Have you had an accident recently where you were left in pain and trying to heal from your injuries? When it takes a long time to heal and fully recover, you may receive another diagnosis for what is happening with your body. It is called chronic pain and it can be debilitating, affecting every area of your life. It is tough to manage, and if you think this is what may be happening with you, consider reaching out to a Washington, DC Chronic Pain Lawyer. This is especially important if your initial injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence. Read on for more details.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain isn’t something that heals in a few days. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Chronic pain lasts months or years and can affect any part of your body. It interferes with daily life and can lead to depression and anxiety. The first step in chronic pain management is to find and treat the cause. When that isn’t possible, the most effective approach is a combination of medications, therapies and lifestyle changes.”
The National Institutes of Health reported on a chronic pain study in 2023, and found that “Among people who have chronic pain, almost two-thirds still suffer from it a year later.”
Think back to how your injury occurred. It could be from a car accident, a pedestrian accident, a slip and fall accident, a bicycle accident, a mistake made by your doctor, or maybe it happened in another way. When you went to the doctor, you likely received a treatment plan for your injuries, which may have included physical therapy, rest, and/or medication.
However, when the recovery occurs over an extended period, other complications related to your initial injury can arise. Those secondary symptoms then make the injury worse, and so the cycle gets underway: the chronic pain begins – and as your Chronic Pain Injury Lawyer will explain – treatment for initial injury is now accompanied by treatment for chronic pain.
The NIH study explains more in-depth: “Overall, the study found that the rate of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain (HICP) among adults is approximately 21% and 8%, respectively. Chronic pain is pain that is experienced on most days or every day in the past three months; and HICP is pain that limits life or work activities on most days or every day during the past three months. The links between the widespread burden of chronic pain and the country’s opioid epidemic underscore the urgency to understand and address the issue of pain.”
What Happens with Chronic Pain?
Chronic Pain often gets overlooked, because it is so closely associated with the initial injury. Moreover, because the word “pain” is often communicated in the physical sense, the other areas affected can be easy to overlook. For example, some individuals experience pain so severe that they have trouble sleeping. Trouble sleeping leads to exhaustion, and exhaustion can lead to leads to poor work performance and poor work performance can lead to the loss of a job.
The scenario above is not at all uncommon, and when the chronic pain patient contacts their attorney, the above will be detailed in legal documentation with supportive documents with one goal: to help you receive a fair and reasonable settlement for your chronic pain.
How is Chronic Pain Treated?
There are several treatment techniques available for chronic pain and your chronic pain lawyer will detail the options so you can communicate with your doctor about making the best decision for your injuries and subsequent pain. New studies also reveal other new pain management techniques that you will learn about when you get your officially chronic pain diagnosed. Some of the most common treatments for chronic pain include physical therapy, Transcutaneous Electro-Nerve Stimulator (TENS), and acupuncture, along with specific medications, such as antidepressants, muscle relaxers, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.
Chronic Pain Lawyers in Washington, DC & Maryland
If you believe you are suffering from chronic pain caused by someone else’s negligence, reach out to the experienced Washington, DC, and Maryland Chronic Pain Attorneys at The Lapidus Law Firm for help at (202) 785-5111. We will stand with you and walk you through each step of the legal proceedings. You don’t have to suffer from your chronic pain alone. We will fight to make things right.