By: Michael J. McConnell – Westchester County workers’ compensation lawyer serving all of Westchester, NYC, Rockland, and New York State.
Rotator cuff injuries are one of the most common work-related shoulder injuries in Westchester County and the rest of New York. These injuries often cause workers to miss work, and sometimes they require surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff.
Even if the injured worker is able to return to work after a rotator cuff injury, they are likely to have permanent impairment, which could entitle them to a Schedule Loss of Use (SLU) award. SLU awards can result in additional financial compensation for a work-related injury.
In this article, I will answer the following:
- What is a rotator cuff injury?
- What are some common examples of workplace injuries that cause rotator cuff tears?
- What is the process for getting workers’ compensation for a rotator cuff tear in New York.
This article is not by any means intended to provide medical advice. If you have been injured, please seek immediate medical treatment with a licensed medical professional.
Additionally, if you have been injured at work and have specific questions about your case, it is recommended that you schedule a free consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer who can assess the unique issues involved with your claim.
What is a rotator cuff injury?
The rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons in the shoulder. It can tear through activities like repetitive overhead activity over a period of time. It can also tear from a single accident, such as a fall.
Symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include:
- Dull aching pain
- Disruptions to sleep
- Difficulty reaching behind your head or back
- Overall weakness using the arm
It is important to seek proper medical treatment for a rotator cuff tear as failing to do so could lead to complications including “permanent loss of motion or weakness of the shoulder joint” according to the Mayo Clinic.
Diagnostic tests like xrays, MRIs, and ultrasounds can be used to help your doctor determine if you have a torn rotator cuff.
Physical therapy may be prescribed as a form of conservative treatment, but sometimes injections or surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff is necessary.
Common Work Related Causes of Rotator Cuff Tears in Westchester County Workers’ Compensation
As noted above, some rotator cuff tears are caused by repetitive use of the shoulder whereas others are caused by a specific accident like a fall.
The following occupations in Westchester County tend to do a lot of repetitive movement over their shoulders and as a result are prone to rotator cuff tears:
- Construction
- Painters
- Carpenters
- Manufacturing
- Assembly line workers
- Cleaners
- Landscapers
There are also jobs in Westchester County that require heavy lifting (even if just occasionally) that tend to see a fair amount of rotator cuff tears due to instances of a specific accident, including:
- Nurses
- Warehouse employees
- Construction
- Mechanics
- Tire technicians
- Plumbers
- Machine operators
- Personal trainers
- Physical therapists
- Roofers
- Corrections officers
- Loaders
- Slot attendants
- Housekeepers
Even in professions that don’t involve much heavy lifting, rotator cuff tears are still one of the more frequent work-related shoulder injuries. Falls are noted to be a common cause of rotator cuff tears, and they can happen to anyone at any given time – including the most sedentary of jobs like office workers, secretaries, and administrative employees.
The Process for Getting Workers’ Compensation for a Rotator Cuff Injury in Westchester County and New York State
In New York, there are several types of benefits that may be available to workers who suffered a rotator cuff injury, including compensation for lost wages, medical treatment, and a Schedule Loss of Use award for any permanent impairment that results to the shoulder. To learn more about these benefits, please see my past blog posts on compensation for lost wages and Schedule Loss of Use (SLU).
To receive the above-mentioned workers’ compensation benefits for your rotator cuff injury in New York, it is generally important to do these seven important things:
- Seek immediate medical treatment for your injury.
- Notify your employer of your injury in writing as soon as possible and at least within 30 days after your accident. (The sooner the better.)
- File a formal workers’ compensation claim by filing a C-3 Employee Claim Form with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board.
- If you are missing time from work due to the injury, then make sure that you get a note from your doctor taking you out of work and confirm that they have sent the medical report detailing your disability to the Workers’ Compensation Board.
- Continue to follow up with your doctor regularly as recommended by your doctor and attend any recommended physical therapy.
- If surgery is needed, your doctor may need to seek authorization from the insurance company.
- One year after your injury (or surgery), you may consider going to your doctor for a “Schedule Loss of Use Exam” where the doctor will indicate whether you have permanent impairment to the shoulder. If you do, you could be entitled to additional compensation beyond what you were paid for the time that you missed from work. The SLU award will take credit for prior payments, however, which means that the overall award will subtract money that was paid to you previously.
You may also wish to consider legal representation as a New York workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to help pursue the maximum amount of compensation available to you under the law.
Insurance companies are known to cut corners and try to save every penny they can in an effort to maximize their own profits, so having a lawyer represent your interests and stand up to them can be critical.
With that said, the decision on whether to hire a lawyer is completely up to you. The good news is that workers’ compensation lawyers tend to offer free consultations, so it should generally cost you absolutely nothing to at least talk with one about your case.
The Law Office of Michael J. McConnell offers free consultations to injured workers with zero strings attached. Please reach out here to schedule your free consultation with a Westchester County workers’ compensation attorney.
Conclusion
Rotator cuff tears are a very common work-related injury in Westchester County, NYC, and the rest of New York State. These injuries are generally caused by repetitive overhead job duties, but they can also occur due to specific accidents like falls. Treatment can include physical therapy, injections, and/or surgery. It is important to seek immediate medical treatment if you suspect a rotator cuff tear. And of course, workers’ compensation benefits may be available to you if you have injured your rotator cuff at work in New York.
If you injured your rotator cuff in New York, please contact the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell right now for your free consultation.
Want to know more about Michael J. McConnell – Westchester County workers’ compensation lawyer?
Michael J. McConnell is a Westchester workers’ compensation lawyer dedicated to pursuing justice for injured workers across New York State, including Yonkers, White Plains, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Rockland County, and Long Island.
Michael J. McConnell is a former Manhattan prosecutor who also has over half a decade of experience managing New York workers’ compensation claims for a major insurance company.
Michael J. McConnell takes a no-nonsense approach on every case – no games, no gimmicks. The goal is always to relentlessly pursue the maximum amount of compensation available while being a steady and calm guide to his clients.
Contact Michael J. McConnell Westchester County workers’ compensation lawyer now for your free consultation.
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Page last updated 4/7/25.