A shoulder injury can put you out of commission for months. Even if surgery is not required, your doctor may recommend that you stop using the arm until it heals, and that can mean being unable to work. Some shoulder injuries are the obvious result of an accident, but the majority of such injuries are overuse injuries making it too easy for employers and their insurance companies to claim that the injuries are not work-related.
It is also important to note that not all work-related injuries are dealt with through workers' compensation. While an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you file your claim properly, in some circumstances you may be eligible for compensation from a third party outside of the workers' compensation system.
WORK-RELATED SHOULDER INJURIES
Examples of common work-related shoulder injuries include:
- Shoulder dislocation
- Shoulder separation
- Fracture
- Shoulder impingement
- Frozen shoulder
- Torn rotator cuff
- Tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Peripheral nerve impairment
Frozen shoulder can be primary or secondary. Primary frozen shoulder is often a repetitive motion injury caused by work duties and proving the cause can be difficult. Secondary frozen shoulder occurs when shoulder movement is restricted, often during the process of healing from another injury.
SHOULDER INJURY CLAIMS
The best course of action is to talk to an experienced attorney who handles on-the-job injuries as soon as you know you are injured. Even if you tried filing a workers’ compensation claim on your own and were denied benefits, don’t lose hope. You may be able to file a separate claim against a third party responsible for your injury.
Even within the workers’ comp system, a denial is not the end of the road for your claim. You have the right to appeal.
To learn more about work-related shoulder injuries and your right to compensation in Amarillo or anywhere in Texas, please call Wood Law Firm, LLP, at (806) 304-0447 or email us right away.
