Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident in Texas: What to Do? 2024

Car accidents are a leading cause of accidental injuries and deaths each year. It’s possible for any vehicle accident to result in life-changing injuries that are both expensive to treat initially and capable of imposing significant long-term economic complications on the victim and their family. If you are involved in a car accident, it’s vital to know what you can do to recover your damages and the value of having legal counsel you can trust to help with your recovery efforts.

Shoulder injuries are among some of the most common and the most debilitating injuries a person can suffer in an accident. It’s possible for car accidents to happen in many ways, and the direction of impact can affect a driver’s body differently based on the location and speed of the collision. When a driver is holding the steering wheel in front of them, their shoulders can be impacted significantly, sometimes resulting in serious long-term harm.

Potential Injuries in a Car Accident

Most modern vehicles are equipped with many standard safety features designed to limit the damage from a collision. For example, most vehicles have a frame designed to crumple in specific areas, absorbing crash impact forces and limiting damage to the cabin that contains the vehicle’s occupants. Airbags in the front dashboard can prevent a driver and/or passenger from slamming their face into the vehicle upon impact, and seatbelts can prevent vehicle occupants from being thrown from the vehicle and suffering worse injuries upon impact with the road surface.

Car accidents can easily cause a host of serious injuries, even when these built-in safety features function exactly as intended. A few of the most commonly reported injuries from car accidents include traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, facial injuries, and soft tissue damage. Shoulder injuries can happen in almost any accident, especially in a head-on collision.

The shoulders are especially vulnerable to injury due to the driver’s use of the steering wheel. Depending on the direction of impact, the crash can cause the arms to compress into the shoulders, damaging the joint in various ways while also harming connected regions of the body. Some of the most commonly reported shoulder-related injuries from car accidents include bone fractures, dislocated shoulder joints, torn ligaments, and other soft tissue damage. These injuries often involve multiple forms of damage, including the destruction of nerve tissue and multiple soft tissues in the upper back.

Ultimately, a shoulder injury may not be the first possible injury you think of when you imagine what can happen in a car accident, but it can be one of the most damaging and debilitating. If you believe another driver is responsible for causing a recent accident, it’s vital to know how you can hold them accountable and what you can do to recover your damages. The right attorney can assist you in your recovery efforts, helping you to confront an insurance carrier to seek a fair settlement to your claim and build a personal injury suit when insurance alone can’t compensate your losses.

FAQs

Q: Can I Sue for Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident?

A: If another driver injured you in a car accident, state law dictates that they are responsible for all associated medical expenses. Shoulder injuries can be painful, debilitating, and difficult to treat. You may require minimal medical intervention, or your shoulder injury could be serious enough to need rotator cuff surgery or similar procedures. An attorney can help secure compensation for all medical expenses related to your car accident injuries.

Q: How Much Is a Shoulder Injury Claim Worth?

A: When another party is at fault for a car accident that resulted in a shoulder injury and/or any other injury, they are liable for the damages inflicted on the victim. You could potentially have grounds to seek compensation for your medical expenses as well as future treatment costs for rehabilitation. If the injury prevents you from working, the at-fault driver could also be responsible for your lost income. You would also have the right to seek pain and suffering compensation.

Q: What Happens if a Car Accident Causes a Permanent Disability?

A: While many car accident victims are able to eventually recover fully from their injuries, others are not so fortunate. If your accident resulted in a permanent disability of any kind, the defendant is liable for all associated economic damages along with your pain and suffering. Whenever a plaintiff has suffered permanent harm, they could face diminished ability to work and earn income or may be unable to live independently in the future. Their pain and suffering compensation could amount to more than the total of their economic damages to reflect the severity of their condition.

Q: What Are Common Long-Term Effects of Shoulder Injuries?

A: It is possible for two people to suffer apparently identical shoulder injuries and have vastly different experiences. Depending on the severity and exact location of the shoulder injury, a victim could suffer chronic pain for years or even permanently. They may also have diminished range of motion, decreased flexibility, and nerve damage. These symptoms may remain localized to the area around the injury, or they could spread to connected regions of the body, such as the upper arm, neck, and back.

Q: Do I Need to Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident?

A: Technically, no, you are not legally required to hire an attorney after a car accident. You have the right to pursue compensation on your own but do not assume that this would simply be a means of saving money on legal fees. You are unlikely to achieve the same results in your recovery efforts as you could expect from a seasoned attorney. You are more likely to succeed with an auto insurance claim and subsequent personal injury suit if you have legal counsel you can trust advising you.

The attorneys at Stevenson & Murray regularly help car accident victims recover. We have helped many clients who have suffered all types of injuries, including severe debilitating shoulder injuries. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team and find out how we can help you recover from your recent accident.