Not All Chronic Pain is Considered Equal...
- Melissa Varnes
- Nov 28, 2025
- 1 min read
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): The Invisible Injury with Very Real Legal Implications
Why CRPS Matters in Litigation
CRPS isn't "just pain"
It's a debilitating, often misunderstood condition
When missed or minimized, CRPS can dramatically impact case value
Key Features of CRPS
Clients may experience:
Severe, disproportionate pain to their injury
Swelling/edema and changes in temperature
Changes in skin color
Weakness or limited mobility
Hypersensitivity to touch or movement
These symptoms must be interpreted within context.
Why It's Often Missed
CRPS is frequently:
Under-diagnosed
Labeled as "psychological"
Dismissed as routine pain (not believed to feel worse than expected)
Not documented comprehensively
Not understood
This leads to major gaps in the medical narrative.
Legal Challenges
For attorneys CRPS creates:
Inconsistencies in documentation
Delay in diagnosis
Causation questions
Difficulty proving severity of damages
Large ranges in long-term prognosis
What I Can Help Attorneys Uncover
As a Legal Nurse Consultant, I can clarify:
Early diagnostic red flags
Whether CRPS criteria were met
Delays or deviations in evaluation or standards of care
Gaps in treatment or documentation
How symptoms connect and are related to the injury
Strengthening Case Value
Strong medical clarity supports:
Causation
Damages
Life-Care Planning
Pain & Suffering justification
When to Bring Me In
Call me when:
Pain is labeled as "too severe" for the injury
Symptoms fluctuate in the medical record
Providers can't explain ongoing decline
Your suspect CRPS but documentation is thin
I can help build a clear medical story of an often, unclear diagnosis.
CRPS cases are medically complex, but with the right guidelines, a verdict in favor of the injured client is absolutely achievable.
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