Did you develop complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in the aftermath of an accident? At Sweet James, our Newport Beach complex regional pain syndrome lawyers can represent you in a civil claim. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can look into your circumstances.
As attorneys who’ve taken more than 500 cases to trial, we have over 25 years of experience helping injury victims. Our California complex regional pain syndrome lawyers will focus on advocating for your rights and pursuing a fair outcome in your case.
How CRPS Can Affect Your Personal Injury Claim
For an injured person, one of the frustrating parts of a CRPS claim can be proving how much the condition has changed their life. Medical records can document these details:
- Treatment
- Diagnoses
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Procedures
- Other care
However, they do not always tell the full story of what it feels like to live with persistent pain while trying to work, sleep, care for your family, or return to activities you once enjoyed. A complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) lawyer can help you connect those pieces in your case.
The goal is to present a clear picture of the injury, how it developed, the treatment you have received, and the losses connected to it. This can include:
- Reviewing medical records
- Speaking with treating providers when appropriate
- Documenting lost income
- Examining how the condition affects your daily activities
The legal question is not simply whether you have CRPS. The case also needs to address who caused the underlying injury and whether the evidence supports a legal connection between that incident and your condition.
Compensation Can Include Future Losses
A CRPS claim should account for more than the expenses you have already paid. If your condition requires continuing care, future medical costs could become a significant part of the claim.
Though the financial recovery you’re able to pursue will depend on the evidence in your case, these are examples of damages that you might be able to recover:
- Past and future medical expenses related to the injury
- Lost wages from time away from work
- Reduced earning capacity if the injury affects your ability to work in the future
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Costs associated with necessary changes to daily living
- Other financial or personal losses connected to the injury
Future damages require evidence rather than guesswork. Medical records, treatment plans, employment records, wage information, and testimony from appropriate professionals can help establish the expected impact of the injury.
This is one reason settling a claim too quickly can create problems. If the full extent of your condition is not understood, an early settlement could fail to account for losses that become apparent later.
Once a settlement is finalized and a release is signed, reopening the claim can be difficult, and the language of the settlement agreement matters. The sooner you contact a Newport Beach personal injury lawyer, the sooner your attorney can prevent mistakes from happening.
Accidents That Can Lead to CRPS Claims
CRPS can arise after different kinds of injuries, which means the legal claim depends heavily on what happened in the first place. Our Newport Beach complex regional pain syndrome lawyers can handle a CRPS claim involving any of these situations:
- Vehicle collisions
- Motorcycle crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slip and fall cases
- Workplace incidents
- Other accidents caused by negligence
For a California personal injury claim, the injured person generally needs to establish that another party owed them a duty of care, failed to meet that duty, and caused the injury and resulting losses.
With that in mind, California generally gives injured people two years to file personal injury lawsuits under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Time is of the essence, so you should not wait to seek legal advice, even if your CRPS diagnosis or symptoms developed after the accident.
Certain circumstances can affect when a deadline begins or how it applies, so our Newport Beach complex regional pain syndrome attorneys will review the specific facts of your case and determine if more than one party contributed to the accident.
Insurance Companies Do Not Decide Your Claim
After an accident, the insurance company involved in the claim has its own financial interests. An adjuster could ask questions about the accident, your treatment, your medical history, or your symptoms while the insurer evaluates the claim.
That doesn’t mean an insurer’s assessment determines the value of your case. Instead, you can rely on your lawyer to carry out these insurance-related tasks on your behalf:
- Communicate with the insurance company for you
- Collect supporting documentation
- Respond to requests for information
- Negotiate on your behalf
If the insurer refuses to offer a fair resolution, your attorney can discuss whether filing a lawsuit is appropriate. CRPS claims can receive particular scrutiny when an insurer questions whether the condition was caused by the original accident.
Your Newport Beach complex regional pain syndrome lawyer can focus on building the medical timeline to carefully address those arguments with evidence rather than relying on a simple diagnosis alone.
Call Sweet James Today for Advice From Our Newport Beach Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Attorneys
You don’t have to figure out how to handle a CRPS claim all by yourself. The legal issues associated with your situation will likely depend on what caused the original injury, who was responsible, how your condition developed, and what treatment you need.
At Sweet James, we can also help you understand which California deadlines apply to your claim. Our law firm is home to attorneys who have been recognized through Super Lawyers and Rising Stars selections.
Some of our lawyers also belong to organizations such as the American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and Consumer Attorneys of California. We’re an Experienced Trial Team Ready To Fight For You. That’s The Sweet James Advantage. Call today for a free consultation.
