Car accident injuries can sometimes cause chronic pain that may affect victims for the rest of their lives. This condition can severely diminish your quality of life. It may even prevent you from taking part in activities you once enjoyed.
If you have been injured in a Harrisburg car crash, Schmidt Kramer’s experienced lawyers are ready to provide legal help at no upfront cost. Our Harrisburg auto accident attorneys have secured millions for crash victims who have suffered a wide range of car crash injuries.
When you hire Schmidt Kramer, you can rest assured we will protect your legal interests and fully manage the legal process on your behalf. We are deeply committed to helping our clients achieve a favorable result, either through a settlement or in the courtroom.
Call today for legal assistance. No upfront fees. Phone: (717) 727-2550.
What Is the Definition of Chronic Pain?
It is normal to experience pain after a car accident. However, if your pain continues for several months or longer, you may have a chronic pain syndrome. Chronic pain may be limited to one part of the body, like the back or neck. Sometimes that pain is continuous. In other cases, it may come and go. Often, crash victims who suffer from some form of chronic pain may find it limits their mobility, while also affecting their muscle strength, flexibility and endurance.
Sometime chronic pain can be caused by other medical issues like cancer or arthritis. However, chronic pain syndrome can also be triggered by a serious physical injury, such as the trauma from a Harrisburg auto accident.
Common Injuries That Trigger Chronic Pain
There are several car crash injuries that may trigger chronic pain, even after the initial injury has healed, such as:
- Spinal cord injuries, including herniated discs or fractures
- Compound fractures, such as in the arms or legs
- Amputated limbs
- Severe soft-tissue damage in the knees
- Shoulder separations or dislocations
- Whiplash
- Crush injuries
- Nerve damage, especially in the neck or back
Types of Chronic Pain Conditions
There are different types of chronic pain conditions that may develop after a car crash, such as:
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a medical condition characterized by muscle pain and stiffness, which usually affects specific trigger points throughout the victim’s body. People suffering from fibromyalgia also commonly experience severe fatigue, depression and cognitive problems.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
This condition results from severe nerve damage, often caused by a traumatic event. Victims suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) may experience muscle spasms and weakness.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Your chronic pain may be accompanied by debilitating fatigue that does not improve with more rest. In fact, trying to push through the fatigue may even make the condition worse. Some people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome may experience debilitating pain in their muscles and joints.
What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Pain From a Car Crash?
If you have chronic pain after a car crash injury, you may have many of these common symptoms, such as:
- Trouble sleeping
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Persistent headaches
- Severe fatigue
- Sexual dysfunction
- Numbness or tingling, especially in your extremities
- Increased irritability
- Reduced mobility
- Muscle weakness
It is also important to note that chronic pain victims may have varying symptoms. For example, some victims may experience pain that seems to shoot down their back or extremities, along with burning or radiating pain.
Including Chronic Pain in a Pennsylvania Injury Claim
If you have chronic pain after a car crash, you may be able to include it in a claim for compensation. However, you must first prove the other party’s negligence and establish how your pain is connected to the car crash injury. There are several steps victims and their attorneys can take to help validate a claim for chronic pain.
One vital step victims should take is to seek medical care right away. If there is a significant gap between the time of the crash and when you first sought medical treatment, it can hurt your case. The insurance company could say your injuries were caused by something besides the crash.
Some of the other steps crash victims can take to support their chronic pain claim include:
- Reporting all chronic pain symptoms to your doctors
- Continuing medical treatment, which means not missing appointments and following your doctors’ instructions
- Working with an experienced lawyer – who can explain how to further support your claim. For instance, by keeping a daily journal in which you describe your pain and how it is impacting your life
Your lawyer may need to hire a medical expert to provide a detailed explanation of how the crash caused your injury and how that injury has led to chronic pain. Experts witness testimony can be invaluable because these people are viewed as objective third parties.
Managing Chronic Pain From a Collision
There are various treatments for chronic pain and while they might not fully eliminate your pain, it may help improve your quality of life. You may be able to enjoy some of the activities you engaged in before the crash.
Insurers often try to underpay claims for physical therapy or other medical interventions for chronic pain. Insurers may argue victims are exaggerating their pain and do not need ongoing care. That is why victims need a licensed attorney with a history of recovering compensation for ongoing medical care.
At Schmidt Kramer, we have been helping crash victims for decades. We have the resources and legal knowledge to pursue all the compensation you may need.
Experiencing Chronic Pain After a Car Accident? Contact Our Firm Today
Feel free to reach out to our law offices at any time, day or night, to request your complimentary case evaluation. There is absolutely no obligation to initiate a claim. Should you decide to retain our firm, rest assured that there are no upfront fees. We only collect a fee if we win your case.
Have Questions? We Have Answers. Ph: (717) 727-2550.