COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), causalgia, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) are painful and debilitating disorders of the autonomic nervous system that may all result in pain out of all reasonable proportion to the precipitating trauma or injury. If you experience intense and lasting pain, especially in an arm or shoulder, accompanied by heightened skin temperature in the affected area, you might be experiencing CRPS. If you’ve been injured and are now suffering inexplicable pain, contact a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer at Kenney & Conley for a free consultation about your right to recover damages for complex regional pain syndrome or a similar condition.
Cause of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
CRPS is caused when the body experiences trauma that damages or otherwise causes malfunction to the nervous system. This can happen in the context of an accident, such as a car crash, or in cases of medical malpractice. CRPS causes severe and long-term pain that is often disproportionate to the initial injury suffered. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke lists the following as common causes of CRPS:
- Fractures
- Sprains and strains
- Soft tissue injuries such as bruises, burns and cuts
- Limb immobilization
- Surgery and other medical procedures
Millions of Americans suffer from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or RSD). Blunt force blows characteristic of those suffered in a car accident may cause nerve lesions which could result in CRPS or RSD. Sometimes, however, the condition occurs without a discernible nerve lesion. Extreme or untreated cases of CRPS and its related conditions can result in muscle atrophy and immobility of the affected region.
Cases Involving Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
From the standpoint of personal injury litigation, the challenge with complex regional pain syndrome cases is not to assert the presence of the condition – CRPS can be identified by strict diagnostic criteria – but rather to prove that the condition resulted from a particular accident or instance of negligence for which a defendant can be held liable.
At Kenney & Conley, we understand how to establish the causal link between an accident and damages such as complex regional pain syndrome so that the full extent of your losses can be compensated. We commit both time and investigative resources to the proof of damages claims, searching beyond the most obvious consequences of a given accident.
Additionally, because we represent personal injury plaintiffs exclusively, we have come to understand the severity of the pain that our clients and their families have to endure following a serious accident. We never underestimate the effects that enduring debilitating pain can have on our clients. This is why we place a special emphasis on tailoring our legal strategy to ensure that while we work hard to obtain the compensation our clients need, we keep our clients informed but not overwhelmed with the details of their cases.
