What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?
The Rotator Cuff joins your shoulder to your arm and contains muscles, tendons and ligaments. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint, meaning the ball-shaped tip of your upper armrests in a shallow cavity or socket in your shoulder blade.
A collection of nerves from your spine passes through the collarbone (clavicle) and the rotator cuff to your arms. When an accident happens, the force of the impact can damage the tendons or any of the surrounding structures and soft tissues. These types of injuries to the supporting structures of the shoulder joint are called Rotator Cuff Injuries. Often, the injury involves the tendons, ligaments and the labrum of the shoulder joint. The injury or tear to the tendons or the labrum, the cup-shaped fibrocartilage tissue that reinforces the shoulder joint, can be very debilitating; labral tears and tendon tears often require surgical repair and prolonged rehabilitation.
What causes Rotator Cuff Injury?
- If you lift a heavy object with a jerky motion it can tear the tendons resulting in injury
- A fall down with the arm in the wrong position can tear the tendons causing intense pain
- Broken collarbone or dislocated shoulder
- Repetitive motion of the shoulder such as tennis, weight lifting, baseball or work routine
- As we age, the blood supply to the rotator cuff can diminish and hinder the natural healing process of tendons from wear and tear
- As we age, bone spurs (bone overgrowth) in the underside of the arm can impinge on the tendons when lifting and wear it out, making it more vulnerable to injury
Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injury:
- Pain when lifting, lowering or moving your arm with specific movements
- Pain with a routing task like wearing your shirt, opening a door or wearing a shirt can be painful
- Weakness or numbness when lifting or lowering your arm
- Cracking noise when you move your shoulder in certain position
- Pain when resting or sleeping, particularly if lying on the affected shoulder
- Pain when using an arm at or above shoulder level for normal daily or work activities.
Although pain medication can work initially, over time, it may not be effective.
You may be eligible for compensation for your pain and suffering and help ease your financial burden if you cannot work
Whether your condition originated from an accident such as a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, or other traumatic events, you may be eligible for compensation from the at-fault party or your disability insurance carrier; in some cases, you may be eligible for CPP disability benefits, if your injury or condition is permanent.
Please contact Horowitz Injury Law: 416-925-4100 for a free consultation to review your specific circumstances.
At Horowitz Injury Law, we pay special attention to our clients’ needs; we closely study your insurance policy and the specific facts that have led to your injury. We work with leading experts in the fields of medicine, engineering and forensic accounting and have the resources to maximize the compensation you are entitled to receive under the law. We will always make every effort to resolve your case through negotiations and/or mediation, but if the case requires it, we have the resources and experience to take your case to trial.
