Accidents are much too common in Iowa’s workplaces, and a worker who injures their shoulder might need to miss weeks or even months of work if they can’t even lift their arm. Fortunately, the state’s workers’ compensation system can pay for medical care and provide partial wage replacement. Call our law firm if you were hurt while working. We can help you submit a claim or, if your claim was already rejected, we can file an appeal.
In this article, a Cedar Falls workers’ compensation attorney looks at shoulder injury cases and discusses what factors will impact how much you receive.
Average Shoulder Injury Workers’ Comp Settlement
In 2022-2023, the average workers’ comp settlement for a shoulder or arm injury was $55,115. That came out to:
- Medical care: $28,166
- Wage loss: $26,949
This number is only an average and is several years old, to boot. With the rising cost of medical care, the average medical expense is probably 15-25% higher in 2025. Wage loss benefits might be higher, too.
How much can you receive in your claim? An “average” is a good starting point, but it does not reveal much about how much you can receive. Your particular situation will depend on the seriousness of the shoulder injury, as well as treatment. Someone who needs surgery will likely receive a higher settlement than if you only need rest and conservative treatment.
Likewise, more serious injuries probably keep you out of work, and they might leave you with permanent impairment. Consequently, your claim might be much higher than the average listed here.
How Workers Injure Their Shoulders
Workers can injure their shoulders in various ways:
- Falls, where a worker lands on their shoulder
- Struck-by accidents, such as getting hit by a forklift or a falling hammer
- Overexertion, such as lifting a heavy object
- Repetitive motions, including regular lifting over a workers’ head
Workers in all industries are vulnerable to shoulder injuries. True, we see these injuries more commonly in construction and warehouse work, but even desk workers can injure their shoulders.
9 Common Shoulder Injuries
1. Rotator Cuff Injury
Injury to the muscles and tendons around the shoulder can lead to a rotator cuff injury. The most common symptoms are a dull ache, as well as difficulty raising your arm over your head.
Some workers develop a rotator cuff injury after years of reaching over their head for hours at a time. This is a common injury with carpenters and painters, who are constantly reaching up. Other workers may develop a rotator cuff injury in a traumatic accident, such as a fall where they land on their shoulder.
Minor rotator cuff injuries might improve with rest and injections to control inflammation. However, more serious injuries can require surgery, such as open tendon repair or tendon transfer.
2. Shoulder Strain or Sprain
Muscles or ligaments in the shoulder can be stretched or even torn, usually because of overexertion or repetitive stress. Workers should learn proper lifting techniques so they do not injure themselves, but training might be inadequate. A shortage of staff can also lead to workers trying to lift heavier items all by themselves.
This injury might only require rest and ice to reduce swelling. A worker should be able to return to their job after a couple of weeks, but more serious trains or sprains can take longer to heal.
3. Bursitis
This injury involves inflammation of bursa, which are fluid-filled sacks providing cushion to the joints. Repetitive motions can damage the bursa, leading to inflammation and pain. A worker might be unable to move their arm if the pain gets so bad.
This is a common injury with workers on assembly lines, as well as office workers due to poor posture. Conservative treatment is often helpful.
4. Shoulder Tendonitis
The shoulder tendons can become irritated or inflamed due to lifting, pushing, or repetitive reaching. Janitors and carpenters can suffer this injury, but anyone who engages in repetitive motion can wake up with tendonitis in their shoulder.
Like other soft tissue injuries, tendonitis should heal on its own if a worker gets enough rest. But some workers are pushed to return too soon, which aggravates their injury.
5. Dislocated Shoulder
This is a gruesome injury where the upper arm bone pops out of the socket. A doctor will need to push it back in, which is called “relocation.”
A worker can suffer a dislocated shoulder when involved in a motor vehicle accident for work, or if struck by a forklift. Construction workers and delivery drivers suffer dislocated shoulders. Once the bone is relocated, workers might need rehabilitation to strengthen their shoulder and improve the range of motion.
6. Broken Shoulder
A shoulder fracture could involve a break in any of the bones in the shoulder, such as the socket or ball. Symptoms include bruising and pain. A broken shoulder is difficult to heal. Some workers need a cast, while others can wear a brace or sling. The time to heal depends on many factors, including the severity of the break and the workers’ age.
7. Labral Tear
This injury involves a tear in the ring of cartilage which provides stability to the shoulder joint. A common cause is trauma from a struck-by accident. Other workers suffer a tear due to repetitive overhead motions, including lifting.
Doctors often order conservative treatment for a labral tear, but surgical repair might be necessary to promote healing.
8. Nerve Compression
Compression on a shoulder nerve can lead to numbness or weakness, especially in the arms and hands. Nerve compression typically requires releasing whatever is pressing on the nerve. Direct trauma, including a blow to the shoulder area, is another cause of numbness or nerve pain.
9. Arthritis
Arthritis involves degeneration of cartilage in the shoulder and is a common injury as many people age. But workers could suffer arthritis from an occupational injury, including wear and tear from lifting heavy objects.
Occupational arthritis tends to degenerate (get worse) over time. Injections can reduce swelling and manage pain, while some workers need modifications to the job or worksite to help them continue working.
Call Our Office to Speak with a Cedar Falls Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Our firm is proud to help injured workers in workers’ compensation cases. We never settle for an “average” settlement but push to receive as much as possible under the law. Contact us to schedule a consultation. We are always available 24/7 for every client we represent.