crash lawyer in Sherman Oaks that is willing to fight hard for your rights.

Insurance Company Explanations

When you have a car crash and suffer a rotator cuff injury as a result, the insurance company will do all it can to dismiss your concerns and say your injury was not a result of the crash. Instead, insurance representatives will try to tell you the rotator cuff simply wore out from years of wear and tear, or that you had already injured it prior to your accident. If you know this is not true, don’t sit back and be denied the compensation you deserve so that you can pay medical bills and have money to replace your lost income. To get the results you seek, let a car wreck lawyer show the insurance company you mean business from day one.

How Can Car Accidents Cause Rotator Cuff Injuries?

When a rotator cuff is injured in a car crash, it means at least one of the four tendons in your shoulder joint has been injured. Though an insurance company will try to claim the rotator cuff tear is simply the result of wear and tear or from a degenerative condition that existed prior to the accident, you need to remember it is quite easy to suffer this type of injury when involved in a car wreck. By working with an attorney, they can immediately have you examined by a specialist who can testify how your injury occurred. Along with this, your medical records can be used to show you had no prior history of rotator cuff problems prior to the accident.

Car Accidents

While any number of car accidents can potentially lead to a torn rotator cuff, rear-end collisions are the ones that have been found to most often cause this injury. When these wrecks take place, your shoulder will be very tense since your hands will be gripping the steering wheel very tightly. As a result, your shoulder will be the part of your body absorbing the most impact when your vehicle is hit from behind. Should this happen, it is well within the realm of possibility that your rotator cuff suffers a tear, contrary to what an insurance company may say. By seeking medical treatment immediately and letting doctors take x-rays and perform other tests and examinations, they can determine if your rotator cuff is torn and whether or not it happened due to the wreck. If the insurance company continues to dispute your injury, hire the services of an auto accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Signs of Rotator Cuff Injury

When you have a rotator cuff injury, various symptoms will point to a rotator cuff tear. The most common include sudden and severe pain in the shoulder, swelling, limited motion, popping and clicking sounds when moving the arm, weakness in the shoulder area, and pain radiating down your arm. Once a doctor examines you and finds these symptoms exist, they will almost certainly diagnose you with a torn rotator cuff. This diagnosis will be critical for your personal injury lawsuit, as your lawyer builds your claim.

Treating a Torn Rotator Cuff

When you have a torn rotator cuff, various treatment options are available. If the tear is somewhat minor, you may only need physical therapy or ultrasound treatments to get your problem solved. However, if the tear is significant, surgery will likely be necessary. If you were involved in an especially violent car crash, you will probably need open repair surgery, which involves the removal of bone spurs. In some cases, a doctor may use arthroscopic surgery on your shoulder, which is less invasive and promotes quicker healing. Nevertheless, any surgery on your shoulder will have you facing tremendous medical bills, losing income, and dealing with daily pain and suffering. 

If you find yourself dealing with a torn rotator cuff following your car accident, you will need substantial compensation while you recuperate. To beat insurance companies at their own game, it is essential you hire an accident injury attorney from Okhovat Law. Once you do, your lawyer can get to work proving your rotator cuff injuries were sustained in the accident, meaning you deserve compensation for your injuries.