People in New Jersey who are involved in car accidents often sustain shoulder injuries. These injuries may involve the shoulder blade, collar bone or arm bone, and they can range in severity from a dislocated shoulder to a shoulder bone fracture. The soft tissue that joins shoulder bones together can also be torn when a person is in a crash.
When a shoulder bone is fractured, the bone is essentially broken. These kinds of injuries are normally caused by a direct blow to an area of the body that is caused by a sudden collision or fall. Fractures to the shoulder blade, collar bone and upper arm bone are more common than fractures to the scapula. However, a high-speed auto accident could result in a scapula being fractured.
A person who suffers from a fractured shoulder bone will generally experience pain, swelling and the inability to move the shoulder. In some cases, a person who is able to move the shoulder will feel a grinding sensation. A fractured shoulder may also look out of place and deformed after a car accident. As long as there is not bone sticking through a person’s skin and bone fragments have not shifted, most fractures can be treated without surgery.
A person who has suffered from a shoulder injury in a car collision might be entitled to claim compensation from the driver at fault. Many victims decide to enlist the assistance of an attorney to help them present evidence of the driver’s liability and the severity of their injuries. Victims may be able to claim damages like medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, “Shoulder Trauma (Fractures and Dislocations)”, accessed on Fe. 7, 2015
