Florida car accidents can leave motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists with life-changing injuries. In many cases, car accident victims suffer chronic pain as a result of their injuries. In extreme cases, this may present as a severe condition known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This debilitating condition can require extensive medical treatment, interfere with your capacity to work, and harm your mental health.
If the actions of a reckless driver have caused you to develop Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after an injury, you should be aware that you have the right to seek damages in a Florida car accident lawsuit. At Dolman Law Group, we have assisted thousands of injured Floridians to obtain fair settlements from negligent driver’s insurance carriers. Our team is available for a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim and what types of damages you may be able to recover.
What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that can accompany physical trauma, such as injuries sustained in a car accident. Due to its complicated nature, it is often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed because doctors are still unsure as to exactly why certain patients develop CRPS and others don’t. In the majority of cases, CRPS is confined to a limb. The pain may begin at the site of the original injury and spread to encompass an entire leg or arm.
Signs of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After a Car Crash
One of the key distinctions between Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and normal pain associated with an injury is that CRPS-related pain is disproportionate compared to the severity of the injury. If you suspect that you have developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome as a result of your injury, you should bring this up with your doctor and ask them to document your request. There are several other indicators that a person may be experiencing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
- Consistent burning or pulsing pain, usually confined to one limb
- Swelling of the impacted area
- Decreased ability to control muscle movement due to weakness or tremors
- Unusually fast or slow nail and hair growth
- Atypical sweating or chills in the affected limb
- Changes to skin appearance and texture
- Sensitivity to temperature changes or new sensations
- Joint issues, including swelling and rigidity
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you should prioritize getting medical attention. This benefits you in two ways. First of all, you are protecting your health from allowing injuries to go untreated. Early intervention is critical to treating CRPS. Second, it establishes a record that you actively tried to mitigate your damages, which protects your right to claim your Personal Injury Protection insurance. Additionally, it preempts claims by the insurance company that you purposefully allowed your injuries to get worse so you could claim a larger settlement. An established medical record is often key in proving liability in a Florida car crash lawsuit.
Car Accidents Can Leave Survivors With CRPS
There are two identified types of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Type I, which represents by far the majority of CRPS diagnoses, stems from an injury or illness with no nerve damage. Type II involves clear nerve damage. In a car accident, there are many opportunities for injuries to occur. For example, after being rear-ended you may slam your head on the steering wheel and fracture your skull, or sustain a compound arm fracture in a t-bone accident. Many types of injuries can result in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
Examples of Car Accident Injuries:
- Fractured or broken bones
- Sprains
- Crush injuries
- Infected laceration
- Severe burns
- Bruises
CRPS can also develop after other severe health events, such as strokes or heart attacks. While these are less commonly associated with car accidents, they may result from the trauma or the injuries sustained in the crash.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Florida Auto Accident Lawsuit?
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome can radically alter your day-to-day life by compromising your career, mobility, and quality of life. If your injuries were caused by a negligent driver or third party, you may be able to recover the financial and intangible losses associated with your CRPS. These are referred to as compensatory damages, as they seek to reimburse the injured party for what has been lost.
The two types of compensatory damages are economic and non-economic damages. The former is financial in nature, and it is usually verified with a receipt. An example would be the price of a wheelchair. The latter type of compensatory damages is more difficult to quantify, as they usually involve emotional losses. When making a claim for non-economic damages, you have to put a price on things like the ability to drive or have an intimate relationship with your partner. A seasoned personal injury lawyer is needed to properly calculate the monetary value or damages in a Florida auto accident lawsuit.
Examples of Damages in a Car Accident Lawsuit:
- Medical bills
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Mobility aids
- Home renovations
- Home medical equipment
- Job-related losses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Missed promotions
- Job retraining
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
Why Should I Hire Dolman Law Group to Represent Me?
With over a decade of service as a personal injury law firm, and over 115 years combined experience among our accident injury attorneys, it is safe to say that Dolman Law Group is familiar with how to negotiate with difficult insurance companies. Insurance companies will actively try to poke holes in your claim, sometimes by suggesting you are exaggerating your injuries, or that your damages aren’t legitimately related to your injuries.
You need a reputable auto accident attorney to connect the links in the chain of causation and create an airtight claim for damages. The personal injury lawyers of Dolman Law Group have a long history of doing just that. What separates our law firm from other Florida personal injury law firms is our ability to provide individualized attention while simultaneously offering the resources of a larger firm. Some of our recent settlements include:
- 1 million dollars for an injured car accident client
- 5 million dollars for a car accident client with burn injuries
- 775 thousand dollars for an injured father and son
Our team recognizes the value of your losses, from the straightforward economic costs to the more subjective costs, like a loss of independence. We will work tirelessly to get you maximum compensation for your damages, rather than encourage you to settle for a lower amount just to say we closed a case. You can trust our car accident attorneys to be thorough investigators and vocal advocates for your best interests.
Contact Dolman Law Group For Help With Your Car Accident Lawsuit
After a serious Florida car accident, you may still be dealing with the painful fallout in the form of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome many months after the initial injury has healed. Oftentimes, clients come to us because they can no longer pay the price of unexpected medical bills, car repairs, and lost wages, in addition to the emotional toll of chronic pain. Our team of skilled car accident attorneys will diligently build a credible claim for maximum compensation in order to help you get your life back on track.
In some cases, it is necessary to escalate a claim to a car accident lawsuit to be heard in a courtroom. If that happens, you’ll need a personal injury lawyer who has experience taking car accident claims to trial. The car accident attorneys of Dolman Law Group are award-winning representatives who have successfully secured impressive settlements for numerous clients at trial. We are a national law firm with a reputation for excellent service.
You can schedule a free consultation with our office to learn more about the services we offer and review your options for legal recourse. We welcome the opportunity to assist you in recovering maximum compensation while you focus on healing after your Florida auto accident.