This is a question we are asked often, because it is a fairly common injury. I recently asked the members of a jury pool in Gwinnett County how many people had a close family member or friend who had a torn rotator cuff and 8 hands went up out of 36. Of the 36, 1 previously had a full tear and 1 previously had a partial tear. It is certainly helpful when you have an injury that many folks can relate to, especially when it comes to permanent restrictions and limitations. The folks on that jury and the many clients I have represented who have suffered similar injuries, will tell you that even after surgery and physical therapy they still have trouble with everyday activities, like reaching for a cup on the top shelf of a cabinet or changing a lightbulb, without enduring some level of pain.
The value of a torn rotator cuff depends upon the type of case (individual v. individual, individual v. corporation, or individual v. truck company), the venue (Dekalb or Clayton, favorable venues for Plaintiffs, Cobb or Fayette County, favorable venues for Defendants), the type of injury (partial tear v. full-thickness tear), the mechanism of the injury itself, the amount of medical bills and what level of physical recovery the person has achieved. Of course, there are more variables to consider, but these are the anchors which increase or decrease the value.
All that being said, on the low end these cases have a value between $60,000-$80,000. Your case will fall in this range if you have had shoulder problems prior to the wreck or fall. If it is a premises case against a big box retailer or supermarket, there are typically arguments on what your actions were or what you could have seen prior to the fall, which may cap what the defendant is willing to offer. Specific examples in this range that Ponton Law has been involved in are $72,500 for a slip and fall at a supermarket, $75,000 for a slip and fall at a retailer, and $85,000.00 for a slip and fall at a supermarket.
On the high end these cases have a value between $100,000-$175,000. Examples of torn rotator cuff injuries that fall into this higher value category generally involve a car or truck (tractor-trailer) accident in a favorable venue with an unlikable corporate defendant. Ponton Law has been involved in a number of these types of cases, including $100,000 for a car wreck in Fulton County, $125,000 for a tractor-trailer wreck in Fulton County, $150,000 for a tractor-trailer wreck in Fulton County, and $197,500 involving a commercial vehicle wreck and a corporate defendant in Clayton County.
Contact Ponton Law today for a free case evaluation from an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney if you have suffered a similar injury at 404-418-8507. He has handled many of these types of cases and know what it takes to maximize the value of your claim.