Shoulder Injuries Caused by an Accident. Gainesville Accident Attorney Helps Explain the Basics.


shoulder anatomy

The shoulder is particularly susceptible to injury in a traumatic car crash or other accident, since it has great range of motion. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made up of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which lays over the shoulder, can easily be injured when a fall or trauma occurs with outstretched arms. For any shoulder injury, seek immediate medical treatment. This article gives basic information on causes, symptoms, types of common shoulder injuries, and treatment.

Causes of Shoulder Injury:

A shoulder injury may occur naturally over time as the body ages and is subject to wear and tear. However, in many cases, a traumatic, sudden event, such as these, may cause acute injury.

A vehicle occupant may be especially vulnerable to injury, if their arms are outstretched, bracing the body on the dash or steering wheel at the time of crash. A direct impact to the shoulder, from another car or a stationary object, like a telephone poll, may injure the shoulder. Even a seatbelt may impact and injure soft tissues or cause the shoulder to separate during a crash.

Symptoms of A Shoulder Injury:

Symptoms of a shoulder injury may range from subtle to extreme and may include:

  • Redness and swelling;
  • Tenderness or tingling;
  • Weakness;
  • Variance in color (bruising)or temperature (cold or fever);
  • Pain while resting or doing activity;
  • Deformity or protruding bones; or
  • Change in range of motion (inability to lift or raise arms).

Types of Shoulder Injuries:

The shoulder is a complex system of bone, ligament, tendon, and muscle, so there are many types of common shoulder injuries. In some cases, an accident victim with a soft tissue injury may not immediately experience pain. See a doctor as soon as possible to treat and document injuries like these:

  • Shoulder sprain (injury to ligaments that connect and stabilize bones);
  • Shoulder strain (pulled muscles);
  • Fracture (broken bones);
  • Nerve injury;
  • Shoulder separation (collarbone separates from the shoulder blade);
  • Torn rotator cuff (damage to tendons covering the shoulder);
  • Dislocation or subluxation of the bones; or
  • Dislocation of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint (or separation).

Treatment of Shoulder Injury:

Since shoulder injuries range from mild to critical, so does the treatment spectrum. A shoulder injury may require immediate medical attention at a hospital or emergency clinic. In severe cases, a shoulder injury may necessitate surgery, pain management, and rehabilitative treatment. In other cases, a doctor may recommend a combination of "RICE," an acronym for: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Physical therapies and pain management may also be doctor recommended. As an accident attorney, I recommend that you seek immediate treatment if you think you have a shoulder injury caused by an accident.

Why is it important to get immediate medical attention after an accident? Gainesville accident attorney explains.





We at the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates strongly believe that public education is the first step in the prevention of an accident or in the recovery from one.  

We are experienced personal injury attorneys, trial lawyers, negotiators, litigators, paralegals, and staff that have been proudly working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 30 years in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, and the rest of North Central Florida and North Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, and motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents, dog bites, slip and falls and medical malpractice are all included in our practice.

Based on Jeffrey Meldon's, founder of The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon & Associates, over 30 years of helping accident victims get justice and a fair shake from the insurance companies, he has written the consumer guide book, Seven Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Florida Accident Case.  You can request your free, no obligation copy right now, or contact our office for your complimentary copy sent to you today.

Contact the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon at (800) 373-8000 or (352) 373-8000 immediately if you have been involved in a serious auto, truck, or motorcycle accident.  We are in your community, have the experience and resources required to work towards obtaining a fair settlement for you - we are here to help you.

We proudly handle accidents that occur on all roads and in the areas including: I-75, I-10, I-95, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 441, State Road 40, State Road 26, State Road 24, Archer Road, Main St, and University Avenue.  Our law firm has  been representing accident victims in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, Palatka, Crystal River, Daytona Beach, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Dunnellon, Bunnell, Live Oak, Starke, Jasper, Cross City, Perry, Trenton,  Leesberg,  Lake Butler,  Tavares, Chiefland, Bronson, Brooksville, The Villages and the counties of Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Citrus, Volusia, Sumter, Levy, Lake, Bradford, Flagler, Hamilton, Dixie, Gilchrist, Union, Hernando, Suwannee, Union, and Putnam, and, since 1971!