How a Car Accident Law Firm Can Help Identify Your Injuries
In many cases, after a car accident which resulted in injuries, the victims of those injuries may find themselves dealing with what is sometimes called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and other times labeled Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Although the exact cause of CRPS is not fully understood, one theory suggests that the injuries resulting from the car crash trigger an immune response as well as other symptoms associated with inflammation. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome often affects the arms, legs, hands or feet and the primary symptom is intense, continuous pain which is difficult to alleviate. Extreme sensitivity to even the lightest touch is a hallmark of CRPS and the pain felt by the victim is almost always much more acute that the injury would warrant on the surface.
Other symptoms include an increase in the sensitivity of the skin, changes in tolerance to temperature changes, changes in skin color or texture, stiffness and swelling in the affect joints similar to arthritis symptoms, and a decrease in mobility. In some cases the pain will continue to spread to other areas. In its first stage the person suffering from CRPS may believe the burning pain and joint stiffness is simply a by-product of the other injuries sustained in the accident. As the pain and inflammation become more intense and the muscle tone weakens, the victim may realize the pain is not tied to the other injuries which have healed by this time. Victims whose CRPS progresses to the third stage can deal with continuous pain, muscle atrophy, severely limited mobility, muscle and tendon contractions and even irreversible changes to their skin and bone mass.
Car Crash Attorneys Understand the Complexities of CRPS
Only the most experienced Houston car accident attorneys are equipped to deal with the complexities of a CRPS case—these cases can sometimes take years to resolve, therefore having an attorney who is fully cognizant of the intricacies of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is essential. Your attorney must fully understand the debilitating nature of CRPS; because it is not something that ever really goes away completely you may be entitled to lost wages as well as pain and suffering. A lifetime of medical bills related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome can be financially devastating and may come with a social cost as well; when a person is in constant pain their marriage may suffer as well as their ability to be an effective parent or maintain long-time friendships. In other words, CRPS can be extremely grave, permanent and expensive.
How Your Houston Car Accident Attorney Can Help You after Your Accident
A person who is suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome following a car accident can certainly benefit from the assistance of a Houston accident lawyer who understands that CRPS is not your “typical” auto injury. CRPS causes sometimes excruciating pain, however there are no apparent injuries to correspond to that pain. CRPS can be imminently more serious than most other injuries sustain in a car crash except, perhaps serious brain trauma and injuries to the spinal cord. This injury will likely prohibit the victim from ever being employed again and may require ongoing physical therapy and exercise, psychotherapy to lessen stress and depression, sympathetic nerve blocks, repeated surgeries and medications such as topical analgesics, anti-seizure drugs, anti-depressants, opiate pain medications and corticosteroids. It is in your best interests to ensure that you are aware of all your options following your car crash.
A Houston personal injury law firm can help protect your legal rights while working hard to show that the defendant in your case breached his or her responsibility to act in a responsible manner.