Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joseph Cortese determined that an injury to a muscle in the rotator cuff is considered a shoulder injury for the purpose of determining permanent partial disability benefits.

This is important because shoulder injuries are listed on the state’s workers’ compensation schedule, which provides a formula to calculate permanent partial disability benefits for listed body parts. This makes it much simpler to determine the dollar amount of benefits owed.

This determination was made in the case of Mary Deng vs. Farmland Foods, Inc., and reversed a previous decision of a deputy commissioner.