Shoulder injuries are painful and can be debilitating. Recovery can take weeks or months, meaning that a shoulder injury can render you unable to perform your normal job duties for a very long time.
If your shoulder injury is work-related, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits that will cover your medical expenses and replace a portion of your lost income. But employers and their workers compensation providers often try to fight shoulder injury claims by saying the injuries are not work-related. They claim the injuries are pre-existing conditions or were caused during activities away from work.
An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer can help you file your claim properly in the very beginning, and if you have already been denied, fight for the benefits you need and deserve.
Common Workplace Shoulder Injuries
Examples of common work-related shoulder injuries include:
- Torn rotator cuff
- Shoulder dislocation
- Frozen shoulder
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Impingement
- Peripheral nerve impairment
- Severe shoulder strain
Proving Frozen Shoulder is Work-Related
Insurance companies often try to fight paying for frozen shoulder by claiming that the injury was not work-related.
Frozen shoulder can occur as a repetitive motion injury, but it can also be the result of restricted shoulder movement secondary to another injury or health condition. For instance, if you break your arm on-the-job, the limited use of your arm necessary during the healing process can lead to frozen shoulder. If your frozen shoulder was caused by another work-related injury, it will be easier to prove. Frozen shoulder that is directly caused by your job duties can be more difficult to prove, but it is not impossible.
If you believe that your shoulder injury is work-related, attorney Laurie Robbins can help you prove your claim and collect the benefits to which you are entitled.