We passionately believe that people who suffer from CRPS due to the negligent actions of others deserve a voice
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Call 214-651-4260 now or fill out the form above to receive a confidential consultation today.
Free Case Evaluation
Call 214-651-4260 now or fill out the form above to receive a confidential consultation today.
Areas of Focus
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD / RSDS)
The CRPS Law Firm: Fighting for Compensation and Justice for Those Suffering From CRPS
Nationwide Legal Advocacy for People Living with CRPS
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating condition that often affects an arm or a leg. CRPS can cause unbearable chronic pain. If not diagnosed correctly and treated promptly, serious complications can arise. There are many possible causes of CRPS. One cause, injury due to the negligence of others, may provide the right for the victim to recover compensation from those responsible for the injury. If your CRPS was caused by someone else’s negligence, there is too much at stake for you to ignore potential sources of economic recovery. A strong recovery can help with your medical care, your loss of income, and your quality of life. Take action and speak to The CRPS Law Firm about your CRPS injuries today.
What is CRPS?
CRPS is a rare, chronic pain disorder that often affects the limbs. The pain is characterized as disproportionate to the initial pain caused by the injury. CRPS typically appears between four and six weeks following a traumatic injury like a fracture or surgery.
Symptoms of CRPS include:
- Persistent, burning, or throbbing pain
- Skin color/temp/texture changes
- Swelling, joint stiffness, tremors, atrophy
- Pain may spread or become permanent if left untreated
One frustrating aspect of CRPS is that patients often struggle to get an accurate diagnosis. They may be dismissed or misdiagnosed, leading to confusion on top of the intense pain. Additionally, depression and suicidal ideation are tragically common among those suffering from CRPS. CRPS can have a drastic impact on a person’s life.
How CRPS starts – And when legal action may be possible
CRPS can start in many ways, and not all causes will result in legal options. However, the following types of accidents or neglect may open the door for the victim to recover compensation that can be vital for their future:
- Trauma from car, truck, and motorcycle accidents: Broken bones and other serious injuries from a car wreck might result in CRPS. If the car accident was the result of a negligent driver, you might have a claim for damages against the driver.
- Premises injuries: If you fall and experience an injury like a bone fracture in an unsafe building, and that injury leads to CRPS, you might have a claim against the property owner. For instance, if you slip on a wet floor, trip on a loose step, or otherwise injure yourself because of dangerous conditions in a building, you should contact The CRPS Law Firm to determine whether you have a claim.
- Workplace incidents: Although some workplace injuries may lead to workers' compensation claims, the laws vary by state. Generally, independent contractors can hold their employers accountable. Also, sometimes an injury might be caused by defective equipment. In that case, the defendant would be a third party, and not the employer, which could lead to a claim for damages for both employees and independent contractors. If a workplace injury at a construction site, factory, or other location leads to an injury, and that injury results in CRPS, you should contact The CRPS Law Firm.
There are also some limited cases where medical malpractice could be the cause. Importantly, most CRPS cases related to surgery are not considered medical malpractice because there is a foreseeable risk associated with these procedures. However, the following scenarios are exceptions to that generalization:
- Misguided surgery: If a provider performs surgery that was not medically necessary, or performs a procedure without proper informed consent, and that surgery results in CRPS, the patient may have a valid claim.
- Nerve injuries: If a nurse, phlebotomist, or other provider carries out an improper injection or misuses endoscopic tools, this may lead to CRPS and possible legal pathways to recover.
CRPS lawsuits often require a careful analysis of causation in order to prove that the injury is related to something a negligent person or medical provider did.
How a CRPS lawyer can help
Don’t assume that you don’t have a claim. Contact our CRPS lawyers. Our lawyers understand this complex condition and the possible legal pathways for those who experience it. This can be difficult because CRPS is often misunderstood, even by many doctors. Insurers may also dispute claims related to CRPS, making stressful situations like the aftermath of an accident and related injuries even more challenging.
Importance of expert testimony
We work with a network of liability experts and medical professionals (who understand CRPS) who can explain if you have a negligence or medical malpractice claim. Medical experts aren’t the only ones that you will need to build a successful claim. Your lawyer should be prepared to work with life care planners and vocational economists to prove your true losses.
With the support of the right experts, our national CRPS lawyers will work to obtain the following damage recoveries from those responsible for your CRPS condition:
- Past/future medical treatment
- Lost wages to date and lost earning capacity
- Pain & suffering
- Emotional distress
- Home modifications, mobility aids
- Loss of bodily function, such as your arm or leg
- Inability to enjoy life’s pleasures
Those costs can quickly add up, especially when the pain prevents you from working. The only way you can get results that truly reflect your loss is by enlisting the help of a lawyer who is prepared to present your case effectively, along with a team of experts.
Why choose us?
At The CRPS Law Firm, we know how challenging this condition is, and we understand the real pain you are experiencing. We aren’t here to downplay your suffering, but to get you the resources you need to live with your condition. Our attorneys are nationally respected leaders in CRPS litigation. Our founder, Bryan Pope, has spent 25+ years focusing on personal injury and CRPS law. He is also the only lawyer who is a Director on the RSDSA Board. The RSDSA is a national advocacy organization for patients with CRPS. Bryan frequently lectures on CRPS/RSD litigation and speaks at RSDSA conferences and legal symposiums.
Bryan and our team of attorneys represent clients in their search for CRPS settlements and litigation support across multiple jurisdictions. We’re compassionate, tenacious, and client-focused from intake through the resolution of your claim.
What to expect from the legal process
Pursuing a legal claim might feel overwhelming. However, with the right legal team at your side, you’ll have support throughout the entire process. Here are the steps of the average claim:
- Free consultation: You arrange a time to speak with us about your condition. There’s no fee for this initial consultation.
- Review of records: Our lawyers will review your medical records and CRPS diagnosis.
- Working with experts: Collaboration with experts is a critical part of CRPS claims, both for proving causation as well as for showing the true extent of your losses.
- Filing a claim: If initial negotiations with insurers are unsuccessful, you may proceed by filing a claim.
- Negotiations and resolutions: Filing a claim doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily go to trial. In most cases, claims end with settlements. If your case doesn’t settle, we have the experience, resources, and advocacy skills to try your case in court.
FAQs about CRPS and legal claims
How expensive is a CRPS attorney?
It’s important to note that when you file a claim, you don’t pay us unless we win or your case settles. This is because we use contingency-based representation. If we’re successful, we recover a predetermined percentage of your settlement.
Is CRPS the same as RSD or causalgia?
RSD and causalgia are both types of CRPS. CRPS type 1 was formerly referred to as RSD, while type 2 was called causalgia. The main difference between the two is that in type 1, there is no definitive nerve injury, and in type 2, there is a nerve injury. Both types are the result of trauma. The treatment for both CRPS type 1 and CRPS type 2 is the same.
How is CRPS diagnosed?
Providers use CRPS diagnostic criteria, sometimes referred to as the “Budapest Criteria,” to diagnose this condition. These criteria state that a patient must have:
- Persistent, disproportionate pain: The patient must experience ongoing pain that is greater than what would normally be expected from the original injury or event.
The patient must also report at least one symptom in all four of the following categories:
- Sensory: Unusual sensitivity such as hyperaesthesia (heightened sensitivity) or allodynia (pain from normally non-painful stimuli).
- Vasomotor: Uneven temperature between limbs and/or changes in skin color or asymmetry.
- Sudomotor/Edema: Swelling and/or changes or asymmetry in sweating.
- Motor/Trophic: Limited movement or motor issues (weakness, tremor, dystonia) and/or trophic changes affecting hair, nails, or skin.
Physicians must also note at least one observable sign at the time of examination in two or more of these categories:
- Sensory: Hyperalgesia (exaggerated pain response to pinprick) and/or allodynia (pain from light touch, temperature, pressure, or joint movement).
- Vasomotor: Temperature differences greater than 1°C and/or visible skin color changes or asymmetry.
- Sudomotor/Edema: Swelling and/or sweating abnormalities or asymmetry.
- Motor/Trophic: Clinician observes reduced range of motion, motor dysfunction (weakness, tremor, dystonia), and/or trophic changes in hair, nails, or skin.
Additionally, there must be an exclusion of other possible diagnoses that could offer a better explanation for the above signs and symptoms.
Can CRPS go away?
Sometimes, with early aggressive treatment, it may resolve. Unfortunately, for many, it becomes chronic.
Medications:
- Ketamine
- Nerve blocks
- Anticonvulsants
- Low-dose naltrexone
- AXS-02
- Bisphosphonates
- TCA antidepressants
- Gabapentin
- Pregabalin
- Ziconotide
- Medical marijuana
- Intrathecal (IT) therapy
- Plasma exchange therapy
Non-medicinal Therapies
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy
- Mirror box therapy
- Aquatic therapy
- Calmare therapy
- Desensitization
- Modified graded motor imagery
- Service animals
- Biofeedback
Can I sue if I wasn’t diagnosed right away?
Maybe. A delay in diagnosis doesn’t always prevent your claim from moving forward. There are deadlines for filing a lawsuit; however. Your best course of action is to speak to a lawyer right away.
CRPS in the spotlight: The Trial by Fire documentaries
Raising awareness is a critical part of the fight for people living with CRPS. The CRPS Law Firm's founding attorney, Bryan D. Pope, is featured in the sequel to Trial by Fire, the award-winning documentary on CRPS, as seen on Netflix and other streaming services. These documentaries illustrate the daily struggles individuals with CRPS face.
“I’ve seen how CRPS destroys families. My calling is to help people — to provide them hope when they have none, and a path when they can’t see one. When a client tells me that our team made a difference in their life — that’s my ‘why,'” said Pope.
By sharing their stories, Bryan and others in the CRPS community continue to raise awareness, push for change, and give hope to those living with this life-altering condition.
We're looking forward to the full release of the new documentary and the opportunity to share more information about this debilitating and often misunderstood condition.
Contact The CRPS Law Firm today
At The CRPS Law Firm, we’re dedicated to supporting those suffering from this painful and life-altering condition. We serve clients nationwide and offer free, confidential consultations. We’re compassionate advocates who understand your pain — and how to fight back against those who caused it. Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced CRPS lawyers.