Supreme Court Says Rotator Cuff Tear Qualifies as Scheduled 'Shoulder' Injury

In a case of first impression, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a worker’s rotator cuff tear was a scheduled shoulder injury following a statutory amendment for determining the award for permanent partial disability. Case: Chavez v. MS Technology LLC, No. 21–0777, 04/01/2022, published. Facts: Rosa Chavez worked as a lab technician at MS Technology LLC. While Chavez was wringing out a mop in February 2018, she heard a pop and felt immediate pain in her right shoulder. Dr. Todd Peterson determined she had suffered a full-thickness tear of the rotator cuff. Chavez underwent surg...