DEALING WITH CHRONIC PAIN AFTER AN ACCIDENT
Posted on Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 at 4:49 am
Sacramento has many activities and opportunities for recreation and relaxation. However, a beautiful day can quickly turn tragic when another person’s negligence results in an accidental injury. Unfortunately for some people, the injuries they sustain in an accident causes chronic pain. While many accidental injuries heal with time, rest, and medical treatment, long-term pain can be more difficult to manage. If you are suffering from chronic pain after an accident, you need an experienced Stockton personal injury lawyer to help you hold the negligent person responsible for your pain accountable for his or her actions.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is any pain that lasts more than 12 weeks. In many accidents, the victims suffer from injuries that cause acute pain. Acute pain is what we experience when we have broken bones, lacerations, severe burns, and other accident injuries. The pain is a signal that we have been injured. However, chronic pain is something different. Long-term pain can persist long after the victims have recovered from the precipitating injury. In some cases, a person may suffer from ongoing pain for months or years after an accident.
Many accident victims who suffer from chronic pain also experience complications from the pain. Fatigue, changes in mood, sleep disturbances, impaired mobility, decreased appetite, and reduced functionality are associated with chronic pain. Because a person may not be as active because of the constant pain, he or she may also experience a decrease in stamina, flexibility, and strength. As the pain persists, many victims suffer from depression and anxiety.
Diagnosing and Treating Chronic Pain
Pain is subjective; therefore, each person’s tolerance for pain is different. Unfortunately, there are no medical tests or procedures to measure pain or pinpoint the location of the pain with any real accuracy. Each person must provide his or her own assessment of the pain level. An experienced physician can use information from the patient to help determine the level of pain and the possible source of the pain; however, the diagnosis is often inconclusive. The information from the patient is used to develop a treatment plan that is unique to the person’s pain experience.
Treatment for chronic pain focuses on reducing the severity of pain to improve function. While ongoing pain may not be cured, it can often be managed through medication. In some cases, a physician may suggest other methods of treatment, including electrical stimulation, relaxation therapy, nerve blocks, physical therapy, or surgery. Again, the treatments are based on information gathered from the patient; therefore, patients must work closely with their physicians to develop a treatment plan that provides the best relief from the pain.
Compensation for Chronic Pain
Because chronic pain is subjective and cannot “measured” with a medical device or diagnostic test, many insurance companies fight accident claims for chronic pain. However, accident victims suffering from ongoing pain experience significant damages in addition to the pain and suffering. Many people miss work or are unable to work because of the pain. Therefore, the financial damages can be substantial. Treatments for chronic pain can also be expensive, causing another financial burden for victims.
It is crucial for an injury victim to work with an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Our attorneys are aggressive when pursuing chronic pain injury claims. Simply because a victim does not have a cast or a surgery scar does not mean that the victim is not suffering as much or more than another victim.
Call Now For Your Free Consultation with a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
For a free legal consultation to discuss your legal rights and options for recovering compensation for the injuries and chronic pain, contact The Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by visiting our website.
