Your rotator cuff, the muscles and tendons that cushion and protect your shoulder joint, can tear easily in a car accident, especially rear-end impacts as many drivers brace themselves for impact. Rotator cuff injuries from a car accident can have a negative effect on every aspect of your life and can cause considerable pain and suffering.
How can a rotator cuff injury affect my life?
When your rotator cuff sustains damage, it can cause intense pain and affect your ability to use your arm. Your injury can change everything about your life; it is likely that you will be unable to sleep, perform daily tasks such as driving a car and brushing your teeth, or engage in hobbies such as working out or painting.
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What treatment options are available and how much will they cost?
Treatment will depend on the severity of the injury. It is important to have your doctor examine your shoulder as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to diagnose the severity of the tear and let you know what you should and should not do before your injury heals.
Non-Surgical Treatment
Rest, physical therapy, and over-the-counter medication should provide pain relief and improve function to the affected area. If that combination does not work for you, you may also try steroid injections, an effective anti-inflammatory medication.
Your highest non-surgical expense will be physical therapy. If you have health insurance and your therapy is deemed medically necessary, your copay will typically be 10 to 50 percent of the session. If you do not have insurance, your costs will range from $50 to $350 per session, and could be more expensive depending on the facility and length of your sessions, according to CostHelper.com.
Surgery
If your injury was a full-thickness or complete tear, you may need to undergo surgery. Rotator cuff surgery has a high success rate of returning your shoulder to its pre-accident state, but at a cost.
Like physical therapy, costs range and depend on a variety of factors, such as your insurance plan and the facility you choose. NewChoiceHealth.com’s Columbus, OH rotator cuff surgery price list starts at $3,800 and goes above $24,000. The page states that the procedure’s fair price is $7,500.
How can I recover compensation for my damages?
In Ohio, if you can provide evidence that the accident was the result of other driver’s negligence and you were less than 51 percent at fault for the accident, you can recover damages for your injuries. Damages include medical expenses, lost wages, prescription costs, and copayments.
Types of Damages
In a personal injury claim, you can receive compensation for economic damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, prescription costs, and copayments. These damages are easy to calculate with medical records, W-2s/pay stubs, and receipts. You can also receive compensation for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress, although these are harder to calculate.
According to ORC § 2315.19, there are no limits to the amount of economic losses you can recover, but the cap for noneconomic damages is $350,000 per plaintiff.
To recover damages, you must provide evidence that shows that the other driver caused the accident and your injuries. You can use evidence such as a police report, eyewitness accounts, and photos of the scene to prove the other driver’s negligence.
Filing an injury claim can be difficult; do not do it alone. A car accident attorney from Bressman Law can help you file a claim, negotiate with the insurer, and represent you in court if necessary.
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