Common Shoulder Injuries

St. Louis, Missouri Shoulder Injury Lawyer

Shoulder injuries are among some of the most common injuries for which we represent.  Whether from a car accident, tractor-trailer truck accident, a fall, or a worker's compensation injury, the shoulder is often injured.  Shoulder injuries could also be related to injuries in the neck (such as a herniated disc), so it is important to seek treatment immediately to prevent further pain and accurately diagnose the injury.

Types of Shoulder Injuries

The use of the shoulder is central to daily living activities because of its range of motion. There are three bones that make the shoulder girdle: the scapula, the clavicle, and the humerus. There are also a number of soft tissues that can be torn.  Below is a listing of common shoulder injuries we handle. 

Labrum (SLAP Tear)

In order to keep the shoulder steady, the labrum forms around the shoulder's socket. The labrum is a firm ring of tissue that keeps the arm, or humerous, from dislocating.  A labrum tear is often referred to as a SLAP tear.  This type of shoulder injury comes from people stretching out their arms to brace themselves as often happens in an auto accident or a fall.  Symptoms of a SLAP tear are:

• Pain when moving arm over head
• Painful clicking and popping in the shoulder
• Deep ache in the shoulder

A SLAP tear injury is usually associated with other shoulder injuries such as a tear in one of the rotator cuff muscles. In order to treat the injury properly, a doctor must determine if there are other injuries that need to be treated. Depending on the severity of the injury pain medication and physical therapy are all that is needed, but in other cases surgery is the only thing that can repair the injury.

Torn Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles that perform collectively to provide the shoulder joint with stability and control the joint during rotation. The rotator cuff can tear or become inflamed if they are under too much stress. During a Missouri car accident, all of the muscles are at risk of tearing. The most common symptoms for a rotator cuff shoulder injury are:

Tearing of the rotator cuff may not seem too serious, but it can become worse if the shoulder injury goes untreated. If proper treatment is not provided for the injury, the risk of a chronic tear in the muscle is greater. Treatment for a rotator cuff shoulder injury depends on the severity of the injury. Minor rotator cuff injuries require rest, activity modification, ice application, and anti-inflammatory medication. Physical therapy, cortisone injections, and sometimes surgery are required to treat more severe rotator cuff shoulder injuries.

Impingement Syndrome

Irritation and inflammation of the rotator cuff muscles passing through the narrow subacromial space is called impingement syndrome. If this is done repetitively, the muscles could thicken and the structure of the shoulder can impinges their movement. In the event of a car accident, impingement syndrome often follows a whiplash injury. The symptoms associated with an impingement syndrome injury are:

If an impingement syndrome injury goes untreated, the muscles can actually tear apart or rupture a bicep muscle. Treatment for impingement syndrome is fairly easy and only the most severe cases require treatment. Most people who have impingement syndrome are treated with anti-inflammatory medication, temporary activity modification, and stretching exercises successfully without surgery.    

What To Do if You've Suffered a Shoulder Injury

The shoulder can be injured in a number of ways.  It is the gateway for use of the arm.  Thus, an injury to the shoulder can drastically impact a person's life. A tear in the muscles in your shoulder or cause impingement can lead to expensive medical bills for treatment and physical therapy. Dealing with the time off of work and rehabilitation can be stressful enough without having to worry about the insurance company too. If someone else's carelessness caused an injury to your shoulder, or you injured it at work, call our Personal Injury Lawyers to assist you with your shoulder injury claim.  Let our experienced Missouri Personal Injury Lawyers deal with the insurance company so you can worry about more important things other than fighting for a truck accident settlement.

Without Medical Insurance? We Can Help You Get Medical Treatment

When your shoulder is injured in an accident, treatment and physical therapy can be expensive. The more serious the injury, the higher the medical bills become. Some people will refuse to seek medical attention for their shoulder injury because they do not have health insurance. If your shoulder has been injured due to someone else's carelessness and you do not have health insurance, call our Missouri Personal Injury Law Firm at 888-956-2487. With our years of experience, we have developed professional relationships with medical professionals across the midwest. We can often help make arrangements for your treatment without you having to pay money up front, even if you do not have health insurance.

For a Free Case Consultation, Call Us Toll-Free at 888-956-2487.