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Guide · Car accidents · All states

Shoulder pain after a car accident

Updated By the Counselworthy teamGeneral information, not legal or medical advice

Short answer

Some shoulder pain needs care right away.

  • MedlinePlus lists a broken shoulder bone, a dislocation and rotator cuff tears among the causes of shoulder pain.
  • It says to go to the emergency room after a severe injury if the shoulder is very painful, swollen, bruised or bleeding.
  • In New Jersey, your own PIP pays treatment first.

Checked November 6, 2026.

Sources: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g). Every fact cites a source

Health facts here come from MedlinePlus, not from a doctor who knows you. They aren't medical advice. If you're hurt, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 911.

Checker

What are you dealing with?

Pick the closest one. It shows what MedlinePlus says and how New Jersey's rules treat it. Only a doctor can tell you what your injury is, and this can't tell you what a claim is worth.

Very painful, swollen, bruised or bleedingGet care right away
What it is
Signs MedlinePlus says need the emergency room after a severe injury.
Why it matters
MedlinePlus lists a broken shoulder bone and a dislocation among the causes of shoulder pain.
The rule
MedlinePlus says to go to the emergency room if you've just had a severe injury and your shoulder is very painful, swollen, bruised or bleeding.
What you can do now

Get care now. In an emergency, call emergency services.

Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain
My arm feels weakSee a provider soon
What it is
Weakness right after a sudden injury to the shoulder.
Why it matters
Loss of strength in the arm is one of the symptoms MedlinePlus lists for a torn rotator cuff.
The rule
MedlinePlus says to see your provider as soon as possible if your arm feels weak right after a sudden injury to your shoulder.
What you can do now

Make the appointment, and keep a note of when the weakness started.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
It still hurts weeks laterFollow up with a provider
What it is
Pain that hasn't let up with home treatment.
Why it matters
Whether an injury is permanent decides many New Jersey pain and suffering claims.
The rule
MedlinePlus says to contact your provider for pain lasting more than 2 to 4 weeks, even after home treatment. In New Jersey, an injury is permanent when it hasn't healed to function normally and won't with more treatment.
What you can do now

Ask your provider what the exam and any tests show, and keep copies.

Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
A rotator cuff tearKeep records
What it is
A tear in one of the rotator cuff tendons.
Why it matters
MedlinePlus says tears can happen suddenly from an injury or over time, and most adults have them by age 80.
The rule
Under New Jersey's lawsuit limit, a doctor's certification of a permanent injury must rest on objective clinical evidence, which may include medical testing.
What you can do now

Ask for copies of your imaging reports, and keep a record of when the pain started.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
Surgery was suggestedWorth a consultation
What it is
Surgery for a shoulder injury.
Why it matters
MedlinePlus says a provider may suggest surgery for a large tear, a tear from a recent injury, or symptoms that last 6 to 12 months.
The rule
With New Jersey's lawsuit limit, pain and suffering needs one of the listed injuries, like a displaced fracture or a permanent injury.
What you can do now

Get the surgeon's notes and ask what the findings are.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
I'm worried about the billsYour PIP pays first, in New Jersey
What it is
Medical bills from the crash.
Why it matters
PIP pays whoever caused the crash, so fault doesn't decide who pays them first.
The rule
PIP covers up to $250,000 per person unless a lower amount was chosen in writing. Bills above your PIP limit can be claimed from the person at fault.
What you can do now

Check your PIP medical limit on your declarations page.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-12; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(k)

When to get care right away for shoulder pain

MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, says to get care for these. In an emergency, call emergency services.

  1. A severe injury with a very painful shoulderGo to the emergency room if the shoulder is very painful, swollen, bruised or bleeding.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain
  2. An arm that feels weak right after the injurySee your provider as soon as possible.Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
  3. Pain for more than 2 to 4 weeksEven after home treatment, contact your provider.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain

What can cause shoulder pain after a crash

MedlinePlus says the shoulder can be unstable, so it can be easily injured. Its list of causes of shoulder pain includes a broken shoulder bone, a dislocated or separated shoulder, rotator cuff tears and injured tendons nearby.

It also says shoulder pain may be due to a problem in another area of the body, such as the neck. After a crash, that's one reason the shoulder and neck are often checked together.

Source: MedlinePlus, Shoulder Injuries and Disorders; MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Shoulder pain

Can a car accident tear your rotator cuff?

MedlinePlus says a rotator cuff tear can happen suddenly from an injury, such as falling on an outstretched arm or lifting something heavy, or over time.

Most come from wear and tear

MedlinePlus says most rotator cuff injuries are from the wear and tear of aging, and by age 80, most adults have tears.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
Not every tear hurts

Rotator cuff injuries don't always cause pain. When they do, MedlinePlus says it's often in the top part of the arm or shoulder.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
What treatment often is

Rest, ice, pain relievers and physical therapy exercises. Surgery may be an option if the shoulder doesn't feel better in 6 to 12 months.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
Why the timeline matters

A tear on a scan doesn't say by itself when it happened. Records of when the pain started, and what your provider found, are what show it.

Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries
Source: MedlinePlus, Rotator Cuff Injuries

NJWhat Jersey City's police reports show about shoulder injuries

Counselworthy analysis of NJDOT's crash tables for Jersey City. Each report has an injury box for every person hurt: the most serious injury police wrote, and where on the body it was.

  • 6%of people hurt in Jersey City crashes had their most serious injury in the shoulder or upper arm, by the police report (of those with a place recorded): 483 of 7,524.
  • 75%of people hurt in Jersey City crashes had pain as the most serious injury on the police report: 6,068 of 8,114.

What police wrote on each crash report (form NJTR-1), 2019 to 2023, the newest years NJDOT has published in full. It isn't a finding of fault. Source: NJDOT crash tables, checked November 8, 2026.

See every crash on Jersey City's crash map

The report is what an officer wrote at the scene, and it names only the most serious injury, so a sore shoulder next to a worse injury isn't counted. It's not a diagnosis. In New Jersey, whether a shoulder injury can support a pain and suffering claim turns on the doctor's certification, not the report.

NJWhat the firms' posted results say about shoulder injuries

Counselworthy analysis of the results the firms we rank post on their own sites, in each firm's own words. Firms post their best results, and many don't say what the shoulder injury was.

NJThe shoulder: 18 of 668 results

Results whose firm mentions the shoulder, in any words. From 8 firms. They run from $100,000 to $1,400,000, with a middle of $250,000.

Source: Counselworthy analysis of the results 31 ranked firms post on their own sites, checked November 8, 2026
NJA shoulder tear: 4 of 668 results

Results whose firm wrote of a torn shoulder or a shoulder tear. From 1 firm. Too few for a range: one shows once 3 firms post 5.

Source: Counselworthy analysis of the results 31 ranked firms post on their own sites, checked November 8, 2026
NJShoulder surgery: 5 of 668 results

Results whose firm wrote of the shoulder and surgery together. From 4 firms. They run from $234,000 to $1,185,000, with a middle of $405,000.

Source: Counselworthy analysis of the results 31 ranked firms post on their own sites, checked November 8, 2026

These are wins a firm chose to post, not an average, and not a value for anyone's claim. Many name other injuries too, like the neck or back. See every posted result, each in the firm's own words

NJWho pays for shoulder treatment

In New Jersey, your own auto policy's PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, up to $250,000 unless a lower amount was chosen in writing.

  1. Or your health insurance first, if you chose thatPIP then pays reasonable medical expenses your health insurance doesn't cover, up to your PIP limit.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(d); New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
  2. Bills past your PIP limitsThey can be claimed from the person at fault, along with deductibles and copayments through a driver's secondary insurance coverage.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-12; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(k)
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g)

NJHow a shoulder injury fits a claim in New Jersey

The lawsuit limit is the default on a New Jersey auto policy. With it, pain and suffering needs one of these injuries. For a shoulder, that usually means a displaced fracture or a permanent injury.

  1. Death
  2. Dismemberment
  3. Significant disfigurement or significant scarring
  4. Displaced fractures
  5. Loss of a fetus
  6. A permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement
NJWhat permanent means

The body part hasn't healed to function normally and won't with further medical treatment.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
NJWhat proves it

A doctor's certification based on objective clinical evidence, which may include medical testing.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
NJYour share of the fault

It cuts what you recover. Above 50%, you recover nothing.

Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1; N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.2
NJThe deadline

An injury lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years.

Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)

What to check, and what a shoulder number isn't

No public source reports an average shoulder injury settlement that we can check. Any number you see online is someone else's case. These are the parts people often miss.

  • DoKeep every record that shows when the shoulder pain started, and what each visit found.
  • DoCheck whether your policy has the lawsuit limit, on its coverage selection page.
  • DoAsk your provider what the objective findings are, and keep copies of imaging reports.
  • Don'tDon't read a firm's posted shoulder result as what yours is worth. Firms post their wins.
  • Don'tDon't trust a shoulder injury settlement calculator. New Jersey's jury instruction says there's no formula for pain and suffering.
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b); Model Civil Jury Charge 8.11E (revised May 2017)

Sources

General information, not legal or medical advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.

What to do next

Questions people ask

Is shoulder pain after a car accident serious?

It can be. MedlinePlus lists a broken shoulder bone, a dislocation and rotator cuff tears among the causes of shoulder pain, and says to go to the emergency room after a severe injury if the shoulder is very painful, swollen, bruised or bleeding.

How long does shoulder pain last after a car accident?

It depends on the injury. MedlinePlus says to contact your provider for shoulder pain that lasts more than 2 to 4 weeks, even after home treatment.

Can a car accident cause a torn rotator cuff?

MedlinePlus says a rotator cuff tear can happen suddenly from an injury, or over time. It also says most rotator cuff injuries come from the wear and tear of aging.

Who pays for shoulder treatment after a car accident in New Jersey?

Your own PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, unless you chose to make health insurance primary. Bills past your PIP limits can be claimed from the person at fault.

What is the average settlement for a shoulder injury from a car accident?

No public source reports one we can check. Firms post their wins. In New Jersey, whether the injury is permanent matters most, and the law gives no formula for pain and suffering.

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