Arm & Shoulder Injuries
In most circumstances, arm injuries are not as serious as leg injuries. Because our legs support the body and absorb the wear and tear of walking, running and other daily activity, incurring a serious injury to the knee, ankle or hip can cause major inconveniences – extended time away from work, loss of mobility, therapy and surgery. Pain in the legs often spreads to the lower back, hips, sides and feet, making many leg injuries completely disabling.
Arm injuries, on the other hand, usually heal a lot faster, and do so with much higher rates of complete recovery than most leg injuries. Except in cases of mangled limbs, severe burns, lacerations, or amputations, we can usually work and participate normally in life soon after we’ve gotten proper medical treatment for arm injuries, and pain and discomfort is normally localized to the area of the arm where the injury occurred.
Even so, when an arm injury is caused by another’s negligence and it has an effect on the injured person’s ability to earn income, the negligent party should be held accountable for the pain and inconvenience they caused. At the Law Offices of Joseph Perez, we believe that any injury that could have been avoided is an injury that deserves the counsel of an experienced lawyer.
Joe and his legal team have helped many in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News and throughout the Tidewater region with many types of arm injuries, and we can help you as well. If you’ve suffered a burn, fracture or other injury to the shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand, and you don’t believe your insurance company is taking your claim seriously, talk to an attorney who will. Contact Joe Perez today.
Sports and Arm Injuries
The majority of arm injuries occur during sports or other physical activities. The law generally doesn’t allow you to initiate a lawsuit against an individual as a result of an injury you incurred during a “pick-up” game you willingly engaged in, unless that person was willfully negligent to your person (in an assault case, for example).
Organized leagues and school, city or county sponsored sports leagues for football, baseball, basketball, wrestling and other sports usually have some form of blanket insurance in place to cover certain types of arm injuries that may occur during practice or competition. But often, negotiating a fair settlement with an insurance company for sports injuries may require the services of an attorney. In Norfolk and Tidewater, Virginia, Joe Perez can help you.
Shoulder Injuries
Until we suffer a debilitating injury to one or both of our shoulders, we tend to take for granted the fundamental role our shoulders play in nearly every physical activity we undertake. As the joint in the body with the greatest range of motion, the shoulder also affects a wide range of areas that impact our overall physical health, including posture, coordination and muscle strength. In jobs that require heavy lifting and weight bearing activities – such as construction work, warehousing, delivery and other areas - injuries to the shoulder are very common. When such injuries occur, your employer is required to pay you workers compensation for any medical bills and loss of wages you’ve endured. If you’ve suffered a shoulder injury on the job, Joe Perez can help you.
Birth Injuries involving Erb’s Palsy - Or Brachioplexus Palsy
Erb’s Palsy is one of the most serious of arm injuries, and occurs at birth. The result of a common complication with larger babies (typically those over 8 ½ lbs.), Erb’s Palsy occurs when the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves and tissue running from the shoulder to the wrist, is torn as a result of an obstetrician extracting the newborn from the womb incorrectly or with too much force . Erb’s Palsy results in total paralysis of the affected arm.
Today, obstetricians are well-versed in the dangers of damaging the brachial plexus during labor and possess the tools, training and techniques to avoid it. Despite this, Erb’s Palsy remains one of the most common birth injuries, and makes up a significant percentage of medical malpractice lawsuits initiated each year. If your child is suffering from Erb’s Palsy, Joe Perez can help you.
Osteoporosis and Fractured Limbs
As we grow older, our bone density begins to diminish and we become more susceptible to bone fractures. When loss of bone density becomes severe, a condition known as osteoporosis may develop. Osteoporosis is most common among women after menopause. A deficiency in calcium and Vitamin D in the diet can increase one’s chances of developing the disease.
When an elderly person with osteoporosis slips and falls, their chances of sustaining a severe bone fracture are greatly multiplied. Bones in the shoulder, elbow, wrist and collarbone that in a younger person can protect the rest of the body from impact can snap and break when an elderly person falls. This is often why fractured shoulders, wrists and collarbones are so common among the elderly. If you or a loved one has suffered an arm fracture or injury as a result of a fall, Joe Perez can help you.
Elbow Injuries
Elbow injuries are a subject often discussed in ergonomics, which is the study of workplace conditions and their long and short term effects on workers’ physical health. In construction work, meatpacking, warehouse work, delivery and other professions that sometimes demand heavy lifting and other types of physical exertion, epicondylitis (also known as “tennis elbow”) is a common injury. Tennis elbow occurs when tendons near the elbow that control motion of the hands and wrists are torn. Repetitive, forceful overexertion of the arms causes microscopic tears in the tendons. Without proper rest and time to heal, tennis elbow can lead to more serious issues, sometimes requiring surgery to repair the torn tendons. If you’ve suffered an elbow injury on the job, Joe Perez can help you.
