A motor vehicle accident can cause various personal injuries, including a rotator cuff strain or tear. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons connected to your shoulder that you use to lift your arm or lift a heavy object. Your family physician can assess the range of motion in your arm and perhaps order tests, such as an X-ray, MRI or ultrasound, to rule out a fracture or other injuries.
Common Symptoms: If you have a rotator cuff tear, you may experience the following symptoms: Dull ache or severe pain deep in the shoulder; Disturbed sleep, especially if you lie on the affected shoulder; Inability to move your shoulder through its full range of motion, making it difficult to reach up to your head or behind your back; or Weakness in the arm and shoulder. Treatment and Recovery Physiotherapy, ice packs for pain and swelling, pain medication and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. aspirin, Motrin or Tylenol) are common first steps to help to heal the area. More acute cases may be treated with corticosteroid injections (which are steroids for severe pain and inflammation), open or arthroscopic surgery to repair a large tear and possibly remove calcium deposits or arthroplasty, which is a partial or complete shoulder replacement. Rotator cuff injuries can heal within in a few weeks or months depending on the severity. Left untreated, the condition can worsen, causing progressive degeneration of the joint. Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim Compensation for a rotator cuff injury in a personal injury will occur if the injury was not a pre-existing condition and the injury is chronic. It must be demonstrated that the injury impacts your quality of life and ability to function normally. For example, your ability to earn a living doing heavy physical work may have become difficult or your role as a caregiver may be significantly impacted. For more information about motor vehicle accident compensation for rotator cuff injuries, contact the accident lawyers at Bronson Jones & Company LLP. We are a plaintiffs-only, motor vehicle injury law firm with 13 offices, from Vancouver to the Fraser Valley. Call us toll free at for your free consultation.