When you have chronic pain, it’s an invisible illness that’s difficult for other people to comprehend. You don’t “look sick” but you’re living with serious health challenges.
The CDC estimates that at least 50 million U.S. adults have chronic pain, yet it remains one of the nation’s under-diagnosed illnesses. Many people with chronic pain minimize their immense suffering and/or are overlooked by doctors who focus on other, more obvious health conditions.
A person with chronic pain may develop debilitating symptoms that ruin their career, lifestyle, and relationships. At this challenging time in your life, a chronic pain lawyer helps you understand your legal options for pursuing the compensation you need to cope.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is a complex condition with many definitions. In a legal sense, chronic pain is usually defined as ongoing debilitating pain that arises from an original incident of some type, like a workplace injury or an auto accident.
Symptoms of chronic pain are numerous and complicated. The symptoms may masquerade as other conditions even when they are ultimately tied to an incident that triggered what would eventually be defined as chronic pain syndrome or complex regional pain syndrome.
Common chronic pain symptoms include:
- Diffuse pain throughout the body
- Focused pain at certain points in the body
- Throbbing, pulsing pain
- Tightness, stiffness, and soreness
- Sensitivity to hot and/or cold
- Hair and nail changes
- Skin texture changes
- Difficulty maintaining stable body temperature
- Sweating and clamminess
- Muscle spasms and tremors
- Mobility problems
- Muscle atrophy
- Trouble sleeping despite feeling tired
- Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions
The defining aspect of chronic pain is that it has long-term effects causing wide-ranging negative impacts on someone’s life. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that of all people who experienced pain in the past year, 11.3% have chronic pain.
Chronic pain comes with a particularly strenuous economic burden that can destroy your financial wellness and psychological stability. It often takes numerous healthcare visits and tests to determine the source of your pain and confirm a diagnosis.
Plus, many people don’t realize they have chronic pain until quite a long time after the accident that caused it. They might delay seeking a diagnosis for weeks or years, although the statute of limitations for California accident compensation requires taking action within two years.
How Do I Prove Chronic Pain?
Proving chronic pain takes patience, time, and legal expertise. You’ll need to prove that you are experiencing chronic pain as a direct result of someone else’s actions, like when someone causes a car accident that hurts you.
One of the biggest challenges to making a successful chronic pain claim is establishing a firm connection between your chronic pain and its cause of origin. You and your doctor may have difficulty documenting the medical link between the accident and your chronic pain.
In most cases, to receive compensation, a medical professional must officially classify your chronic pain as a long-term permanent injury. You’ll also need extensive paperwork that shows your patient history, medical bills, out-of-pocket charges, lost wages, and other evidence that supports your claim.
Your chronic pain lawyer can help you make a strong case for additional compensation, like the emotional pain and suffering you’ve experienced. For example, your chronic pain and depression could be related to a horrific accident on a busy California freeway. The person who set off the crash could be responsible for compensating you for your physical challenges, psychological harm, and other damages.
Chronic Pain After an Accident? We Can Help.
Whatever you do, don’t accept a fast settlement from an insurance company or sign a document that ends your opportunity to pursue compensation before seeking legal advice. What if you continue to have chronic pain after car accident compensation and you’ve already signed away your rights?
You deserve full and fair compensation for your chronic pain. When you need an experienced chronic pain lawyer, turn to the attorney team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers.
We handle many areas of personal injury law including chronic pain from traffic accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering from your accident while we handle the legal details. Call 877-380-8852 today for a free case evaluation.