A dislocated shoulder can be one of the most painful accident injuries a person suffers in a car crash. The shoulder is a delicate joint, and when it’s pulled or hit with great force, it can pop out of place. These serious injuries often cause intense pain, swelling, and long-term loss of motion. For some accident victims, the damage is so severe it may require surgery or lead to chronic shoulder problems.
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers helps people in Queens who have suffered injuries like shoulder dislocations due to a motor vehicle accident. Our team understands how a single crash can lead to major medical needs and time away from work.
We work with doctors, gather strong medical records, and build your personal injury claim so that insurance companies take your case seriously. If someone else caused your injury, we’ll help you pursue compensation and protect your rights every step of the way.
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Overview of a Dislocated Shoulder in a Queens Car Accident
A shoulder dislocation can happen in a split second during a crash. When your arm is forced backward, twisted, or crushed against the inside of the car, the joint can slip out of place. This injury is common in auto accident claims and can lead to weeks or months of pain and recovery.
Shoulder Dislocations Are Painful and Disruptive
Dislocated shoulders cause sharp, stabbing pain immediately after the injury. In some cases, the pain is so intense that a person cannot move their arm at all. The joint becomes visibly misshaped, swollen, and tender. Daily activities like dressing, driving, or sleeping become difficult, and the emotional toll can add to the physical pain.
What makes this injury worse is how easily it can recur if not treated properly. Many accident victims who suffer a shoulder dislocation are at risk of future dislocations, especially without follow-up care. These types of shoulder injuries are often considered serious personal injuries under New York law, which can help meet the state’s legal threshold in a car accident lawsuit.
How These Injuries Commonly Happen in Crashes
Most shoulder dislocations in car accident cases happen when someone braces for impact with their arms. This natural response can cause the shoulder joint to take the full force of the crash. Other times, the seatbelt stretches across the shoulder or the body slams against the door.
Even low-speed accidents can cause a dislocation depending on body position and the force involved. These injuries are frequently seen in serious car accidents and can be tied directly to the accident scene when properly documented.
Why You Need a Lawyer to Protect Your Rights and Secure Compensation
A dislocated shoulder might sound minor compared to broken bones or head injuries, but it can be just as painful and life-altering. Many people need emergency care, follow-up visits, therapy, and even surgery to recover. Without legal help, the costs can quickly pile up, especially if the insurance company refuses to cover all your bills.
Working with a skilled Queens personal injury lawyer means you’ll have someone who understands both the legal process and what your injury is really worth. Your attorney will collect evidence, prove that the injury came from the crash, and push for maximum compensation. Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers doesn’t let insurance companies ignore the real implications of your injury. We help you build a solid personal injury case from the start.
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What Is a Dislocated Shoulder?
A dislocated shoulder happens when the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder joint. It’s one of the most painful and limiting shoulder injuries, especially after a car crash. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that allows a wide range of motion, but it’s also more likely to be forced out of place than other joints in the body.
In personal injury cases, this type of injury is taken seriously because it often leads to long-term pain, weakness, and a high risk of reinjury. In some cases, it may also involve nerve or blood vessel damage, adding to the complications and medical treatment needed.
For many accident victims, a dislocated shoulder is more than just a moment of pain; it’s the start of months of healing, therapy, and medical visits. These realities must be included in your personal injury claim to recover full financial compensation for what you’ve lost.
Types of Dislocations
- Anterior dislocation – The most common type. The head of the upper arm bone moves forward out of the socket, often caused by trauma or a fall forward.
- Posterior dislocation – Less common. The arm bone moves backward, usually due to a strong impact or muscle contractions.
- Inferior dislocation – Rare. The arm bone drops downward and out of place, often linked to violent force or awkward arm positions during impact.
Each type can lead to serious injuries that require medical care and may qualify as a threshold injury under New York personal injury law.
Common Symptoms: Severe Pain, Immobility, Swelling
- Severe pain – Most people feel sharp, intense pain right after the shoulder dislocates. Moving the arm often makes it worse.
- Immobility – The shoulder may hang loosely, and lifting or rotating the arm can feel impossible.
- Swelling and bruising – The joint may appear misshapen, swollen, or discolored. These are key signs that something is seriously wrong.
- Muscle spasms or weakness – After a dislocation, the surrounding muscles may spasm or shake due to stress on the joint.
- Numbness or tingling – In some cases, nerve damage leads to tingling in the hand, arm, or fingers.
All of these symptoms support a clear medical diagnosis and help your personal injury attorney show how badly the injury has affected your life. Proper documentation ensures your car accident attorney can seek the full amount you deserve from the insurance company.
How Car Accidents Cause Shoulder Dislocations
A shoulder dislocation is a direct result of sudden force. During a motor vehicle accident, your body is jolted forward, sideways, or even spun. This violent motion puts extreme pressure on your joint, especially the shoulder, which is naturally more prone to injury. The impact doesn’t need to be high-speed. Even in moderate crashes, the force on your arms and shoulders can be enough to pull the joint out of place.
Many accident victims dislocate their shoulders because they brace for impact. Others are injured by safety devices like seatbelts or airbags. The direction and intensity of the crash often determine how the injury occurs.
Some of the most common crash-related causes of shoulder dislocations we see in personal injury cases across Queens and New York City are:
Bracing for Impact With Arms on the Steering Wheel
One of the most common causes of shoulder dislocations in auto accident cases is instinctively bracing for the crash. Drivers often grip the wheel tightly right before the collision. When the vehicle comes to a sudden stop, that force moves through the arms and into the shoulders.
This pressure can wrench the shoulder joint out of place, causing a painful dislocation. It’s a split-second reaction that can lead to months of recovery and expensive medical treatment. A skilled personal injury lawyer will use this context to explain how the injury happened when filing your personal injury claim.
Seatbelt Force Across the Shoulder
Seatbelts are meant to protect you (and they do), but in a serious car accident, the force of the belt across your upper body can dislocate your shoulder. The sudden pull across one side of the chest and arm can press the joint downward or backward, depending on the angle.
This type of injury is common in side-impact crashes, especially for front-seat passengers. If your shoulder injury happened this way, a car accident attorney will ensure it’s documented properly and that your claim includes the full cost of treatment.
Side-Impact Collisions or Rollovers
When your car is hit from the side or rolls over, your upper body can twist violently or slam into the door, armrest, or window. These sudden movements and impacts are often strong enough to dislocate the shoulder. The trauma is worse if the arm is extended or trapped during the collision.
These crash types are frequent causes of serious injuries, and the damage they cause isn’t always visible on the surface. A qualified Queens personal injury lawyer can work with accident reconstruction experts to show how the injury happened and why you deserve fair compensation.
Airbag Deployment Impact
Airbags are designed to save lives, but they deploy with a huge amount of force. If your arm or shoulder is too close when it inflates, the airbag can push your shoulder out of its socket. This happens more often than people think, especially when the arms are positioned directly in front of the steering wheel.
If this impact caused your injury, it’s essential to include it in your car accident case. Your personal injury attorney can use expert testimony and medical records to prove that the dislocation was caused by the airbag, not by something else.
Treatment and Recovery for a Dislocated Shoulder
A dislocated shoulder needs immediate care. This injury is painful and can cause serious damage to muscles, tendons, or nerves if not treated properly. Many people who suffer shoulder dislocations in a car accident need emergency care followed by weeks or even months of rehab. The treatment process is critical, not only for recovery but also for documenting your injury in a personal injury claim.
If the shoulder is not healed fully, you may experience long-term issues like limited movement, chronic pain, or repeat dislocations. That’s why a full recovery plan, including medical records, follow-ups, and therapy, is key for both your health and your legal case.
A few of the most common treatments used in auto accident shoulder injury claims include:
Emergency Care and Reduction
The first step in treatment is called a reduction. This is when a doctor gently pushes the arm bone back into the shoulder joint. It’s often done in the ER under sedation or pain medication. After reduction, the pain usually improves, but further care is still needed.
Without reduction, the damage can get worse. Emergency care and proper documentation are critical when filing a personal injury case with an insurance company. An experienced car accident attorney will use hospital records to show the immediate aftermath of your injury.
Immobilization
After reduction, the shoulder must stay in place to heal. Most patients wear a sling or brace for several weeks. This limits movement and allows the joint to settle. It also prevents the muscles around the shoulder from being overused.
For many accident victims, this period means time off work, limited mobility, and increased reliance on others. These effects should be included in your personal injury lawsuit, not just the physical injury but also the day-to-day consequences on your life.
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
Once your shoulder begins to heal, physical therapy becomes the focus. Therapy helps you rebuild strength, improve range of motion, and avoid future dislocations. Treatment may include stretching, resistance exercises, and massage.
Some people recover in weeks, but others take several months. The longer the rehab, the more you may spend on medical treatment. A good Queens personal injury lawyer will include these therapy sessions, travel costs, and any missed work in your car accident claim.
Possible Surgery for Recurrent Dislocations
Some shoulders never fully stabilize after the first injury. If your shoulder keeps dislocating or if tendons and ligaments were badly torn, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgical repair often involves reconnecting tissues or tightening the joint capsule.
It’s a major step, often followed by more therapy. This type of medical expense can be high, especially if done in a hospital setting. Your personal injury attorney should ensure that surgery costs, future care, and the risk of serious injuries are all factored into your case for maximum compensation.
Why Hire a Local Queens Injury Attorney
When you’re hurt in a car accident in Queens, working with a local lawyer can make your life much easier. Local attorneys understand the courts, the process, and how to deal with insurance companies that try to limit payouts. They also know the specific rules in New York, including how to meet the “serious injury” threshold required for many personal injury claims.
A Queens personal injury lawyer won’t just know the law — they’ll also know the community. From the hospitals treating your injury to the judges hearing your case, a local attorney brings a level of familiarity that can help your claim move faster and smoothly.
Here are three key reasons why choosing someone close to home is often your best move:
Experience With NY No-Fault Insurance and Serious Injury Thresholds
New York is a no-fault insurance state, meaning your own policy covers certain medical expenses and lost wages, no matter who caused the crash. But to file a personal injury lawsuit, your injury must meet a legal standard of being “serious.” Dislocated shoulders often qualify, but insurance companies may try to argue otherwise.
A local personal injury law firm knows how to gather the right evidence, such as medical records, imaging scans, and doctor reports, to show your injury meets this threshold. They know what local judges expect and how to build a case that fits within New York law.
Familiar With Local Courts and Judges
Every court has its own process, and every judge has their own style. A Queens personal injury attorney who works in these courts every day knows what to expect, how to prepare documents, and how to speak the judge’s language.
That local experience can save time and reduce delays. It also means they know how to avoid common mistakes that could slow down your personal injury case or hurt your chances at a fair settlement. This is something a lawyer from outside the area may not offer.
Personalized Attention and Local Representation
When you hire a local lawyer, you’re more than a case number. You can meet face-to-face, call with questions, and know that your legal team is close by and ready to help. At Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we live and work in the same community as our clients.
We care about your recovery and take pride in offering real support, not just legal advice. Our team handles each case with care, working hard to help accident victims seek compensation for their injuries, lost time, and the pain they’ve gone through.
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FAQs
1. Is a Dislocated Shoulder Considered a Serious Injury After a Car Crash?
Yes. A dislocated shoulder is one of the more common car accident injuries, and it often qualifies as a serious injury under New York law. It can lead to long-term pain, reduced mobility, and even surgery. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you prove the severity of the injury, especially when the accident happened due to a negligent driver. This allows you to pursue compensation beyond what no-fault insurance covers.
2. What Should I Do if I Think Someone Else’s Negligence Caused My Shoulder Injury?
If you believe someone else's negligence caused your injury, the first thing you should do is seek medical treatment right away. This creates documentation that connects your injury to the crash. Then, speak with a Queens car accident lawyer who can review your case and explain your legal options. A knowledgeable car accident attorney will investigate the facts, collect proof, and file a claim to help you recover damages for medical bills, property damage, and other losses.
3. Can I Be Compensated for Future Medical Costs?
Absolutely. Many shoulder injuries require long-term care, such as physical therapy or even future surgeries. In most car accident cases, your lawyer can include both current and future medical costs in your claim. A strong car accident lawyer will also calculate related expenses like rehab, assistive equipment, or additional time off work. These are crucial when fighting for a fair settlement and making sure you’re not stuck paying out of pocket later.
4. Will the Insurance Company Cover All of My Medical Bills?
Not always. No-fault insurance covers some basic expenses, but if your injuries are severe, those benefits may not be enough to cover medical bills fully. In these cases, your attorney can pursue a personal injury claim against the negligent driver to seek full compensation. This is where having a dedicated legal team can make a big difference. They can push back when insurance companies try to pay less than you deserve.
5. Can I Still File a Claim if My Family Member Died From a Shoulder Injury After a Crash?
Yes. In cases where a shoulder injury leads to complications and death, the surviving family may be eligible to file wrongful death claims. These are complex cases that involve proving how the crash and resulting bodily injury led to the fatal outcome. A compassionate and skilled Queens car accident lawyer can help guide your family through the legal steps and fight for justice and financial support during a very difficult time.
Contact Our Queens Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you suffered a dislocated shoulder in a car accident, you deserve help from a legal team that understands what you're going through. Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers fights for injury victims across Queens who are dealing with pain, lost income, and rising medical bills after being hurt by a negligent driver.
Our dedicated legal team will review your case, gather evidence, and build a strong personal injury claim to recover full compensation. We deal with the insurance companies, handle the paperwork, and make sure your rights are protected every step of the way. Whether your injury is one of the common car accident injuries or has caused long-term damage, we’re here to help.
We offer a free case review so you can understand your legal options without pressure or obligation. Let an experienced personal injury attorney at our law firm help you seek compensation and move forward. Call us today.
