Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) And Workers’ Compensation

The Guidance You Deserve If You Have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Sometimes, an injury to an arm or leg results in prolonged, excessive pain caused by malfunctioning peripheral C-fiber nerves. Doctors and medical professionals may call this condition Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD).

This type of pain syndrome is debilitating, whether it is acute pain (sudden and intense) or chronic pain (lasting six months or longer).

CRPS can make a typical recovery process after a broken bone or a similar injury difficult or impossible to reach within a reasonable time frame.

Any person with CRPS and their doctor may struggle to find solutions when the pain and other symptoms, such as changing skin color or texture, hot or cold sensations, swelling, weakness, and/or muscle shrinkage, do not go away for some time. In some cases, disability from CRPS may last for much longer than a few months.

To discuss how to handle a workers’ compensation claim when your injuries include CRPS, consult with a Florida workers’ compensation attorney. At Smith, Feddeler & Smith, P.A., we will listen carefully and guide you in the pursuit of your fair workers’ compensation benefits to cover the expenses related to your complex regional pain syndrome. We serve clients from offices in Lakeland, Brandon, Kissimmee, Orlando, Tampa, and Clearwater. Call us today at (863) 355-4204.

If You Need More Time To Heal After An Injury On The Job, You Deserve It

The good news about CRPS is that most sufferers of it do slowly get better, ultimately experiencing healing and relief from their pain. However, the recovery can take much longer than expected after an injury such as a broken bone. Additionally, proper treatment with specialized physicians who handle complex regional pain syndrome may be necessary.

In the meantime, debilitating pain can prevent a return to a normal lifestyle. A CRPS sufferer may:

• Need ongoing physical therapy or other treatments
• Need more time to rest and heal from pain
• Be unable to go back to work for an extended time

Do not be surprised if your employer or their workers’ compensation insurer shows impatience or skepticism about the severity of your CRPS-related pain and limitations. Our workers’ compensation attorneys at Smith, Feddeler & Smith, P.A., have helped many injured workers overcome obstacles when workers’ comp benefits were cut off too soon or when doctors appointed by workers’ comp insurers were not flexible or understanding of CRPS.

If you are struggling with symptoms of CRPS, our attorneys can fight for your right to an accurate diagnosis, proper medical care, and adequate time off work.  In some cases, you might also have the grounds for a personal injury claim.

What To Know About Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Some people develop reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or RSD, soon afterward. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a condition in which tissue, but not the underlying nerve, suffers damage. The term reflex sympathetic dystrophy is another term for type 1 complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). These cases comprise about 90% of all CRPS cases.

Sufferers of RSD experience severe chronic pain in a specific region of the body, usually the hands, feet, and other extremities. Some of the symptoms include:

• Extreme burning, stinging, or tearing sensations
• Disproportionately severe pain
• Heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli
• Numbness
• Motor range impairment
• Swelling
• Dystonia (muscle contractions)
• Excessive warmth or coolness in the affected region
• Change in skin color (to red or blue)

There is no certain cause for reflex sympathetic dystrophy. However, many patients who develop RSD are immobile during their injury recovery period. Immobility may have something to do with how body tissue heals after an injury. The less a patient can move around, the greater the likelihood of developing reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Another theory is that RSD is related to the sympathetic nervous system, which constricts the flow of blood to the body, particularly the extremities, during high-stress situations.

Currently, reflex sympathetic dystrophy does not have a cure. Fortunately, physical therapy and certain prescription medications can treat it. Through physical therapy, patients can decrease their body’s sensitivity, improve mobility, and develop coping skills. Some pharmacological treatments can include antidepressants to balance brain chemistry, anticonvulsants to treat muscle spasms, and painkillers to help patients manage their chronic pain.

Florida Workers’ Compensation Benefits Changes for 2025

Florida workers injured on the job this year will benefit from an updated maximum weekly compensation rate. Effective January 1, 2025, the maximum weekly benefit has been set at $1,295, an increase from the previous year’s rate. This adjustment reflects the rising statewide average weekly wage, which reached $1,295.14 for the four calendar quarters ending June 30, 2024.

The Florida Department of Financial Services establishes this maximum rate annually based on data from the Florida Commerce’s Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research. Under Florida Statute 440.12(2), the maximum weekly compensation rate equals 100 percent of the statewide average weekly wage, rounded to the nearest dollar.

How the Statewide Average Weekly Wage Impacts Your Benefits

The connection between statewide wages and workers’ compensation benefits is straightforward: when Florida’s average weekly wage rises, so does the maximum compensation available to injured workers. For 2025, this means eligible workers may receive enhanced financial support compared to prior years, helping them cover essential expenses while unable to work.

Why Settlement Offers Are Common in Long-Term CPRS Cases

Insurance carriers have a strong incentive to settle long-term injury claims quickly. Every week, you receive ongoing medical treatment and wage replacement benefits cost them money. For chronic conditions that require years or even a lifetime of care, these costs add up significantly. By offering a lump-sum settlement, insurance companies can close your file, eliminate future liability, and often pay far less than they would if they continued providing benefits over time.

This is especially true for complex, long-term conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Insurance carriers know that CRPS cases involve substantial ongoing costs, which is precisely why they’re eager to offer settlements that seem generous but actually fall short of covering your true long-term needs.

CRPS requires ongoing medical treatment, including pain management, physical therapy, medications, and sometimes surgical interventions. Because CRPS rarely resolves completely and often worsens over time, settlements must account for lifetime medical needs and permanent disability. The costs can easily reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over a lifetime.

The Risk of Lump-Sum Offers

When an insurance company offers you a lump-sum settlement for your CRPS claim, they’re betting that you’ll accept less than what your future care will actually cost. These offers may seem substantial at first glance, but they rarely account for the true long-term expenses of managing this chronic pain condition. Once you accept a lump-sum settlement and sign a release, you typically waive your right to future medical benefits and compensation, even if your condition worsens significantly.

Never accept a lump-sum settlement offer without consulting an experienced Florida workers’ compensation attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer will work with medical experts to project your future treatment costs, calculate your permanent impairment rating, evaluate your lost earning capacity, and negotiate for maximum compensation.

The insurance company’s lawyer is protecting their interests. You deserve someone to protect you.

Ask A Work Injury Lawyer What To Do If Your Recovery Is Prolonged Because Of CRPS

We are here to advise and represent you in support of your short-term needs and your long-term best interests after an on the job injury that has triggered CRPS. Is your employer threatening to eliminate your position because your healing from CRPS is taking too long? Ask us about employment laws related to CRPS workers’ compensation cases.

Schedule a consultation with a CRPS attorney at Smith, Feddeler & Smith, P.A., by calling (863) 355-4204 or sending an email inquiry.

Office Location

Lakeland

832 Florida Avenue South
Lakeland, FL 33801

(863) 688-7766

Brandon

202 E Brandon Blvd. Suite 107
Brandon, FL 33511

(863) 688-7766

Kissimmee

1101 Miranda Lane
Ste1331, Kissimmee, FL 34741

(863) 688-7766

Tampa

100 S Ashley Drive
Suite 600, Tampa, FL 33602

(863) 688-7766

Orlando

4700 Millenia Blvd
Orlando,FL 32839

(863) 688-7766

Clearwater

13575 58th St North #200
Clearwater, FL 33760

(863) 688-7766

$1,200,000.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked as a tree guy and a giant limb fell on him. Claimant developed CRPS and ended up wheelchair bound. Our firm was successful in obtaining many benefits to the Claimant prior to settlement, including multiple home modifications, wheelchair ramps, authorization of medical specialist, and implantation of a spinal cord stimulator.

$350,000.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked as a bus driving and during an evacuation she jumped off the bus causing her to fall resulting in a serious back injury.

$269,671.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked performing clerical type job in an office. She was asked to carry a box down stairs when she slipped and fell down the flight of stairs injuring her head, neck and lefts arm / wrist / hand.

$220,100.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked for a temp service. He was helping to unload a trailer when his foot went through a board on the floor of the trailer causing his to fall, shattering his pelvis, and causing serious injury to his back, hip and head.

$1,223,423.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked as a selector / forklift driver. This case involved a specific injury to her right leg / knee. She continued to work which resulted in repetitive and cumulative trauma to the right knee and CRPS.

$630,000.00
Workers’ Compensation

Claimant worked for a transport company. One day he was forced to get under a trailer and while he was lifting and twisting, the Claimant injured his back and knee, which was left untreated until he retained representation and filed Petitions for Benefits. Unfortunately, the severity or the injury coupled with the delay in treatment caused the Claimant to developed CRPS.