If you’ve torn your rotator cuff in a car accident, you can get compensation for your injury. Your lawyer will negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company to get you a settlement.
The settlement should be enough to cover your medical costs and damages, but also make up for pain and suffering, lost wages, etc.
But how much can you get from a torn rotator cuff from a car accident in Texas?
Settlements can range from $10,000 to over $1 million in extreme cases, but the final amount depends on several key factors, which we’ll break down below.
The best way to get a clear estimate for your case is to schedule a free consultation with No Bull Law. We’ll review your situation and help you understand your legal options.
Average Settlement Amounts for Torn Rotator Cuff
There are no fixed settlement amounts for injuries, as each case is unique. Insurance companies consider various factors, like the severity of your rotator cuff tear and how much it affects your daily life, when determining a car accident settlement.
Here’s a general idea of what to expect:
- Minor injuries: Soft tissue injuries, such as minor cuff tears, typically result in settlements between $10,000 and $25,000, covering short-term medical treatment and recovery.
- Moderate injuries: Partial tears that need shoulder surgery or a longer recovery period can lead to settlements ranging from $50,000 to $175,000, depending on the complexity of the treatment and its impact on daily life.
- Severe injuries: Complete rotator cuff tears, permanent damage, or cases involving additional injuries beyond shoulder pain can result in settlements over $100,000, with some extreme cases even exceeding $1 million.
(We’ll break down the different severities below and give you a clearer idea of how settlement amounts can vary.)
These are ballpark figures, and your case may be entirely different. Many factors can increase your shoulder injury settlement.
No two car accident cases are the same, so an experienced lawyer will take into account all the factors that can impact the value of your injury settlement.
We’ll cover the six biggest factors below.
1. Medical Expenses
The cost of medical treatment, including rotator cuff surgery, shoulder blade rehabilitation, medication, and so on, has a big impact on your shoulder injury settlement. Insurance adjusters often use these expenses as a starting point when determining how much compensation you should get.
2. Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
If your injury keeps you from working, whether temporarily or permanently, it can have a direct effect on your car accident settlement. This includes not only the wages you lose while recovering but also how the injury might affect your ability to earn in the future.
3. Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering cover both the physical pain and the emotional toll of soft tissue injuries. Although it’s not always easy to put a price on, it forms a big part of the settlement negotiations. Beyond just the discomfort, it factors in how the injury affects your daily life, from mobility struggles to the stress and frustration that come with it.
As mentioned earlier, a severe injury often leads to higher settlements because it directly impacts medical expenses, lost wages, and increased shoulder pain. This reasoning is simple—more serious injuries or long-term damage often involve major medical costs like surgeries, ongoing therapy, or a lengthy recovery.
Rotator cuff injuries come in all shapes and sizes—some mild, while others can be more serious. The type and severity determine the kind of treatment you’ll need and the costs that come with it:
- Rotator cuff tendonitis: This happens when the tendons in your rotator cuff become inflamed, causing pain and making it harder to move your shoulder. Sometimes, prolonged inflammation can contribute to frozen shoulder, a condition that further limits mobility. The good news is that it doesn't usually require surgery; most people recover with rest, physical therapy, and sometimes corticosteroid injections. Settlements typically focus on covering physical therapy and medications.
- Shoulder bursitis: The bursa, a fluid-filled sac that cushions your shoulder joint, can become inflamed, causing pain and making it difficult to move. Most cases improve with rest, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications, but more severe cases might need corticosteroid injections or even surgery.
- Partial tears: These happen when the rotator cuff tendon is only partially damaged. In many cases, physical therapy, pain relievers, and corticosteroid injections can help with recovery. But if the tear is deeper, surgery, usually an arthroscopic repair, might be the best option.
- Full-thickness tears: These happen when the tendon completely tears away from the bone. Fixing them usually requires shoulder surgery, like arthroscopy or open tendon repair, followed by months of physical therapy to regain strength and movement.
- Massive rotator cuff tear: These injuries are pretty serious, often involving two or more tendons tearing away from the bone, which can make movement extremely difficult. Treating them usually requires complex surgeries like tendon transfers or reverse shoulder replacement. Even with surgery, long-term limitations are common, which is why settlements for these cases tend to be much higher.
5. Insurance Coverage and Policy Limits
Insurance policies have coverage limits, which can cap how much compensation you’re able to receive, even for a severe injury. Once the maximum payout is reached, there may not be enough left to fully cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
In these cases, you may need to explore other compensation options. This can include filing a claim with your own underinsured motorist coverage (if you have it), negotiating directly with the at-fault party, or even pursuing a lawsuit to recover additional damages. A personal injury lawyer can help you navigate these options and work to maximize your settlement.
6. Who Was at Fault
Texas follows modified comparative negligence laws, which means they will compare how much each driver was at fault for the accident.
If you’re found to be 50% or more at fault, you won’t be able to recover any compensation. However, if your share of fault is less than 50%, your settlement will be reduced by that percentage.
Because compensation depends on the share of fault, insurance companies often try to shift blame to reduce payouts. That’s why proving the other party was primarily responsible is crucial, so you’re compensated fairly.
With this in mind, let’s explore how you can build a strong case and maximize your compensation.
7. Legal Representation
Having an experienced personal injury lawyer can significantly increase your settlement amount. Studies show that accident victims who hire an attorney often recover 3-3.5x more on average compared to those who negotiate on their own.
They know exactly how to build a strong case for you based on all the elements we’ve just discussed.
A skilled lawyer helps build a solid case by:
- Assessing the full extent of your injury
- Gathering and preserving evidence
- Proving liability
- Handling insurance negotiations
An experienced legal team like No Bull Law can take care of the complex legal process while you focus on recovery. Book a free consultation today to discuss your case and potential outcomes.
What You Can Do to Build Your Rotator Cuff Injury Claim
Building a strong rotator cuff injury claim takes more than just proving you were hurt—you have to show the full impact of your injury on your health, finances, and daily life.
- Keep track of all medical treatments: Make sure you save records of every doctor’s visit, test, surgery, physical therapy session, and prescription.
- Stay on top of medical expenses: Hold onto all bills, surgery costs, rehabilitation fees, and any out-of-pocket costs. These can add up quickly, and it's important to ensure you’re properly reimbursed.
- Log missed working and lost income: Keep a record of any days you’ve had to take off—whether it's for recovery, medical appointments, or ongoing treatment. If your injuries affect your ability to work long-term, make a note of that, too.
- Journal your pain and suffering: Keeping a journal to document your pain levels, emotional stress, and how your injury affects your daily life can paint a clearer picture of your suffering.
- Get a good personal injury lawyer on your side: An experienced attorney—like those at No Bull Law—can help you navigate the claims process, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Shouldering the Burden? Let No Bull Law Do the Heavy Lifting
Dealing with a rotator cuff injury is tough enough—you shouldn’t have to fight for fair compensation on top of it. Between medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering that comes with recovery, you deserve a settlement that truly reflects the impact of your injury.
At No Bull Law, we cut through the red tape and get straight to what matters—securing the compensation you need to move forward.
Don’t let the insurance companies give you the cold shoulder. Reach out to No Bull Law today for a free case consultation, and let’s get the results you deserve.
