Representing People Suffering from Shoulder Injuries
The shoulder is composed of three bones: the clavicle(collarbone), the scapula(shoulder blade), and the humerus(upper arm bone). The shoulder can be unstable for a number or reasons, but mainly because the ball of the upper arm is larger than the shoulder socket that holds it. To remain in a stable position, the shoulder must be anchored by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This allows for more movement than in other joints, and in fact the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. However, because of its unstable nature, the shoulder joint is also one of the most prone to injury.
Shoulder injuries can occur from a repetitive job, process, or operation. Workers involved in tasks such as painting walls, hanging curtains, repairing vehicles raised on a lift, filing, and lifting heavy or bulky objects are at risk for shoulder injury due to excessive overhead arm motion. Shoulder injuries are often extremely painful, and result in lost work hours and permanent disability.
Causes and Types of Shoulder Injuries
Orthopedic Surgeons group shoulder/joint problems into 2 categories: Instability and Impingement
Instability: When one of the shoulder joints moves or is forced out of its normal position, it is called shoulder instability. Instability can sometimes turn into a complete shoulder dislocation. Individuals suffering from an instability problem will experience pain when raising their arm. They will also feel the sensation of their shoulder slipping out of place.
Impingement: Impingement is caused by excessive rubbing of the shoulder muscles against the top part of the shoulder blade, called the acromion. Impingement can occur from activities that require excessive overhead arm motion.
With both types of injury, medical care should be sought immediately, because any inflammation in the shoulder could eventually lead to a more serious injury.
In 2006, about 7.5 million people visited a doctor for a shoulder problem. From that number, 4.1 million of those visits were for rotator cuff problems. The rotator cuff is one of the most important components of the shoulder. It is comprised of a group of muscles and tendons that hold the bones of the shoulder joint together. The rotator cuff muscles provide individuals with the ability to lift their arm and reach overhead. When the rotator cuff is injured, people sometimes do not recover with the full shoulder function that they enjoyed before the injury.
Helping You Get the Money You Deserve and Fully Recover
While a Bureau of Labor survey from 2003 shows back injuries to be the most frequently reported on- the- job injury, it was shoulder injuries that kept people out of work the longest. When people are out forced to miss work with these injuries, they and their families suffer financially. This is why when suffering a shoulder injury, it is important that individuals protect themselves by hiring skilled and experienced legal advice from an attorney that will work in their best interest . Without it, they may not get the proper medical attention that they need, or more importantly, the financial compensation that they deserve by law.
Helping You Get the Money You Deserve and Fully Recover
At the law office of Freeburn & Hamilton, we understand the medical and legal issues involved with a shoulder injury. We handle shoulder injury claims resulting from car and truck accidents, slip and falls, and workplace injuries. We seek full compensation for our clients in shoulder injury cases involving: rotator cuff injuries(requiring rotator cuff tear surgery), muscle tears, dislocated shoulders, and shoulder injuries requiring arthroscopic surgery. If you or a loved one has suffered a shoulder injury, call Freeburn & Hamilton to schedule a free consultation today. From offices in Harrisburg, Lebanon, Gettysburg, Thompsontown and Huntingdon, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania.
