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CRPS After Motorcycle Accidents
25 years of experience representing CRPS injury victims
Motorcycle accidents often cause serious injury because motorcycles lack a hood, trunk, roof, or doors to protect riders. CRPS may develop after certain injuries, such as fractures, soft tissue injuries, burns, bruises, cuts, and injuries that require surgery, which are common in motorcycle accidents.
Our Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) lawyers work with investigators, the police, and through the discovery process to show how motorcycle crashes happen and who is responsible. We work with doctors experienced in diagnosing and treating CRPS, who understand just how painful CRPS can be, what treatments may help, and how CRPS can affect your life, work, and family. Contact us today to discuss your CRPS claim.
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What are the symptoms of CRPS?
CRPS symptoms, which involve an unusual degree of pain, may not appear for weeks. CRPS often affects a person’s arm or leg. Common symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic, in addition to pain, include:
- Cold and touch sensitivity
- Swelling in the affected area
- Changes in skin temperature, skin color, and skin texture
- Joint stiffness, muscle spasms, and other similar disorders
- A reduced ability to move the affected body part
The symptoms can change with time. Some conditions are irreversible. Early treatments can make a difference.
Generally, doctors believe that CRPS involves dysfunction of the peripheral and central nervous systems, often following trauma. Many motorcycle accident injuries may, in some cases, be associated with the development of CRPS.
Type I CRPS is a disorder that generally does not cause nerve damage, while Type II CRPS involves nerve damage. The Mayo Clinic states that most CRPS cases are Type I.
Why do motorcycle accidents happen?
Our CRPS personal injury lawyers have the experience and resources to show how motorcycle accidents happen. Some of the common causes of motorcycle collisions include the following:
- The failure of drivers of cars and trucks to respect the rights of motorcyclists or understand how to react when motorcyclists are nearby
- Driver intoxication
- Distracted driving, including texting, using a mobile phone, drinking, eating, looking at a GPS, or tending to a person or pet in the vehicle
- Speeding, driving through a stop sign, or other violations
- Driving while tired
- Driving too fast for the weather or traffic conditions
- Motorcycle operator inexperience
- Handling turns improperly
- Failing to understand how to ride with other motorcycle riders
- Dooring accidents
- Many other causes
Motorcycle operators will likely benefit from taking an approved motorcycle education course.
Motorcycle operators should understand the laws that govern motorcycle riding in their state. These rules include licensing, equipment, and insurance requirements. Each state also has laws about helmets, eye protection, lane splitting, and other motorcycle riding safety features, which vary significantly by state.
How do your CRPS lawyers show that a motorcycle accident causes CRPS?
According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors diagnose CRPS after a motorcycle accident by taking an oral medical history and conducting a physical examination. There’s no perfect diagnostic test. Tests that can help with a CRPS diagnosis include bone scans, sweat tests, X-rays, and an MRI.
Motorcycle accidents are common causes of the types of injuries that can result in CRPS because motorcycles do not provide any physical protection for a motorcycle operator or passenger. Many victims collide with another vehicle and then with the hard ground.
Our CRPS lawyers work with neurologists and other physicians to verify a CRPS diagnosis and determine whether a motorcycle accident contributed to its development.
Are there treatments for CRPS?
Some of the treatments for CRPS include the following:
- Pain relievers. Nonprescription pain medications include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and naproxen sodium (Aleve), which may help manage pain and reduce inflammation. Physicians may prescribe stronger prescription medications, such as opioids, subject to strict oversight.
- Antidepressants and anticonvulsants.These medications are used to treat neuropathic/nerve pain.
- These medications may help “reduce inflammation and improve mobility in the affected limb.”
- Other medications. These may include bone-loss medications, sympathetic nerve-blocking medications, intravenous ketamine, and blood pressure medications.
Possible CRPS therapies include:
- Heat therapy
- Topical analgesics
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Mirror therapy
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
- Biofeedback
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Intrathecal drug pumps
- Acupuncture
Psychological therapy may also help.
CRPS may recur due to emotional stress or other causes.
Our lawyers stay on top of new research, studies, and treatments for CRPS. We can also work with physicians who stay current with recent CRPS advances.
Who may be liable for a motorcycle accident that causes CRPS?
Our CRPS lawyers file motorcycle accident claims against everyone responsible for your CRPS disorder. The defendants may include one or more of the following, depending on where the accident occurs:
- A car, truck, or other larger vehicle driver
- A motorcycle driver
- An employer
- The owner of the vehicle, if the owner is legally responsible under a theory such as negligent entrustment or an employment or agency relationship
- Manufacturers of defective vehicle parts
- A state Department of Transportation or other governmental agencies, where sovereign immunity has been waived under applicable law
- A seller of alcohol to a driver who is a minor or visibly intoxicated, who then causes a motorcycle accident due to their intoxication, where permitted under applicable state dram shop or alcohol liability law
What is the value of a CRPS personal injury claim?
Our CRPS lawyers work with your doctors (and our network of CRPS doctors, if necessary) to understand the full scope and severity of your injuries. We can also work with your employer and other experts when necessary to properly value your other damages.
We can seek compensation for the following:
- Medical bills. These include emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitative therapy, medications, and other medical care.
- Income loss. This includes lost wages, business income, and benefits for as long as you can’t work.
- Pain and suffering. For many CRPS victims, their pain is unbearable. Pain and suffering include all your aches, itches, inabilities to function, anxiety, depression, and other physical and emotional trauma.
- Vehicle damage. The cost to fix or replace your vehicle depends on the amount of damage.
- Other damages. These include scarring and disfigurement, loss of bodily function, loss of life’s pleasures, and the loss of consortium.
Some states may permit punitive or exemplary damages.
Speak with our CRPS personal injury lawyers today
At The CRPS Law Firm, we understand how devastating CRPS injuries are. Our CRPS lawyers have helped many CRPS victims like you pursue fair recoveries. Contact us to schedule a free consultation. We handle CRPS claims on a contingency fee basis.