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Filing a CRPS Lawsuit

CRPS/RSD Lawyers in New York

Experienced Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) lawyers in NY seeking maximum compensation for injured clients in Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, and throughout New York

Navigating life with Complex Regional Rain Syndrome (CRPS), sometimes called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), is overwhelming enough without the extra burden of managing insurance claims or lawsuits. When an accident injury leads to this painful condition, it's often life-changing.

You deserve guidance from a lawyer who understands this condition and how it affects every part of your life so you can recover compensation for your injuries and losses. Having legal support with real experience in New York CRPS cases can lighten the burden you face and strengthen your voice. Contact our firm today to schedule your free consultation with experienced CRPS/RSD lawyers in New York.

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Table of contents

What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

Complex Regional Pain syndrome is a debilitating pain disorder that usually emerges following an injury, accident, or surgical procedure. Those who suffer from CRPS often experience excruciating burning sensations, extreme sensitivity to touch, joint stiffness, and noticeable changes in skin texture and temperature in the affected area. The condition can progressively worsen over time, making early diagnosis and treatment critical to a patient's long-term prognosis.

Signs of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Many people who end up getting diagnosed with CRPS have never actually heard of it before. Having an idea of what this condition is and some signs to watch out for can help you get treatment sooner. Common ones include:

  • Swelling
  • Burning pain
  • Change in color, sometimes turning bright red and other times being purple and blotchy
  • Pain with light touches to the skin, even from something soft
  • Sweating more than the other parts of the body
  • Unusual nail growth
  • Muscle weakness

If you experience any of these symptoms after an accident, even once your initial injury has healed, you should seek treatment immediately.

How does CRPS work? A timeline

CRPS usually starts after an injury or medical procedure, but symptoms can take days or weeks to show up, so early signs are often missed. Everyone’s condition is different, but it commonly goes through these stages:

First month or two

In the beginning, there is significant pain, usually a burning pain. It’s much worse than expected for the original injury. The skin over the area often turns red, warm, shiny, or sweats more than usual. Swelling is obvious, and everyday movement quickly becomes difficult due to discomfort.

Several months in

At this point, the pain persists even after the initial injury has healed, and sometimes spreads to other parts of the body. Stiffness in the joints increases, and nearby muscles may start to weaken from lack of use. The skin could become colder, blotchy, or purplish, with nails and hair acting unusually or becoming brittle.

Six months or longer

When the condition persists for more than six months, it’s generally considered chronic and becomes much more challenging to treat. Bones in the affected area may lose strength and density, leading to permanent movement problems or joint contractures. It’s difficult to go into remission once you reach the chronic stage.

Understanding these stages in CRPS progression makes it possible to act faster and seek help before symptoms become permanent.

Risks of leaving CRPS untreated

If CRPS is left untreated, pain can become more severe and start spreading to other areas of the body, making movement difficult or impossible. Over time, untreated CRPS is likely to cause permanent stiffness, muscle weakness, and joint or bone damage that are much harder, sometimes impossible, to reverse.

Common treatments for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Getting the right treatment for CRPS is critical. There are many different types, and each person may respond differently. Here are some common treatments:

Physical therapy and rehabilitation

It’s important to keep using the affected limb so you don’t get more muscle weakness. Working with a physical therapist is a good way to do this. They can also help you with other types of rehabilitation, like mirror therapy and desensitization.

Psychotherapy

For many people with CRPS, it can feel like their life is over because of how significant the pain is. This can lead to mental health conditions if not addressed. Talking with a therapist can help you learn coping skills and work through the feelings you have about having CRPS.

Spinal cord stimulation

Some people have a device implanted in their back near the spinal cord. It sends out electrical waves that are supposed to interrupt the pain signals the brain receives from the affected limb.

Medications

Doctors may prescribe pain relievers, medications that calm nerve pain, steroids, or even anti-depressants to manage the day-to-day discomfort of CRPS. The right combination of drugs is different for everyone and may need to be adjusted if symptoms change or don’t improve.

Sympathetic nerve block

This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic near the nerves thought to be causing pain, which can sometimes give short-term or dramatic relief. Nerve blocks may also help doctors confirm where the pain is starting and guide later treatment options.

Ketamine treatments

Low-dose ketamine infusions, given through an IV in a medical setting, are offered to some people whose CRPS resists regular treatments. While it’s not suitable for all patients, ketamine can rapidly reduce pain for those who haven’t found relief with other therapies.

Alternative therapies

Sometimes, first-line therapies don’t work as well as people would like. In these cases, there are other treatments, such as acupuncture, medical cannabis (where legal), and graded motor imagery.

Treatment for CRPS is often a trial-and-error type of situation because everyone responds to the condition and treatments differently. Keep working with your doctor until you find something that helps.

What is a CRPS lawsuit?

CRPS lawsuits occur when a person who has developed CRPS sues a person or entity that they believe is responsible for causing their condition. For example, if you were in a car accident that led to your CRPS, you might be able to file a lawsuit against the other driver. You must provide proof that the other party was negligent or acted intentionally, caused your injury, and that it led to damages. The most effective way to do this is to work with an experienced CRPS lawyer.

Your right to seek compensation for CRPS in Manhattan and throughout New York State

If your CRPS developed after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, New York law may allow you to seek compensation for your injuries. This may include medical expenses, lost income, future treatment costs, and pain and suffering.

For car accident cases, you must meet the “serious injury” threshold to recover non-economic damages.

Because CRPS cases often require strong medical evidence and expert testimony, acting quickly can protect your rights and strengthen your claim.

How The CRPS Law Firm can help

If you’re injured by someone else’s negligence and it leads to CRPS, our team can help you seek justice and compensation for your injuries. We do this by investigating the case to determine how the injury occurred and who was responsible. We talk to witnesses, look at video footage, visit the accident scene, collect your medical records, and consult with expert witnesses. There are many other steps we can take to help build a strong case on your behalf.

Why choose The CRPS Law Firm?

Working with the right CRPS law firm after an accident is an important choice. Our team is here to fight for you every step of the way. Here’s why victims continue to choose us:

Representing victims injured in all kinds of accidents

Our team knows how CRPS can develop after car crashes, workplace incidents involving third parties, falls, or unexpected injuries, and we build cases based on real-life experience.

Securing millions of dollars for clients every year

Although prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome, we do have a track record of securing significant settlements and verdicts for clients who face ongoing pain and life changes due to their injuries.

Handling the legal process so you can focus on getting better

We handle every aspect of the legal process, including helping you file an insurance claim and negotiating with the insurance company. If we aren’t able to reach a settlement, we can file a lawsuit and advocate for you in court.

Our goal is to fight for your well-being and future. Let us handle the legal burden and help you reclaim your life.

If you’re looking for a New York CRPS firm, you’ve come to the right place

If you’re living with CRPS anywhere in New York, The CRPS Law Firm is ready to help. We regularly represent clients throughout NYC, Long Island, and upstate counties, handling legal claims against both individuals and large insurance companies that are reluctant to take CRPS seriously. Because medical awareness and legal acceptance of conditions like CRPS are still somewhat limited, it's helpful to work with a legal professional with appropriate experience. Let us handle your New York CRPS case. Reach out when you are ready to learn more.

Frequently asked questions about seeking compensation for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Under what circumstances can you sue for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

You can’t sue someone just because you developed CRPS. You have to actually be able to provide evidence that their behavior led to your injuries, including CRPS, and show that you have experienced damages. This commonly includes doctors who make mistakes or people who injure you by accident, but they were behaving in a negligent manner.

How can a CRPS lawsuit improve life with a chronic pain disorder?

CRPS causes lifelong difficulties for most people with the condition. For some, this means significant medical expenses and not being able to work at all. This doesn’t take into account the intangible losses you experience, like pain and suffering, and the inability to participate in hobbies you enjoy. Filing a lawsuit allows you to recover compensation to make up for these losses so you can get the treatment you deserve.

What compensation can you receive through a CRPS/RSD lawsuit?

A successful CRPS lawsuit can allow you to recover damages for the losses you’ve experienced. This most often includes medical expenses, including expenses you expect to face in the future, and current and future lost wages. You may also be able to recover damages for intangible losses, like pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. When you work with a lawyer, they’ll explain the process to you and give you an overview of what you can expect.

Why do you need an experienced CRPS/RSD lawyer to handle your injury claim?

CRPS cases require complex medical evidence that many people don’t fully understand. Presenting this information in court and working with expert witnesses is done by experienced lawyers, and most lay people just don’t know how to do this. Working with an experienced CRPSawyer often gives you a better chance to recover what you truly deserve.

Contact The CRPS Law Firm, CRPS/RSD lawyers in New York, today for a free case review

After you're diagnosed with CRPS, it's important to act quickly. This is true in terms of medical help, but also legal assistance. New York law provides avenues to pursue damages for medical care, lost income, and pain and suffering, but insurance companies often fight hard against these serious claims.

Legal professionals experienced in handling CRPS cases can explain what to expect, investigate the details of your injury, and handle the communication with insurance companies so you aren't pressured into accepting less than you need and deserve. If you or a loved one is suffering from CRPS or RSD because of someone else's negligence in New York, our team is here for you. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.