Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that causes debilitating pain if not treated immediately. It is a rare condition that usually affects one or more of your extremities and can spread throughout the body.
There are two types of CRPS: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is formerly known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) and Type 2 is called Causalgia. Both types have similar symptoms, but Type 2 is much more severe and can include a major nerve injury.
What Other Injuries Can Lead to CRPS
One of the usual causes of CRPS is trauma, such as muscle tears, broken limbs, or ligaments. You can get this kind of trauma from the negligence of other people, such as workplace injuries, vehicle accidents, or through slips and falls. It can also happen when you’ve undergone a medical procedure like IV placement, venipuncture, and surgery.
Like any other condition, CRPS won’t worsen when diagnosed early and treated immediately. Having said that, if your CRPS is not treated early on, it may lead to irreversible effects and life-altering consequences, including injuries that may cause you to lose employment as well as tremendous amounts of future medical care.
When this happens, you can have a medical malpractice claim against those involved, like medical care providers, doctors and nurses, whose treatment led you to have CRPS.
What Other Injuries or Symptoms Can Result from CRPS
Aside from chronic pain, you may experience leaking from dilated blood vessels and atrophy of bone structure and muscles. You may also experience psychological and emotional effects from the extreme pain, which can lead to many CRPS patients being prescribed antidepressants.
How Can You Prove That You Have a Case of CRPS
Many of these injuries may not be visible to the eyes. But you can prove it using your testimony and those of your family, friends, and co-workers that can tell the difference before and after your CRPS diagnosis.
You can also use your prescription and medical records. You may be able to prove the severity of the pain you experience through your long work history and the work you no longer can’t do after being diagnosed with CRPS.
Now, the case of chronic pain can be subjective especially in the case of CRPS. For trial lawyers and their clients, this disorder is very confusing and can even cause controversy around its diagnosis and treatment. Since this syndrome is “complex” in nature, it is usually misdiagnosed and can be difficult to explain and prove to a set of jury members.
So, what you need to do is to get persuasive testimonies from your family, friends, and coworkers so they can clearly describe what you are going through every day and how you can endure the pain. These testimonies can help you convince the members of the jury. You may also cite the things that you can no longer do or enjoy doing after being diagnosed with CRPS. As long as you keep it simple and easy to understand, what you say can stick in the minds of the jurors.
Conclusion
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a complex syndrome and can become controversial especially with its diagnosis and treatment. Now, if you want to pursue a case of medical malpractice because your doctors are not able to diagnose it early on, proving that you have the syndrome in the face of the jurors may be quite challenging. With a professional trial lawyer and with the support and testimonies from your friends, family, and co-workers, you can have better chances at a favorable result.
Ronemus & Vilensky is an accident and malpractice attorney that specializes in personal injury, medical malpractice, RSD injury settlements, fire injury, drug manufacturers, civil rights, sexual harassment, and auto accidents, among others. If you think that you are suffering from CRPS due to medical malpractice, contact us today so we can help you.