Shoulder pain can turn ordinary work into a challenge surprisingly quickly.

Lifting a box onto a shelf, reaching overhead, carrying equipment, pushing a patient, operating machinery, or simply getting dressed for work can become difficult after a shoulder injury.

Some workplace shoulder injuries happen suddenly. You lift something heavy and feel a sharp pain, fall directly onto your shoulder, or instinctively reach out to catch yourself during a slip.

Others develop gradually after months or years of repetitive lifting, reaching, pushing, pulling, or overhead work.

If your shoulder injury is related to your job, you may be entitled to medical treatment and other benefits through Missouri’s workers’ compensation system.

Understanding the type of injury you have, how it may be connected to your work, and what to do after symptoms begin can help protect both your recovery and your workers’ compensation claim.

What Are Common Workplace Shoulder Injuries?

The shoulder has an enormous range of motion, but that flexibility also makes it vulnerable to injury.

Work-related shoulder conditions can involve muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones, and joints.

Some common injuries include:

• Rotator cuff tears
• Labral tears
• Shoulder strains and sprains
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Shoulder impingement
• Dislocations
• Fractures
• Joint injuries
• Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder
• Aggravation of arthritis or other pre-existing conditions

The treatment and recovery involved can vary significantly.

A relatively minor strain may improve with conservative treatment, while a significant rotator cuff tear may require surgery followed by months of physical therapy.

How Do Shoulder Injuries Happen at Work?

You don’t have to work in construction or another traditionally physical profession to suffer a work-related shoulder injury.

Common causes include:

• Lifting heavy objects
• Repetitive lifting
• Reaching overhead
• Pushing or pulling equipment
• Falling onto the shoulder
• Reaching out to stop a fall
• Carrying heavy materials
• Repetitive arm movements
• Working with arms raised for extended periods
• Vehicle accidents while performing job duties

Certain professions may place greater demands on the shoulder.

Warehouse workers may repeatedly lift products onto shelves. Construction workers may perform overhead work throughout the day. Healthcare workers may injure their shoulders while repositioning or transferring patients. Mechanics, factory workers, delivery drivers, painters, electricians, and many others can face similar risks.

Sometimes one movement causes the injury.

Other times, the damage develops gradually.

Can Repetitive Work Cause a Shoulder Injury?

Yes, some work-related shoulder conditions can develop over time rather than from one identifiable accident.

A worker who repeatedly reaches overhead, lifts materials, or performs the same arm movement hundreds of times during a shift may gradually develop pain and limited motion.

These cases can be more complicated because there isn’t necessarily one dramatic moment when the injury occurred.

Medical evidence becomes particularly important in determining whether your job duties contributed to the condition.

If you’ve developed shoulder symptoms that you believe are related to repetitive work, don’t assume you need a single accident to have a potential workers’ compensation claim, but if you suddenly felt pain at work you should report it as a new injury immediately.

What Are the Symptoms of a Serious Shoulder Injury?

Shoulder injuries don’t always look dramatic from the outside.

Symptoms may include:

• Pain when lifting your arm
• Difficulty reaching overhead
• Weakness
• Reduced range of motion
• Pain while sleeping
• Clicking or popping
• Swelling
• Shoulder instability
• Pain that travels into the upper arm
• Difficulty lifting or carrying objects

Some workers initially assume they’ve simply “pulled something” and continue working through the pain.

But persistent shoulder symptoms may indicate an injury that needs medical evaluation.

What Should You Do After Injuring Your Shoulder at Work?

What you do after a workplace injury can affect both your health and your workers’ compensation claim.

Report the Injury Promptly

Tell your employer or supervisor about the injury.

If a specific accident occurred, explain what happened as accurately as possible.

For example:

“I was lifting a box onto the top shelf when I felt a sharp pain in my right shoulder.”

For symptoms that developed gradually, explain the job activities you believe contributed to the condition.

Whenever possible, document your report in writing and keep a copy.

Seek Appropriate Medical Care

Don’t simply assume the pain will disappear.

A healthcare provider may evaluate your strength and range of motion and determine whether diagnostic testing is necessary.

Depending on your symptoms, testing may include X-rays or an MRI.

Ask for treatment under work comp.  That’s what their work comp insurance is for.

Follow Your Medical Restrictions

Your physician may restrict lifting, reaching, pushing, pulling, or overhead activity while you recover.

Follow those restrictions carefully, and be sure your Employer knows what they are.

Trying to prove you can “push through” an injury may make your condition worse.

Keep Your Records

Maintain copies of:

• Medical records
• Work restrictions
• Injury reports
• Insurance correspondence
• Mileage to authorized appointments
• Information about missed work

Good documentation can become especially important if questions later arise about your injury or treatment.

Who Chooses the Doctor for a Missouri Work Injury?

Under Missouri workers’ compensation law, the employer generally has the right to select the authorized medical provider.

That means you should follow the workers’ compensation process when seeking treatment whenever possible:  Ask to be sent to a doctor under workers comp.

Depending on your shoulder injury, authorized treatment may include:

• Diagnostic imaging
• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections
• Activity modification
• Arthroscopic surgery
• Rotator cuff repair
• Other surgical treatment
• Post-operative rehabilitation

If recommended treatment is being delayed or denied, or you believe you’re not receiving appropriate care, you may want to discuss the situation with a good workers’ compensation attorney.  They cannot retaliate against you for talking to a lawyer.

What If You Need Shoulder Surgery?

Surgery can significantly change both the recovery process and the workers’ compensation claim.

Rotator cuff repairs and other shoulder procedures may involve substantial rehabilitation afterward.

You may be unable to work for a period of time or may return with significant restrictions.

Workers’ compensation may provide benefits for authorized and medically necessary treatment related to a compensable workplace injury, including surgery and rehabilitation.

If you’re facing surgery, it’s particularly important to understand your medical restrictions, disability benefits, and what may happen if you cannot return to your previous duties.

What Workers’ Compensation Benefits May Be Available?

The benefits available depend on the circumstances of your injury, but Missouri workers’ compensation may provide several types of assistance.

Medical Treatment

Reasonable and necessary authorized medical treatment related to a compensable workplace injury may be covered.

Temporary Disability Benefits

If your authorized treating physician determines that you’re unable to work while recovering, you may qualify for temporary disability benefits.  Those are checks from the work comp insurance company, and you don’t have to pay taxes out of those.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits

Some shoulder injuries don’t completely resolve.

If you continue to experience loss of motion, weakness, pain, or other permanent limitations after reaching Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), you may be evaluated for permanent disability benefits.

Related: What Is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) in Missouri Workers’ Compensation?

What If You Already Had Shoulder Problems?

A previous shoulder problem doesn’t automatically mean you cannot have a workers’ compensation claim.

Maybe you had arthritis.

Maybe you injured the same shoulder years ago.

Maybe imaging shows age-related degeneration.

The important question is what effect your work injury or occupational exposure had on your condition under Missouri law.

When a pre-existing condition is involved, medical records before and after the workplace injury can become particularly important.

Don’t hide previous shoulder problems from your physician or attorney. Being transparent allows them to evaluate what changed and how your work may have affected the condition.

What If You Can’t Return to Your Old Job?

This can become a significant issue with serious shoulder injuries.

Imagine a worker receives a permanent restriction against lifting more than 20 pounds or repeatedly reaching overhead.

For an office worker, that restriction may have little effect on employment.

For a warehouse employee, construction worker, nurse, mechanic, electrician, or delivery driver, it could make essential job duties impossible.

That’s why the impact of a shoulder injury isn’t measured only by the medical diagnosis.

Your permanent restrictions and the physical demands of your job matter, too.

Related: What Happens If You Can’t Return to Your Old Job After a Missouri Work Injury?

How Much Is a Missouri Workers’ Compensation Shoulder Injury Claim Worth?

There’s no standard settlement amount for a shoulder injury.

The value of a workers’ compensation claim can depend on factors such as:

• The nature and severity of the injury
• Whether surgery was required
• Your wages
• Time missed from work
• Permanent impairment
• Permanent restrictions
• Future medical needs
• Your ability to return to your previous work

A shoulder strain that resolves with physical therapy presents a very different situation from a rotator cuff tear requiring surgery and permanent restrictions.

Be skeptical of websites offering an “average settlement” for shoulder injuries. Your claim should be evaluated based on your injury and circumstances, not someone else’s number.  Having an experienced workers compensation attorney on your side also matters, as most insurance adjusters or defense attorneys won’t offer full settlement value if you don’t.

When Should You Talk to a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?

You may want to seek legal guidance if:

• Your employer disputes that your shoulder injury happened at work.
• Your claim has been denied.
• Medical treatment or diagnostic testing is delayed.
• Surgery has been recommended.
• The insurance company says your condition is pre-existing.
• You’re being pressured to return to work before you’re ready.
• You’ve received permanent restrictions.
• You can’t return to your previous job.
• You’ve been offered a settlement.

An attorney can review the medical evidence, employment circumstances, available benefits, and other issues affecting your claim.  Attorneys can also obtain an “Independent Medical Evaluation” or “IME” from a doctor that is not hired by the work comp insurance company or their lawyers in order to obtain a higher rating of your permanent partial disability.  Remember, your claim is not against your employer, it is against the work comp insurance company, who will likely try to lowball you if you don’t have a good lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get workers’ compensation for a rotator cuff tear in Missouri?

Yes.  If your rotator cuff injury meets Missouri’s requirements for a compensable work injury, workers’ compensation benefits are available.

Does a shoulder injury have to happen in one accident?

Not necessarily. Some shoulder conditions may develop from repetitive work activities over time. Medical evidence connecting the condition to your work can be particularly important in these cases.

Will workers’ compensation pay for an MRI?

If diagnostic imaging is authorized and medically necessary for a compensable work injury, it may be covered as part of your workers’ compensation medical treatment.

Should workers’ compensation pay for shoulder surgery?

Authorized, reasonable, and necessary surgery related to a compensable workplace injury should be covered through workers’ compensation.

What if my employer says my shoulder problem wasn’t caused by work?

A disagreement about how your injury happened doesn’t necessarily end your claim. Medical records, accident reports, witness information, job duties, and other evidence may become important when causation is disputed.

The Hines & Wilson Law Firm Is Here to Help

A shoulder injury can affect much more than your ability to lift your arm.

For workers whose livelihoods depend on lifting, reaching, carrying, pushing, or performing repetitive physical tasks, a serious shoulder injury can threaten the career they’ve spent years building.

The Hines & Wilson Law Firm has spent decades helping injured Missouri workers navigate the workers’ compensation system, obtain necessary medical treatment, and understand their rights when an injury affects their ability to work.  We have successfully handled thousands of shoulder injuries and won settlements from work comp.

If you’ve suffered a shoulder injury on the job, your treatment has been delayed or denied, or you’re concerned about permanent restrictions, contact The Hines & Wilson Law Firm to discuss your options.  Call us today for a confidential, free consultation about your rights.