CRPS or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a debilitating disease. It hits the nervous system and tends to affect women more than men—often, people who suffer from it experience chronic and intense pains all over the body.
The pain you experience from CRPS can reduce your quality of life. Its symptoms can cause you to lose sleep and interfere with your job and relationships. As such, one can argue that it is a disabling condition. People who suffer from this condition can file a long-term disability claim or file a CRPS lawsuit. Here’s what you should know to help you get the best possible outcome for the filing.
Is CRPS a Disability?
Although the symptoms of CRPS can be severe, it is often challenging to prove that this condition is disabling. Medical professionals consider many of its symptoms, like chronic pain, to be subjective. It is difficult to prove its severity based on medical evidence alone. CRPS is also a rare diagnosis, so many insurance companies might not know its symptoms.
Overcome these hurdles by helping your insurance company understand more about CRPS. You can provide them with a detailed list of your symptoms, together with short descriptions of each. A comprehensive list will help them understand how this condition prevents you from going about your day.
Proving that Your CRPS is a Disability
Maximize the chances of your disability approval by knowing the documentation insurance companies want to see when reviewing claims. Here are things you can do to build your case:
Provide Proof of Treatment for CRPS
All disability insurance policies want proof that you’re making good-faith efforts to improve your situation. Though there is no known cure for CRPS, various treatment methods can mitigate its symptoms.
Medication for CRPS
The most common treatment is through medication. Doctors usually prescribe NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen for CRPS. All of these are available over the counter.
A doctor can also ask patients to take corticosteroids like prednisone, especially for cases that present with swelling, redness, and heat. For severe pain which doesn’t respond to NSAIDs or corticosteroids, doctors prescribe opioids, though this practice is controversial because it is said to be less effective.
For neuropathic pain, people with CRPS might get prescriptions of anti-depressants like gabapentin, duloxetine, amitriptyline, or nortriptyline. They might also get a sympathetic nerve block, an injection that blocks pain signals.
Other Forms of Therapy
Besides medication, doctors might also recommend that people with CRPS undergo alternative treatment methods. Examples are neural stimulation, physical therapy, sympathectomy, IVIG or intravenous immunoglobulin, and psychotherapy.
Some treatments for CRPS could cause side effects like drowsiness and cognitive impairment. If you suffer from significant side effects, make sure you document them for your disability claim.
Follow treatment recommendations to a T—insurance companies can use non-compliance as a reason to deny claims. Consulting an accident lawyer also helps; getting a law firm to represent you when you make a claim will speed up the process and ensure the best results.
Request a Narrative Letter from Your Doctor
For insurance companies, the most compelling evidence will always be the objective kind. However, the treating doctor’s opinions matter to them, so you should strive to get your doctor’s support for your CRPS disability claim.
When possible, request that your doctor prepare a narrative letter discussing why and how your condition affects your quality of life. The letter should focus on direct observations during visits, the severity and frequency of your symptoms, results from physical examinations, and other pertinent observations.
Explain Your Condition in Your Words
No matter how broad their scope, medical records will not provide the complete picture of how your condition affects your work. Increase your chances of getting a claim approval by writing a personal statement to accompany your claim. In this document, you should narrate how each symptom prevents you from doing your duties at your job.
Conclusion
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is an often misunderstood, debilitating condition. Getting approved for long-term disability can be an uphill battle for people with CRPS, but it is possible. If you have an experienced disability insurance attorney, you have one foot in the door—they know what makes a strong claim and can help you present the best possible case to your insurance company.
Ronemus & Vilensky are accident lawyers specializing in representing CRPS patients. We help individuals file disability claims and CRPS lawsuits in NYC—for decades, our firm has assisted injury victims in recovering settlements and damages due to this condition. Book a free consultation today to learn more.