Long Island Shoulder Injuries Lawyer
A shoulder injury can seriously hurt a person’s ability to earn a living. With extensive physical therapy or surgery, an injured person may recover and return to his or her job. But many workers never regain full strength or range of motion in a damaged shoulder. Many also face ongoing pain.
A shoulder injury can be a disabling condition that results in loss of a job, or assignment to new or restricted duties that pay less than the worker was making before. If the worker’s shoulder injury was job-related, he or she likely qualifies for workers’ compensation benefits for any lost income, as well as for medical expenses, in most cases.
A personal injury lawsuit may be an option for additional recovery if a non-employer third party was responsible for the victim’s shoulder injury.
The Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP works to maximize compensation for people who suffer job-related shoulder injuries on Long Island. If you have suffered a serious shoulder injury in the Long Island area, we are ready to fight for you.
Personal injury, handled personally. Contact us today for a free consultation.
What Causes Shoulder Injuries?
The shoulders are ball-and-socket joints surrounded by muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue. Shoulder injuries can result in chronic pain, limited motion and weakness in the arm.
Job-related shoulder injuries are often the result of repeated overhead lifting or other excessive, repetitive movement that causes wear and tear on the shoulders.
A blow to the shoulder in a fall or another accident can cause a dislocated shoulder. This occurs when the upper arm bone (humerus) comes out of the shoulder socket, or a separated shoulder, which means a ligament that connects the shoulder blade to the collarbone, has been torn.
The muscles and tendons that connect the humerus to the shoulder socket are known as the rotator cuff. It provides the ability to lift the arms and reach overhead. A rotator cuff injury is tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon) or tearing of muscles or tendons due to overuse of the shoulder, or trauma, such as an object falling onto a worker’s shoulder.
Bursitis is a painful, potentially disabling repetitive-motion injury that occurs when bursae – the small fluid-filled pads that cushion bones, tendons and muscles near joints – become inflamed.
How do Workplace Shoulder Injuries Happen?
In addition to traumatic injuries in accidents, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, such as shoulder injuries, may be caused by long periods of repeated tasks that involve:
- Heavy, frequent and/or awkward lifting.
- Extended or overhead reaching.
- Pushing, pulling or carrying heavy loads.
- Repetitive motion.
- Vibration.
The types of work tasks that tend to cause wear-and-tear shoulder injuries include:
- Sorting and assembly.
- Stocking and retrieving products.
- Loading or off-loading materials.
- Typing or frequent use of a mouse.
A shoulder injury in a fall from a ladder or a scaffolding accident may make you eligible for damages under New York’s Scaffold Law, also known as N.Y. Labor Law 240.
Full Compensation for your Shoulder Injury on Long Island
Your workers’ compensation claim for a shoulder injury may be challenged by your employer. It is common for an employer or its insurer to argue that a shoulder injury was a preexisting condition or that it was not job-related. This is when a workers’ compensation attorney experienced with New York cases can help.
Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP is prepared to help you fight a wrongful attempt to deny your claim. We can help you recover all the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to and make sure you get an appropriate disability rating with an appropriate lump-sum settlement if you are not expected to fully recover from your shoulder injury.
In cases of shoulder-injury accidents in which a subcontractor, property owner or manufacturer has liability, you may be entitled to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit for compensation above and beyond workers’ compensation benefits.
Our objective as workers’ compensation attorneys is to make sure you are properly compensated for the losses you have suffered due to your injury. We can also help with your day-to-day needs, such as connecting you with medical specialists who can treat your injury and back up your claim.
Shoulder Injury at Work? Get Help from a Long Island Lawyer Now
If you have suffered a shoulder injury in a workplace accident or because of working conditions or your job duties, you may have a right to a full and fair workers’ compensation settlement.
Call Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP now or contact us online for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
Sources:
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – Common Shoulder Injuries
- Mayo Clinic – Rotator Cuff Injury
- Mayo Clinic – Bursitis
- WebMD – Dislocated Shoulder and Separated Shoulder
