Mobile Personal Injury Lawyer

Torn Rotator Cuff

Often as a result of pedestrian accidents a client will be struck and fall to the ground on their side, usually striking the ground with a shoulder.  At the emergency room, an e-ray and evaluation may only show a "severe contusion" of the shoulder, but no fracture.  Following the initial impact, clients have noted difficulty raising their arm and may see swelling and pain in the shoulder.  The pain and swelling may improve with physical therapy but a client may experience difficulty raising his arm above shoulder level and may have weakness of external rotation.  These symptoms usually indicate a torn rotator cuff which can be confirmed by an MRI. 

Should conservative measures fail to relieve the discomfort related to a partial thickness rotator cuff tear or if a complete tear is diagnosed in an active patient, surgery should be considered. Evidence suggests that repair of complete tears within three months of injury usually results in a better outcome.  The type of surgery selected depends on many factors-such as the age and the usual level of activity of the patient, the severity and extent of the tear, the presence of other pathology around the shoulder (especially impingement or arthritis) and the presence of chronic retraction and shortening of torn rotator cuff tendons. Surgical procedures are tailored to meet individual needs, and recovery depends, in part, on the patient's commitment to the rehabilitation process. 

When surgery is indicated for partial thickness rotator cuff tears, tendinitis or impingement syndromes, subacromial decompression (open or arthroscopic) is performed. This type of procedure might involve removal of bone from the undersurface of the acromion, excision of spurs from the acromioclavicular joint and division of the coracoacromial ligament. 

Various techniques have been developed for the surgical repair of full thickness rotator cuff tears, depending on the extent of the tear and the degree of retraction. Simple suture of small tears may be sufficient, but larger tears may require suture of the torn edge to a groove of raw bone created for that purpose or the use of synthetic suture-anchors to reattach the torn rotator cuff to the bone.

In some nursing home abuse cases, we often see rotator cuff injuries caused by the careless or reckless movement of a fragile patient.  If this has happened to a loved one, contact an Alabama personal injury attorney as soon as possible to begin fighting for compensation.

If you have suffered a torn rotator cuff in an accident or due to the negligence of another person, contact a Mobile Personal Injury Attorney at McAleer Law for the aggressive legal guidance you deserve.