Hand Injury Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Lawsuit Attorney

A hand injury resulting from an auto accident can leave you in severe pain for weeks and necessitate even more time to recover. Though some injuries are relatively minor, like a broken finger or sprained wrist, there is the possibility that residual effects can occur. One such effect is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS, also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). CRPS from a hand injury flares up after the injury has been sustained and can often be confused with simple symptoms of a wrist injury, such as a wrist fracture or hand fracture. However, it soon becomes apparent that the pain is abnormal and requires medical treatment. At Normandie Law Firm, one of the top legal groups in Los Angeles, our experienced lawyers often receive calls from clients who claim that their hand injuries are worsening and that the responsible driver in a car crash should be responsible for their damages. They have questions regarding the legal process and what they may be able to earn if they sustained CRPS in their hands after car accidents. Examples of such questions include:

• Can I sue if I get CRPS after a motorcycle accident
• What can I earn if I develop CRPS after a truck accident
• What is CRPS?

Hands Injured Due to a Car Accident
Car accident injuries are varied. You may suffer a knee injury after a car accident, bang your head against the window and sustain a concussion, or receive hand damage. Often, your hands are wounded in a car crash from the sheer impact of being struck by another vehicle or from crashing into an object. Your hands may slam against the steering wheel, get cut and lacerated by the window glass, or get crushed between the door and other car parts. It is not uncommon to suffer a broken wrist, broken fingers, or various sprains. The more extreme injuries, like crushing damages and severed limbs and extremities, can lead to CRPS.

CRPS in the hands can come about after any injury, large or small. It is categorized as a disease of the nervous system; the pain that stems from CRPS is vastly disproportionate to the pain that should come from the injury you received. It is theorized that there is a break in communication somewhere between the sympathetic nervous system and the brain, leading to greatly amplified pain. It is not explicitly nerve damage in the traditional sense; that is, the nerve endings, ganglions, myelin sheaths, and other components of the nerves are all usually intact. Nerve damage may lead to no feeling at all, while CRPS is quite the opposite.

CRPS symptoms in the hands include a burning pain that originates away from the initial location of the injury and moves to the extremities, swelling and inflammation of the affected area, muscle spasms, stiffness in the limbs, a change in texture and color of the skin, and a greatly increased sensitivity to touch and temperature. This can make using your hands very difficult, as even the smallest interactions can cause extreme pain.

It may take numerous visits to the doctor to confirm that you have CRPS. What some doctors may simply call nerve damage others may call a neurological condition, while others may blame the peripheral nervous system entirely. Multiple visits can rack up expenses, and sometimes you are left without a consensus on your diagnosis. If you have any symptoms of CRPS, you should seek out a doctor with experience treating the condition to see if you are in fact affected by it.

If you do not pursue any medical treatment for CRPS due to a car accident, you run the risk of developing further problems. You may be hurt by constant pain, suffer muscular atrophy, a drastic reduction in mobility and range of motion, and possibly even be afflicted by paralysis.

These results are too dangerous to toy with. Do not ignore your condition because you may not have the funds to seek medical help. Contact one of our qualified attorneys with experience in CRPS cases, and we will help you receive coverage for your medical expenses.

How CRPS is Treated
If your hands were injured in a car accident and you developed CRPS, you may be able to find relief if the condition is caught early enough. Often, victims will allow the condition to progress to a point of no return and be forced to live with the effects of disability or paralysis. However, if addressed in its nascent stages, CRPS can be effectively treated. It is important to note that treatment revolves around pain management and preservation of mobility; there is no actual cure for CRPS. If you need more information, reach out to an expert attorney who has experience in CRPS cases.

CRPS that has already begun to cause muscular atrophy, stiffness, and a lack of motion in your hands may best be treated by various forms of therapy. There are numerous kinds of therapy; physical rehabilitation is the most common and is generally administered at therapy facilities or hospitals. Some examples of therapy include:

• Physical Therapy: Your hands need to move. CRPS can rob you of your mobility; thus, a physical therapist will help you stretch your hands and regain your range of motion and strength. The looser and less rigid your hands are, the more likely you are to be able to combat the pain. Stiffness can cause pain to radiate in one area and promotes swelling and inflammation.
• Topical Analgesics: A topical analgesic is a pain reliever that is applied directly to the affected area as opposed to taken orally. Capsin, Capsagel, and Zostrix are examples of capsaicin creams that can help relieve pain; there are also sprays and rubs that can be administered. However, because these medicines are applied outside of the body, they are not to be confused with a cure for the condition.
• Electric Stimulation: Doctors have used electric shocks and impulses to treat nerve damage. These shocks can cause pain relief or prevent the nerves from sending signals to the brain.
• Hot and Cold Therapy: Creams like Icyhot provide an alternating relief in cooling the affected area and then heating it up, but you can achieve the same result without a medicine. If the hands are swollen, a cold compress or ice pack can help reduce the inflammation; on the other hand, if the hands are radiating pain, a hot towel or heating pad can help alleviate them.

While these physical therapies may work well enough to temporarily relieve pain, doctors still have other options of helping victims with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome from a hand injury. Often, drugs and various medications can have positive effects on the body. For example:

• Pain Relievers: Aspirin and Tylenol are commonly prescribed by doctors and are available over the counter in most drug stores. If the pain persists, your doctor may prescribe even stronger painkillers, such as Vicodin, and mandate low dosages.
• Antidepressants: Nerve pain can be treated with the components sometimes found in antidepressants. You should consult a doctor before taking these meds, however, as they may have adverse effects on your mood and life.
• Corticosteroids: Steroids that reduce inflammation and increase mobility can help you regain control of your hands.
• Ketamine: Ketamine that is delivered intravenously is a strong anesthetic that can shut out a lot of pain. However, much like the topical analgesics, this relief is essentially a temporary fix.

Your best chance of beating CRPS is by consulting with numerous doctors and finding a treatment that works for you. If you are worried about the potential costs of the treatments and medications, contact one of our skilled Los Angeles attorneys with experience handling CRPS claims to file a lawsuit against the responsible party in the car accident.

Normandie: Helping You
The top-rated Normandie Law Firm is here to bring you compensation if you have suffered hand injuries due to a car accident. We know that your hands are one of the most important parts of your body, and constant pain and eventual immobility is not good for anyone. We want you to beat CRPS and we want to help. The individual who was responsible for causing the injuries that led to CRPS should be held accountable for his actions and be made to compensate you for your damages. Our accomplished lawyers in Los Angeles are willing to aggressively chase your restitution and will do everything in our power to bring you a settlement you are satisfied with and that covers your medical expenses. We will also strive to recover damages for your lost wages and emotional suffering throughout the ordeal. Contact us to speak with an experienced attorney today.

FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: Call our Los Angeles law firm today to receive a free consultation on your case. One of our CRPS attorneys will walk you through the legal process and discuss what you may earn from a lawsuit. You may stand to gain a sizeable payout, and with an injury as potentially debilitating as CRPS, you deserve it.

We offer you a zero fee guarantee on your claim as well. You will not owe us any money throughout the litigation process. If we win your case, our legal fees are taken out of the settlement itself and not from your savings. This is done to preserve your financial standing. In the event we lose your case, you are off the hook and do not owe us a cent. A lawyer experienced in CRPS cases can give you additional information.

To talk to an attorney with expertise in CRPS injury lawsuits, don’t hesitate to call Normandie Law Firm today.

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