After being injured in an accident, some people, unfortunately, go on to develop Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This condition can be much more severe and debilitating than the original injury. It is not understood what causes CRPS but you could claim compensation if diagnosed with the condition following an accident caused by somebody else. This guide about complex regional pain (CRPS) compensation claims will explain your options in detail.

You can get additional information by speaking with a member of our team. They’re specially trained and will provide free legal advice as part of a no-obligation initial consultation. A personal injury solicitor on our team may agree to represent you if you decide to take legal action for CRPS. If they do, they’ll work for you on a No Win No Fee basis so you won’t have to worry about paying any legal fees upfront.

You’ll find more information about complex regional pain syndrome claims throughout this guide or you can call us on 0800 6524 881 to discuss your case with a specialist.

What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

According to the NHS, CRPS is a poorly understood condition leading to long-lasting, severe and debilitating pain. In many cases, only one limb is affected but the pain can sometimes spread to other parts of the body.

CRPS most often affects the extremities, such as the hands, wrists, feet, and ankles and can be triggered by relatively minor injuries as well as more serious conditions including:

• Strains and sprains.
• Broken bones.
• Scalds and burns.
• Cuts and grazes.

Where most people recover from these sorts of injuries quite quickly, those diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome can remain in pain for a long time afterwards.

Symptoms Of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

The symptoms of CRPS include:

• Chronic pain.
• Allodynia – where pain is felt by something that wouldn’t normally hurt.
• Hyperalgesia – a feeling or more pain than is usually associated with a specific action.
• A feeling that the limb is larger or smaller than it is.
• Swelling and stiffness in the limb.
• Muscle spasms and tremors.
• Insomnia.
• Movement difficulties.
• Skin, nail and hair changes in the affected part of the body.

In rarer cases, ulcers, skin infections, muscle wastage and shortening of muscles can all be symptoms of chronic regional pain syndrome. The symptoms listed here may take a couple of days to manifest or they can take weeks or even months to develop.

How Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Diagnosed?

Complex regional pain syndrome is quite difficult to diagnose and there isn’t a single test available at present. Another problem with diagnosing CRPS is that its symptoms are often similar to many other conditions.

Some of the ways a doctor could confirm suspected complex regional pain syndrome include:

• MRI scans to find underlying nerve damage.
• Blood tests to help rule out rheumatoid arthritis and infections.
• X-rays to help rule out bone and joint damage.
• A detailed examination by a specialist with experience of CRPS.
• Nerve conduction tests to help rule out nerve damage.

As part of any personal injury claim for CRPS, you will need a further independent medical examination. This will help to confirm the diagnosis offered by your doctor and to get some idea of how long you are likely to be affected by the condition.

Am I Eligible To Make A CRPS Compensation Claim?

Generally, you could be eligible to claim compensation for chronic regional pain syndrome if:

• The party you blame owed you a duty of care; and
• Their negligence caused an accident; and
• You sustained injuries in that accident and were subsequently diagnosed with CRPS.

As mentioned above, the process of diagnosing CRPS isn’t easy. Generally, a doctor will conclude that it’s the condition you have if they’ve ruled out every other condition with the same symptoms.

If you have been diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome and the accident in which you were injured was caused by somebody else, please call us to find out if you could claim compensation.

Common Accidents Than Can Lead To CRPS Claims

Effectively, any type of accident that causes one of the injuries described earlier could potentially lead to complex regional pain syndrome. That means CRPS compensation claims could be made following:

This list is by no means complete. CRPS can be caused by any type of traumatic injury. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what type of accident you’ve been injured in, if you have since been diagnosed with CRPS, we could help you to claim for your suffering if somebody else is to blame.

How Much Compensation For Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

As discussed, CRPS can have a massive impact on your life as well as your family’s. Therefore, any compensation claim should be carefully thought about to ensure any settlement is fair and covers all of your needs. If you win a CRPS compensation claim, it may include damages to cover:

• Physical pain, suffering and discomfort.
• Depression, stress, anxiety and other mental health conditions caused by your CRPS.
• The cost of a professional carer or the time a family member spent looking after you.
• Home adaptations to try and improve your quality of life i.e. making more space so you can get around with mobility aids or installing a profiling bed.
• Lost earnings to cover both current and future losses.
• Medical costs including private physiotherapy and psychological support for CRPS.
• Travel expenses including alternative modes of transport or modifications to your current vehicle.

If one of our solicitors takes on your CRPS compensation claim, they’ll work hard to establish a full picture of your suffering. They’ll then use that information to try and make sure that any settlement offered is fair and will meet your needs both now and in the longer term.

CRPS Compensation Amounts Guide

We’ll now look at advised (from the Judicial College) compensation amounts specifically for complex regional pain in relation to general damages.

• £52,500 – £84,010 compensation for severe CRPS.
• £28,030 – £52,500 compensation for moderate CRPS.

It’s important to note that the figures shown aren’t set in stone, and should be taken as a guide only as any settlement for CRPS will be determined by the specifics of the case.

Evidence To Support CRPS Compensation Claims

In addition to providing medical evidence to confirm a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome, your condition will need to be attributed to an accident or incident caused by somebody else’s negligence if you’re to be compensated. Any evidence would also need to prove how you’ve been affected by CRPS.

To help present as strong a case as possible, your solicitor could use:

• Medical notes. X-rays, scans and test results may all be obtained by your solicitor from the hospital that treated you.
• Employment records. If your ability to work has been affected by CRPS, documentation such as employment contracts, pay slips, tax records, and letters from employers can help establish the impact on your earning capacity and potential financial losses.
• Accident reports. In many cases, injuries are recorded in an accident report. The injured party is entitled to request a copy of the report which could be used to establish where and when they were injured.
• Witness statements. To further clarify how your accident occurred, anybody else who was present may be contacted by your solicitor and asked for a statement.
• Photographic evidence. Pictures of the scene of the incident and any visible injuries can help to prove how the accident occurred and the extent of your initial suffering.
• Video footage. Dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage is often a good way of proving how your accident happened.
• Financial records. Maintaining records of medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, travel expenses related to medical appointments, and any other financial losses as a result of CRPS can help demonstrate the financial impact the condition has had on you.

If you decide to call us about your claim, please let us know about any evidence you’ve already secured. Anything that’s missing will be sought by your solicitor if the claim proceeds.

Time Limits For Claiming Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Compensation

As you may know, most personal injury claims have a 3-year time limit from the date of the accident. However, that’s not appropriate for CRPS claims as it can take some time for the condition to be recognised. Therefore, you’ll have 3 years to claim from your date of knowledge i.e. when complex regional pain syndrome was diagnosed by your doctor.

It can take some time for your prognosis to be fully understood with CRPS. Therefore, if the defendant in your claim has accepted liability for the accident, interim payments could be paid before your CRPS compensation claim is settled in full. This can have a massive impact as it can cover the cost of medical treatment, care costs and any loss of earnings.

We would suggest starting your claim as soon as possible to allow your solicitor enough time to prepare your case so that you don’t miss out on the compensation you might be entitled to.

Starting The CRPS Compensation Claims Process

Please call us on 0800 6524 881 today if you would like to check if you could be compensated for complex regional pain syndrome. A member of our team will discuss your options with you for free and could put you in touch with one of our personal injury solicitors.

If your CRPS claim is viable and taken on, your solicitor will work on a No Win No Fee basis. Knowing that legal fees won’t be payable unless the claim is won should reduce your stress levels during the claims process.

For more information on the CRPS compensation claims process, please connect to our live chat service.