Rotator Cuff Tears and Shoulder Injuries: Legal Help in New Orleans

What Damages Can You Collect in a Shoulder Injury?

Rotator cuff injuries are muscle and tendon damage that results in pain, weakness, and reduced mobility. They stem from trauma, repetitive motion, or overuse. Common causes include car collisions, workplace injuries, and slips and falls.

In personal injury cases, rotator cuff injuries are significant due to their potential to impact daily life and long-term functionality. Victims may face medical treatments, physical therapy, and missed work, which can lead to financial and emotional stress.

A rotator cuff injury lawyer New Orleans LA plays a huge role in helping you get compensation. A lawyer advocates for your rights and enables you to understand shoulder pain claims in Louisiana. How much do you know about rotator cuff tears and shoulder injuries? Read on below to understand deeper and explore your options!

Quick Summary:

• Rotator cuff injuries affect the muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder. They can result from acute trauma, repetitive stress, or degenerative changes, leading to conditions such as tendonitis, tears, or impingements.
• Rotator cuff injuries can be caused by sudden trauma, repetitive overhead movements, degenerative changes with age, overuse, or poor posture. These factors increase the risk of damage to the shoulder joint. Symptoms include pain, weakness, limited range of motion, and difficulty with everyday tasks. The severity varies based on the type of injury, such as acute tears, chronic tears, or tendinitis.
• Victims may recover economic damages (medical expenses, lost wages, future earning potential), non-economic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment), and punitive damages in cases of extreme negligence.
• Insufficient insurance coverage, liability issues, and delayed medical treatment can complicate rotator cuff injury settlements. Prompt medical attention and legal assistance are essential for a successful claim.
• Louisiana law typically provides two years from the date of injury to file a claim. However, exceptions like the discovery rule and extensions for minors may allow more time in certain cases. Minors injured before turning 18 have until their 20th birthday to file. The discovery rule provides extra time if the injury wasn’t immediately recognized.

What are Rotator Cuff Injuries?

Rotator cuff injuries affect the muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. They can result from acute trauma, repetitive stress, or degenerative changes. Common examples include tendonitis, tears, and impingements.

Symptoms may include pain, weakness, limited range of motion, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. Treatment options range from rest and physical therapy to surgical intervention, depending on the severity of the injury.

Most Common Causes of Rotator Cuff Tears and Shoulder Injuries

Rotator cuff tears and shoulder injuries result from various factors. These factors such as sudden trauma or gradual wear and tear manifest themselves in various areas, be it workplace injury or slip and falls.

• Acute Trauma: Direct impact or force to the shoulder, such as during a car accident, sports collision, or fall, can lead to tears or other damage to the rotator cuff.
• Repetitive Motion: Activities requiring frequent overhead arm movements, like painting, swimming, or weightlifting, can strain the rotator cuff over time, leading to tendonitis or tears.
• Degenerative Changes: Age-related wear and tear can weaken the tendons, increasing the risk of injury. This process is often gradual and more common in individuals over 40.
• Overuse: Prolonged or excessive use of the shoulder joint, particularly in physical labor or sports, can result in inflammation or tearing of the tendons.
• Poor Posture: Chronic poor posture can place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint, contributing to impingement or tendon inflammation.

Understanding these causes can help in both prevention and treatment, reducing the risk of long-term damage. Knowing your injuries can help with your shoulder pain claims in Louisiana.

Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator cuff injuries present differently depending on the type. There are three types of rotator cuff injuries, namely acute tear, chronic tear, and tendinitis. Knowing these can make all the difference in your shoulder pain claims Louisiana.

• Acute Tears are described as severe pain from the upper shoulder to the elbow. It manifests as discomfort from muscle spasms and internal bleeding. Larger tears result in pain and inability to move the arm due to loss of muscle strength.
• Chronic Tears develop gradually and can persist for an extended period. It is the kind of pain that intensifies at night with a reduction in mobility. This means that one cannot move their arm in specific directions or above shoulder height.
• Rotator Cuff Tendinitis frequently affects women aged 35-50 and is marked by deep ache in the upper shoulder region. Much like chronic tear, tendinitis results in increasing tenderness overtime. The pain becomes more pronounced with movement.

Your Legal Options for Rotator Cuff Tears and Shoulder Injuries

Plaintiffs suffering rotator cuff tears and shoulder injuries have legal options such as personal injury and workers’ compensation. A rotator cuff injury lawyer New Orleans LA can help recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Settlements resolve these cases but lawsuits are necessary if an agreement cannot be reached.

If you’re a plaintiff asking yourself if there’s an accident attorney near me, you’re in luck! A rotator cuff injury lawyer New Orleans LA can help with shoulder pain claims in Louisiana processes and statute of limitations.

What Damages Can I Collect in a Rotator Cuff Injury?

Rotator cuff damage impacts life in many ways. Limited movement makes the simplest tasks a challenge. If your rotator cuff injury results from someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover various damages, including the following: