A dislocated shoulder is a common injury to workers in arduous fields work. By definition, a shoulder dislocation is an injury in which the upper arm bone pops out of the cup-shaped pocket up near the shoulder blade. There is a significant difference in the severity between a shoulder dislocation and a separation. A separation involves damage to ligaments in the joint that starts in the shoulder blade and goes to the end of the collarbone.
Injured workers that suffer from dislocated shoulders experience serious pain in the upper arm and shoulder region. Deformation of the shoulder bone may occur depending on where the bone has displaced from the socket. Illinois workers' compensation attorney Robert Butzow of Morici, Longo & Associates explains that “swelling, tenderness, and in some instances bruising are other indicators that you have dislocated a shoulder.” Many of the workers the firm represents with this type of injury have been involved in some sort of fall or has encountered a force to the shoulder region.
We at Morici, Longo & Associates advise our clients to seek only the best medical assistance from top medical institutions. Dislocated shoulders need to be treated immediately after the injury takes place. The shoulder bone must be moved back into the arm socket before any other method is used to treat the affected area. In some situations, surgery is needed to repair the damaged tissues. We also tell our clients to keep the shoulder in a sling and ice the affected area as much as possible to ensure the swelling goes down. Anti-inflammatories are also important to help with the pain and swelling.
Orthopedic surgeons may recommend physical therapy to their patients. This consists of stretching and slowly conditioning the injured shoulder back to full motion and function. The goal is to simulate the physical demands placed upon the worker should they return back to their prior occupation.
If you have suffered a dislocated shoulder at work, please contact a Chicago workers' compensation attorney at Morici, Longo & Associates. We would be happy to review your case and guide you through the workers' compensation process.
