Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can cause severe, ongoing pain after an accident or other injury. The condition may develop even after an injury that initially seemed minor, and symptoms can affect your movement, sleep, work, and daily life.
Because CRPS is not always easy to diagnose, proving the full impact of the condition can be challenging. Sweet James focuses exclusively on accident and personal injury cases, and we’ve earned more than 600 five-star reviews on Google and Yelp. A Los Angeles complex regional pain syndrome lawyer from our firm can explain the legal process and your claim.
Reach out to our firm to schedule a free consultation with a California complex regional pain syndrome lawyer today.
What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)?
Complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, is a chronic pain condition that usually affects an arm, leg, hand, or foot. It can develop after an injury, surgery, fracture, or other trauma.
The condition can cause pain that may be disproportionate to the original injury. You may also experience swelling, changes in skin color or temperature, sensitivity to touch or cold, stiffness, weakness, tremors, or changes to your skin, hair, or nails. Symptoms can vary over time, which may make the condition especially difficult to explain to people who are not familiar with CRPS.
CRPS can affect more than your physical comfort. Ongoing pain and limited mobility may interfere with your ability to work, exercise, sleep, drive, or handle everyday activities. Early medical treatment may improve the chances of improvement for some people, but the course of CRPS varies. A medical professional can evaluate your symptoms for a CRPS diagnosis.
Compensation Potentially Available for CRPS Victims
If another party is legally responsible for your injury, you may be able to seek compensation. Depending on a few factors, those losses may include:
- Medical expenses: Past and future costs for pain management, physical therapy, medications, injections, procedures, and other necessary treatment.
- Lost wages: Income you lost because CRPS prevented you from working, reduced your hours, or required you to take time away from your job.
- Loss of future earning capacity: If your symptoms limit the type or amount of work you can perform in the future, you may have a claim for reduced earning capacity when supported by the evidence.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and other effects of living with a chronic, life-altering condition may be available under California law.
- Future care and support: For serious or long-term cases, medical and life care planning may help estimate the treatment, rehabilitation, equipment, and other support you may need in the future.
The specific damages available depend on the facts of your case, the applicable California law, and the evidence establishing your losses. A CRPS claim may require looking beyond your current medical bills to see how your health, work, and daily life are impacted. All of these are aspects that a Complex regional pain syndrome lawyer from Sweet James can help with.
How a Los Angeles CRPS Lawyer Can Help Your Claim
A Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can begin by examining how the original injury occurred and how your symptoms developed afterward. Medical records can help establish the timeline from the accident or injury to the eventual CRPS diagnosis. An attorney may also work with medical professionals when additional evidence is needed to explain the condition.
Insurance companies may question whether CRPS was caused by the accident, whether the symptoms are as severe as reported, or whether another condition is responsible. A legal team from Sweet James can gather records and other evidence addressing those issues and use the available medical evidence when negotiating the claim.
If the insurer does not offer a fair resolution, litigation may be an option depending on the circumstances. Preparing a CRPS case for litigation can involve medical evidence, expert testimony, all of which a Los Angeles CRPS can help with. When working with Sweet James, you do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Common Causes of CRPS in Los Angeles Accidents
Here are some of the common causes of this syndrome that you should be aware of:
- Car accidents are one possible cause of CRPS, particularly when a crash results in a fracture, crushing injury, nerve damage, or other trauma to an arm or leg. Even when things may seem minor at first, CRPS can develop later.
- Falls and other premises liability incidents can also result in the type of trauma associated with CRPS.
- Workplace injuries can also lead to CRPS, although a workplace-related claim may involve workers’ compensation rules and, in some situations, a separate claim against a responsible third party.
- CRPS can also develop after surgery or other medical treatment.
The cause of CRPS is not always straightforward, so establishing what triggered the condition and who may be legally responsible requires careful review of the medical and accident history. A lawyer from Sweet James can help you with this process.
Why CRPS Claims Are Difficult to Prove and Value
One challenge with CRPS is that there is no single definitive test that establishes the condition. Doctors generally rely on clinical findings and your symptoms when making a diagnosis. The Budapest Criteria are commonly used to evaluate CRPS-related symptoms across several categories:
- Sensory symptoms: Pain or increased sensitivity to touch.
- Vasomotor symptoms: Changes in skin color or temperature.
- Swelling and sweating: Changes in sweating or swelling in the affected area.
- Motor or trophic symptoms: Limited movement, weakness, tremors, or changes affecting the skin, hair, or nails.
Because CRPS may not be obvious from a scan or physical appearance alone, an insurer may question whether the condition is related to the accident. Strong medical documentation and qualified expert testimony which a Los Angeles Complex Regional pain syndrome attorney can help address those disputes.
Talk to a Los Angeles CRPS Lawyer
CRPS can affect your health, ability to work, and everyday life long after the original accident. A legal claim can help you move on with your life, and while it may be complicated, you don’t have to go through the process on your own.
Sweet James has taken more than 500 cases to trial and handles personal injury claims on a contingency-fee basis. A free consultation can help you understand your options and preserve important evidence before applicable deadlines expire.
Reach out to our firm today to speak with a Los Angeles CRPS lawyer who can evaluate your situation and provide guidance for free.
