Shoulder problem

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It’s a sunny day and you are running errands in the neighborhood. You are driving straight and a car comes from your right and comes into contact with your passenger door.  From the impact, your left shoulder comes into contact with the side door.  You feel pain in your shoulder.  The impact of car accidents, even at a very slow speed, can easily result in severe physical problems to the shoulder and surrounding areas. What should you do?

  1. Remain at the scene and call the police and ambulance.
  2. Take photographs of the accident scene and the vehicles involved in the accident.

Many people with shoulder injuries don’t feel a tremendous amount of pain immediately after the accident. You may have a case even if you don’t immediately seek medical attention. The shoulder has three main bones: the clavicle, the humerus and the scapula. Any of these body parts may have been injured as a result of an accident.

HOW DO YOU YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A SHOULDER INJURY?

  • Painful, tender, stiff shoulder
  • Shoulder pain that increases at nighttime, interrupting sleep
  • Tingling, numbness, swelling, or weakness in or around the shoulder
  • Focused shoulder pain that worsens with activity
  • Difficulty with shoulder mobility
  • Discolored shoulder area
  • A “bump” above the shoulder bone where the shoulder may have separated

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF SHOULDER INJURIES AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT?

  • Torn Rotator Cuff
  • Fractured bone
  • Contusions, Bruises, Strains & Sprains: Other injuries such as painful strains, swelling and bruising may occur after a crash due to the impact of the shoulder and another object.

WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE? 

  • If you think that you have broken bone or tear resulting from your accident, seek medical attention immediately.
  • Go seek an orthopedic doctor. Diagnoses can be made through x-rays, CAT scans, MRIs, and clinical evaluations. Your doctor will assess your shoulder injury and prescribe treatment.
  • A torn ligament, tendon, or muscle may require immediate surgery, so don’t delay in visiting a doctor.
  • Pain may be stemming from elsewhere in the body (referred shoulder pain), so letting a medical doctor prescribe treatment is the best option.
  • Oftentimes, surgery and subsequent physical therapy are used to treat shoulder injuries stemming from accidents.

WHO PAYS FOR FOR YOUR SHOULDER SURGERY TREATMENT? 

  • Under New York Law, your no-fault carrier will likely pay for any treatment that you receive as a result of the accident.  No-fault shall pay for treatment even if you are at fault and  have no other insurance.

If your shoulder has been injured in an accident that was due to someone else’s negligence and fault, feel free to contact my office  at 212-233-0666 for a free consultation to determine the best course for obtaining the financial resources needed to pay for your lost wages and medical treatment.

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