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Shoulder Injury Compensation Claims & Settlement Amounts

By Ian Morris | Updated June 12th, 2024

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Many people in the UK suffer with chronic shoulder pain that can have a severe impact on independence and ability to work, often leading to a loss of income. Such injuries can make it hard to perform simple tasks such as dressing and washing, and may require post accident care. Compensation awarded for a shoulder injury claim can help in many ways.

Types of shoulder injury

The shoulder is a vital component in human movement and free movement of the shoulder is vital for usual dexterity and personal independence. Often, injuries such as frozen shoulder and rotator cuff damage may also lead to associated pain and injuries to the neck and back, and can cause nerve damage. Typical shoulder injuries include:

Dislocation of the shoulder
Ligament and tendon sprains and strains
Fractures of the shoulder joint and upper arm
Repetitive strain injuries such as Bursitis
Frozen shoulder
Rotator cuff damage

Can I claim shoulder injury compensation?

If you have suffered an injury to your shoulder in an accident that was not your fault you have a right to make a claim for compensation. As with any claim in the United Kingdom, it must be made within 3 years of the date of the injury. It is important to note that it is wise to avoid delaying a claim and ensure that as much of the 3 years is available as possible.

The most common shoulder injuries at the heart of a claim for compensation are caused by falls, slips and trips, in accidents at work or on the road.

If you have slipped or tripped due to a hazard on the floor, a disrepaired pavement or other surface and injured your shoulder, you can make a claim against the business or landowner in question. Work-related injury claims are made against the employer. In either case, you must prove they were negligent in their duty to maintain a safe environment. As with any claim, it is important to ensure that the details of your accident are reported in an accident book.

If you are uncertain as to whether or not you can claim shoulder injury compensation, speak with our expert staff for friendly, helpful advice. We know your rights and can help you understand what options are available to you.

How can claiming help me?

If you are suffering with a debilitating shoulder injury, such as a rotator cuff issue, frozen shoulder, or ligament damage after a dislocation, it is likely that your working life and personal life have been heavily impacted.

At Direct2Compensation we will ensure any claim for shoulder injury compensation you make is given the maximum prospect of succeeding. We know that you will be struggling with a loss of income if you’ve been forced to take time off work, or that you may have had to employ the services of a gardener or cleaner to help you around the home. You may also need help to get dressed or cook meals.

By succeeding with a claim for shoulder injury compensation, not only will our specialist solicitors ensure that you receive an appropriate financial settlement for the pain and discomfort, but we’ll also ensure that any lost income or incurred costs are recovered.

In cases where your long term ability to work is affected, or you need to employ help long term, we’ll ensure that any settlement awarded to you takes your future losses and costs into account.

A further benefit of making a claim for shoulder injury compensation is that you may be able to access specialist rehabilitation treatments at the cost of the defendant insurer. In cases where liability is admitted, our solicitors will act on medical evidence to ensure that any possible routes to recovery are considered, and if appropriate, provided as part of your claim.

Compensation amounts for shoulder injuries

The following is a guide to settlements for the injury only, excluding lost income and expenses, so your final compensation amount could be much higher.

Severity of injury	Compensation amount
Severe, resulting in significant disability. Often associated with neck injuries.	£18k - £45k
Serious, with persisting symptoms after surgery. Eg. dislocation, rotator cuff injury.	£12k - £18k
Moderate, with symptoms persisting a few years but not permanent. Eg. frozen shoulder, soft tissue injuries.	£7k - £12k
Minor, with considerable pain but almost complete recovery within a few years.	Up to £7k
Fractured clavicle	£5k - £11k

How long will my claim take?

It is not possible to assign a definitive time frame to any claim as much depends on issues like the severity of a shoulder injury, the recovery process and handling of the claim by the defendant insurers.

Our solicitors will work hard to ensure that the claim is handled in your best interest and as fast as possible. The claims process does afford defendants a prescribed timescale to respond to various elements of the claim and our solicitors will hold them to such timescales and if need be, use the courts to enforce such demands.

How do I start my shoulder injury compensation claim?

Starting your claim for shoulder injury compensation is easy. We realise that any kind of legal action is daunting and that you may have questions and concerns. Our team are well trained experts with 20 years’ experience in claims and know your rights. We are here to help you understand your options, the claims process and how we can help you. You can call our friendly and helpful staff on 01225 430285 or get your claim started online today. We look forward to helping you make your claim.

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Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus shoulder injury claim examples...

hi, injured my shoulder in work pulling a door open, the door was just fitted and it was stiff and didn’t open when i pulled it which has now cause me to injure my shoulder i have been told that i cannot make a claim as no-one else has reported this happening to them and also because no-one has came out to fix said door, i have been to hospital on a few occasions and have been off work going on 4 weeks now am in significant pain especially at night and my doctor has prescribed strong painkillers i have also had an MRI which details there is damage and i have now been referred to orthopaedics for further investigations, does this warrant a claim or would i be wasting my time? thanks.

We would like to investigate this matter further with you as we feel that there could be grounds to pursue a claim. We have succeeded in a number of claims of a similar nature over the years, with our specialist Solicitors obtaining settlement and recovery of lost income for people injured in the way you have been injured.

Please call us on 01225430285 or use our website to request a call from us for further help.

My G.P missed a diagnosis of a torn rotator for 10 yrs i complained over many many years. My husband was self building a home studio he had work surfaces delivered to the front of house 2012/13.
He ordered them with specific instructions that there be 2 men to lift the work tops to the front of house, only one man was available. He arrived at the house alone, i helped carry one and I tore my rotator cuff by 8 millimetres.
I went to see a private G.P locally. He diagnosed bursitis in the shoulder, and a possible torn rotator cuff.
He recommended cortisone injections that would cost £2000. I had to seek private pain relief there wasn’t any other.
My G.P refused to offer any other pain relieving treatments but she recommended I go to a chronic pain clinic at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
My torn rotator cuff injury was finally diagnosed 31st of May 23. There is no recommendation of any treatment.

We have Solicitors that specialise in the difficult area of personal injury that is clinical negligence compensation and as with all of our claims, they run clinical negligence matters on a No Win No Fee basis, so you can pursue this without worrying about the costs.

Given your description of the situation, it would seem that this matter warrants detailed consideration by a clinical negligence specialist and we would be more than happy to assist with that.

Hi I had an accident on 1st Sept 2022 where I tripped on stairs and fractured my shoulder(glenoid fracture). This happened on the stairs to my flat and the flooring on these stairs is in need of repair!
Can I still make a claim?

Please call us on 01225430285 or use our website to start your claim. You have 3 years from the date of your accident in which you can make a claim and it’s always sensible to avoid any delay in starting the process. If you can, please obtain photographs of the stair surface issue that caused you to fall as this will be really helpful evidence to support your claim going forward.

I have a shoulder injury, a rotator cuff injury. I haven’t completed an injury at work form as this I am told is a repetitive injury. I started to get pain in my shoulder from about December 2021 and the pain has become increasingly worse throughout the year, which forces me to take sick leave for 3 months. I also had to give up a role due to this injury. Can I claim?

Your symptoms developed around 1 year ago, meaning that you are still inside the 3 year claim limitation period and can (& should!) therefore now investigate the potential to pursue a No Win No Fee claim for personal injury compensation for the injury to your shoulder. If you can succeed with a claim, not only will you receive compensation for the pain, discomfort and disadvantage caused to you by the shoulder injury, but you’ll also be able to recover any lost income or performance bonuses that you have lost out on due to the injury. If liability can be established and it is possible to prove that the shoulder injury caused you to lose out on a potential new position/promotion, that would also form part of the claim.

Initially, we need a brief telephone conversation to speak with you about how the shoulder injury developed in terms of the work you undertake and the nature of the working environment. We can then advise as to whether you can pursue a claim and if so, our Solicitors can act for you on a No Win No Fee basis.

I was knocked off my bike (mountain bike). The driver went past a give way sign and road markings and hit me from the rear/side portion of my bike. He admitted fault and wrote a report stating that.

I have a small tear to my tendon within my rotator cuff – the top tendon. also grazes and bruising which has now gone – bike is a mess. it has been over a week am i am in pain with limited mobility.

I have been recommended physio for the first month as i am in pain and cannot raise my arm fully without significant pain if not at all. I am waiting to confirm whether i will have an MRI scan also.

Do I have a decent claim here and what can I expect?

Was your accident after the 1st June 2021 or before? The reason I ask is that this will determine whether or not you can instruct a Solicitor to act for you in a cycling accident claim (which by the way is certainly a valid action given the scenario you describe), or whether you will have to claim via the insurers portal. Since 1st June 2021, any ‘soft tissue’ injury caused in a road traffic accident must have a value exceeding £5000 for a claimant to be able to instruct a Solicitor to act for them. Any value below that will see the claimant forced to accept a significantly reduced settlement as the insurers have managed to get the Government to allow them to have their cake and eat it with regards to motor insurance personal injury claims.

That said, you do have a significant injury and it may well be the case that your value would exceed the £5000 value, but time will need to pass for that to be known.

Thanks for the answer. I’ll sure look into this with you.

However, I have read online that I should be exempt from the whiplash reform, as a cyclist I am classed a vulnerable person and do not fall within the scope of the reform.

That may be the case – our Solicitors can consider the specific details of your situation at the time and advise you further.

I am a housekeeper in a nursing home, at the end of my shift I have to empty my trolley which means carrying a bag of wet mops outside to the laundry which are usually very heavy and today I wake up (after struggling with the bag yesterday) with extreme muscle pain from my shoulder right through my arm.

Has your employer provided manual handling training to you? Have they shown you how to lift and move items safely? How to identify whether an item is too heavy to lift alone? If the employer has not provided you with such training, you can certainly make a claim for compensation. It is important that your discomfort and symptoms are reported to the employer – you should request that the injury is recorded in the accident book and make sure that you inform the employer that the pain occurred as a result of the heavy lifting of the wet mops. You should also seek medical attention regarding the injury.

If your employer has provided you with manual handling training, you may still be able to make a claim for compensation if the working environment makes it impossible to follow the training you have received or if the bag of wet mops exceeds the safe lifting limit.

I was working as cleaner in school. We were asked to close windows and after cleaning one of them I had to really stretch to wind the window shut. I felt something in my upper back and shoulder, it’s very painful, nurse at our surgery says it could be rotator cuff or the trapeze muscle.

You may have grounds to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation as a result of the rotator cuff injury you have sustained at work. We would like to further investigate this for you on a No Win No Fee basis. Please provide more information via the start your claim form on our website and we’ll have this matter looked into for you.

Hello, I work for a Windows &Doors Company and last week while I was fitting a window I have damaged my shoulder. I will be off from work for 2 weeks, to start with (I have a medical referal), but, it could be allot more.
The reason that happened was because nobody done any Survey or risk assessment on site before me going there to do the job, otherwise they would gave me a man to help with the weight.
So, what do you recommend? Do I have a case?

Given the lack of risk assessment or site survey prior to your attendance on the job, you would appear to have a robust claim for compensation for the injury to your shoulder.

Hi my partner was attacked on his way to work 2 weeks ago helping someone who had been attacked an the men came back an attacked him resulting in a fractured clavical and this has resulted in loss of earnings and time off work etc, would he be eligible to make a claim?

Your partner can pursue a claim via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) scheme. This is a tax payer funded scheme that provides compensation for the victims of criminal injury during an assault or during a criminal act. To qualify for the scheme, a claimant must have reported the matter to the police and cooperated with the police during their investigations (a crime reference number is needed) and medical attention would be required – which would obviously have been the case here. A claimant must also pursue their CICA claim within 2 years of the incident.

We have Solicitors who can assist with such claims on a No Win No Fee basis.

Not long after switching to a desk job within the company I started with shoulder pain and over the years this turned in to a Frozen shoulder. Working 8 hours per day sat in the same position and only being able to get up for the 15 min morning break, 30 lunch and another 15 in the afternoon due to being on the phone to customers as resulted in me having the operation a few months ago for this. Is there anything I can do? I’ve since found out everyone should have a few mins away from the desk regularly?

Employers have a duty of care to ensure that work stations are set up correctly and that appropriate safety measures – such as short breaks and the ability to stand up and move around are provided. You can request a work station assessment from your employer to get alterations made.

Please call us on 01225430285 and we’ll then investigate your claim for you.

Desk set up & equipment provided however frequent and short breaks were not. Occupational Health advised this should be followed for every member of staff.

We would like to investigate your potential claim in more detail and offer some help. Remember, we offer a no obligation no win no fee service so you can discuss your situation with us and understand your rights and options regarding the injuries you have sustained.

I have hurt my shoulder at work and I wanted some advice on what to do.

We can help you to understand your rights after an accident at work and what options are open to you in terms of any pursuit of legal action or claims for compensation against the employer.

Firstly, you should make sure that a record is made with the employer regarding the injury you have sustained at work. Most employers will have an accident book, some may have an online reporting system, but all employers must record the details of any injury in the workplace.

Secondly, you should seek the appropriate professional medical help for the nature of the injury you have sustained. Whether that be by attending your GP or visiting an A&E department or a minor injuries unit, it is important that the initial symptoms of the injury are recorded. In terms of making a claim for personal injury compensation, having an injury assessed at an early date is really helpful to the Solicitor pursuing a claim. If the injury then continues to be problematic for a long period, it becomes easier for a specialist medical expert to report on the severity of the initial injury and give a supportive prognosis for a Solicitor to use to ensure that the element of the personal injury claim attributed to the value of the injury is properly understood.

Thirdly, you should call us on 01225430285 to find out how our specialist Solicitors can help you obtain compensation for the injury, recover any loss of wages and ensure that specialist rehabilitation therapies are provided if appropriate.

I worked as an auditor between 2007 and 2014 travelling between offices with a one strap laptop bag which was carried over one shoulder. My left shoulder is now really damaged from what I can only imagine was this job. Is it my fault for not buying a backpack or should the employer have given this. How could I prove anything either?

The main ‘problems’ you would face in now attempting to pursue a claim are the time lapsed between that work and now (6 years) and the fact that any claim must be made within 3 years of the date of an injury or 3 years from the date of knowledge (the point at which you should have known you were injured), also proving a causal link between that work, the shoulder strap and the injury now is likely to be impossible.

I had a injury at work which has caused torn ligaments. I have had 3 lots of cortisone injections but still in pain so I’m waiting for an operation. I lost wages from work to time off with pain in my shoulder, it’s been going on 18 months, how much compensation should I get?

We can’t accurately provide any realistic advice on what amount of compensation you may receive as we just don’t know how well your recovery will go or whether you will ever recover. Therefore, the potential value of your claim could continue to rise.

What we can do is help you make a claim with our specialist accident at work Solicitors who would ensure that expert medical reports were obtained in order that a proper understanding of your long term recovery prospects was known so that your claim was settled at the correct amount. The Solicitors would also ensure that any loss of income and out of pocket expenses were also recovered to ensure that you were adequately compensated for the pain and discomfort of the injury, your loss of income and the stress of the situation caused to you.

hi , I work in a large furniture store and about 5 weeks ago a delivery of new display beds was made to the store, there was no else available to unload the very heavy beds so myself and a college who are both in our 60s helped unload off a lorry and take them upstairs and unpack and assemble.
While I was dragging a very headboard I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder but thought nothing of it.
A couple of days later it was still quite painfully and whilst I was gardening I slipped and fell on my aching shoulder again did not think much of it.
The next morning when I woke up I could not move and my shoulder was extremely painful.
I phoned in sick but the next day when I woke up I was in such pain I went to a&e by taxi and was told I had torn a ligament and was given strong pain killers and my arm was put in a sling and told it would take months to heal. I stayed off work for 8 days.
Five weeks later I am still in lots of pain and if try to lift my shoulder becomes very painful.
Do I have any claim against my employer?

You may well have a claim against your employer. Has your employer ever provided you with manual handling training and advised you how to lift and move safely? Whilst the item you were lifting may not have exceeded the safe lifting weight, due to the size and shape of the item it could well be the case that it should have been a 2 person lift.

We would be happy to help you look further in to making a claim against your employer. You can call our team on 01225430285 or ask us to contact you at a time that suits you to get your claim started.

I used to work for a car rental company where we did a lot of driving collecting cars etc. about 10 years ago and I had a serious car accident which was not my fault and the car was written off. Many years later I started developing problems with my knees and shoulders and I have not had any joint issues at all before that or other illnesses etc. I have seen a few different doctors over the years for the issues and only recently was it suggested to me by a doctor that a serious impact could have damaged the joints and it might only show up many years later. During the accident both my knees hit the dash and I was holding the wheel with both arms so I had a sudden jolt in my shoulders too but at the time I didn’t have any pain to just went back to work. A report was written etc in the system. The joint issues I now deal with on a daily basis have changed my life as I can’t do many things I used to such as sports or exercise also my work is mainly computer based and my shoulders give me a lot of pain when using a computer now and had to take over a year off work to help with the recovery and stayed with family to support me.

I am not sure what my options are if this is something I can claim through my employer at the time etc as it has really affected my quality of life.

Unfortunately, you are out of limitation under UK law and cannot pursue a claim. The law relating to personal injury claims in the UK requires any claim to be made within 3 years of the date of the accident. Any attempt to claim beyond the 3rd anniversary of the accident date will not be accepted.

I work in a nursing home, 27 months ago one of my duties were to clean the store cupboard, as i was stacking boxes a memory foam mattress which was stacked on its end slipped down and brushed against my leg causing me to fall forward. I put my arms out to protect myself and hurt my shoulder. I informed the nurse on shift who thought i should seek medical attention at a&e, my husband was working away and my daughter had 5 children to look after. I carried on my shift after taking pain relief, during my shift the pain was getting more intense and by morning the pain was off the scale. I managed to drive home which was probably against the law. I phoned my daughter and she phoned for an ambulance.
She also phoned my work place and complained to them that they should of had a duty of care towards me as an employee, and told them that she had phoned for an ambulance as she thought i had broken my collar bone. Which was the case. After my treatment and returned home i informed my employer told them what had happened and for the nurse on shift to do a report. Am i entitled to make a claim? The bone is still broke and causing pain and discomfort still.

As long as your injury happened within the past 3 years (and you have said it was 27 months ago, so you are still inside that period), you have every right to make a claim.

I TRIPPED ON A STRAP IN WORK AND INJURED MY SHOULDER, I HAVE BEEN OUT FROM WORK FOR 4 WEEKS SICK AND NOT ABLE TO RETURN FOR A WHILE, I HAVE GIVEN MY EMPLOYER A WEEKS NOTICE, CAN I STILL CLAIM COMPENSATION?

The right to pursue a claim for compensation after an accident at work does not cease when the employee leaves the business, so you do retain your right to make your claim. Before you leave the employer, ensure that the details of the incident have been recorded in the work accident book if you can.

You have 3 years to pursue your claim for compensation and given your description of the cause of your shoulder injury, our initial view is that you have a good claim with a likelihood that our Solicitors would be able to pursue the matter successfully for you. If you were to succeed with a claim, you would be able to recover compensation for the shoulder injury, the value of which would only be known later in the process once a medical expert can give a recovery prognosis and also you would be able to recover any lost income. costs incurred or losses that are due to the injury.

Hi i work as a checkout operator and have just had a large shoulder operation most likely due to lifting heavy items over a conveyor belt. I have been off 10 weeks and still in recovery. My employers are asking me to do phase return. My consultant, physio and GP say i am not ready and my sicknote runs out on 2nd December and not been signed off by consultant yet. I am sure my shoulder needed extensive surgery as a result of my job. What would u suggest?

Firstly, with regards to whether or not you are able to return to work we suggest that you speak with both your Consultant and your employer. A phased return is the safest and best way for any person to return to work over a gradual and phased process. You should find out what work your employer wants you to do and find out if it is possible to perform light duties that do not require use of the shoulder etc. You should then discuss the same with your consultant to see if they are happy for you to do such work. If yes, great. If no, then you should follow your Consultants instructions.

With regards to the injury to your shoulder and making a claim against your employer, it is the case that you will need to establish that your injury was caused by your work and not an age related condition and that your employer has been negligent towards your health and safety at work. Your Consultant should be able to advise you as to whether or not (in their view) your injury is consistent with the work you were doing. If so, you should then look at what training and support your employer provided to minimise the risk of such an injury. Perhaps the employer has not provided you with the correct manual handling training or given you a work station that forced you to over-stretch to lift or move items of weight? If this (or similar) is the case, a claim may well be an appropriate next step.

Finally, you need to consider when your symptoms first materialised and confirm whether or not they developed within the past 3 years. If you first attended your GP with symptoms more than 3 years ago, you would likely be out of limitation and unable to make your claim. However, if less than 3 years has passed you should contact us to further discuss this situation.

I tripped over a carpet at work badly dislocating my shoulder there are bits of carpet everywhere and they are not taped down to make customers aware that they could be a hazard.

You should report the accident to the employer and record the details in their accident book. If possible (and it may well not be possible), it would be good to obtain some photographic evidence of the carpet and the dangerous condition of it.

We would be very happy to assist you in pursuing a claim for the injury to your shoulder and any associated losses as it would appear that you may well have a very strong claim for compensation.

I got injured at work lifting a very heavy carpet with a colleague. It was a 4 man lift of which I notified the management, but all they said was “you’ll be fine”! I have been signed off for 5 weeks with a sprained rotator cuff in my shoulder. Can I make a claim?

Your employer would appear to have disregarded their obligations to your health and safety at work by ignoring your concerns about the working method and possible risk of injury and as you have then sustained injury, you have every right to make a claim against their insurance for the pain and discomfort of your injury and for any associated loss of income and incurred costs.

The initial process would be for us to take some further information about your injury, your work and what has happened. We would then pass that to one of our specialist expert Solicitors who would have a further conversation with you before commencing a claim on a No Win No Fee basis.