Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is chronic pain that can affect the arms or legs of many people in Florida who suffer an injury, surgery, stroke or a coronary. What makes a difference is that the pain is out of proportion to the initial injury’s severity. This syndrome isn’t common and is not entirely understood, making it challenging to prove workers’ compensation claims.
Symptoms of regional complex pain syndrome
CRPS is a difficult condition as it can disappear over time. Yet the pain can be so debilitating at times that they cannot work, leading to workers’ compensation claims if the injury that caused the pain occurred while on the job. CRPS symptoms include:
- Continuous or throbbing pain in an arm, leg, hand, or foot
- Swelling in the painful area
- Sensitivity to cold or touch
- Changes in skin color and texture
- Changes in hair and nail growth
- Decreased ability to move the affected body part
- Muscle atrophy
- Joint stiffness, swelling, and damage
Symptoms can change over time and sometimes spread to other body parts, usually the opposing limb.
What causes CRPS?
The cause of this syndrome isn’t completely understood. However, the condition usually occurs from a forceful trauma to an arm or a leg. Type 1 CRPS occurs when there is no nerve damage to the affected limb, While Type 2 involves nerve damage.
Obtaining compensation for on-the-job-injuries
Many workers’ compensation insurance companies will do everything in their power to say that you caused the injury or determine that your claim should be reduced because of various circumstances. However, if you suffered an injury on the job, you have a right to compensation.
As doctors do not fully understand how CRPS occurs, you may have to fight for compensation if you are disabled because of the pain the condition produces. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t give up if you have been previously denied part or all of your workers’ compensation claim. Keeping thorough records about your injury, along with doctors’ diagnoses and prognoses, can help prove your claim.