Value of Shoulder Injuries

The value of a shoulder case can differ significantly on a case by case basis. The main factors to consider is the severity of injury and the corresponding amount of medical treatment that is required. A frozen shoulder requiring surgery is worth a lot more than a strained shoulder requiring physical therapy. Shoulder injuries can occur in a variety of ways, whether by lifting something heavy or repeating the same motion over and over as part of your job duties.

According to the Comp Pinkbook, which tracked workers’ compensation awards in Maryland over an 18-month period, shoulder injuries were the second most common kind of injury (low back injuries were the most common).

Statistics on the value of Shoulder injuries

Depending on how severe an injury is, permanency awards for a shoulder can be quite valuable. According to the Comp Pinkbook, the three highest individual awards for shoulder injuries were for $307,286, $254,400, and $253,230. The three highest settlements for individual shoulder injuries were for $250,000, $242,910, and $210,000.

That said, a typical permanency award for an injured shoulder is much less, with an average of $25,378. Moreover, it is not unusual for an injured worker to injure more than one body part in a work-related accident. This would obviously increase the value of your case. Consider these additional shoulder statistics:

Average PPD Awards:

Shoulder only: $25,378

Shoulder & Neck: $29,323

Shoulder & Low Back: $26,265

Shoulder & Wrist: $31,915

Shoulder & Arm(s): $30,510