Sometimes, after receiving a vaccination, a patient can experience severe and debilitating pain. Some of this can just be swelling or even an injury like SIRVA. However, there are other nervous system injuries that can occur after a vaccine. One of these is called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It is a debilitating side effect that will greatly and negatively impact the life of the patient. If you have developed CRPS from a vaccine, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Contact a vaccine injury lawyer today to find out how you can begin the process of filing a claim.
What Is CRPS
CRPS is a condition that impacts the central nervous system. The damage to the nerves sends pain signals to the brain that results in intense discomfort in parts of the body. The pain often seems inexplicable and like it comes out of nowhere, Yet for those who are suffering from CRPS, the extreme discomfort is very real and it ruins their lives. The pain seems completely disproportionate to whatever the initial injury was. In the case of vaccines, it is a simple injection and vaccine that causes serious damage to the nervous system that results in the pain.
CRPS can either be intense and temporary or it can have long-term health effects. It results from some sort of trauma to the body. In some cases, CRPS can occur in the wake of a fracture or some other injury. The condition can also result from the administration of a vaccine as it can be a traumatic event for the body.
CRPS Can Result from Vaccine Administration
The syndrome is associated with certain vaccines more than others even though it can result from many different types of vaccines. For example, there was a large number of cases of CRPS that was associated with a certain HPV vaccine. This was prevalent in Japan, and there have been fewer cases of CRPS associated with the HPV vaccine in the U.S. From 2006 to 2015, there were a total of 22 cases of CRPS that resulted from the HPV vaccine that were reported to the VAERS.
The main symptom of CRPS is intense pain which impacts one limb or extremity. It could attack an arm or a leg. For the patient, it feels like an intense burning pain is continuously striking them. The pain can feel like either a burning sensation or as if the limb is being squeezed hard. Even though the pain can start in one limb, CRPS can spread to other parts of the body.
Even the skin pattern and color can change with CRPS. In extreme cases, the patient may even have trouble with coordinated muscle movement or even moving the muscle at all. The patient may also lose control over their movement of the arm or leg with abnormal or spasmodic movement.
CRPS Is a Disruptive Condition that Robs the Patient of Their Quality of Life
The symptoms of CRPS are severe enough that it can be a serious disruption of the patient. In some cases, it can keep the patient from working due to continued and intense pain. Their quality of life is certainly impacted as they are not able to participate in hobbies.
CRPS takes some time to recover from assuming that the patient is able to get better at all. The course of treatment depends on the severity of the case. Some patients will need extensive rehabilitation and therapy. CRPS does not simply just go away with the passage of time. Instead, there is intervention needed which takes time and costs money. Some medications can help reduce some of the pain and symptoms associated with CRPS. There are new advances in treatment that are occurring that can help patients at present and in the future.
It is generally adults who receive vaccinations who are at risk for CRPS. The side effect generally does not strike children under the age of ten. CRPS also does not generally affect the elderly. In general, it will be young adults to middle-aged people who develop CRPS. However, there is some possibility that one can develop CRPS from an adolescent vaccine. There is currently a government study underway about incidents of CRPS in connection with these adolescent vaccines.
The VICP May Cover Cases of CRPS
There have been cases filed as part of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that have sought financial payments for cases of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. As late as 2017, there was some mention of there not being enough evidence to include Complex Regional Pain Syndrome on the Vaccine Injury Table. However, there have been some cases in which a Special Master awarded compensation to a claimant. In one particular case. The claimant was awarded $170,000 for her injuries. In this particular case, the claimant developed CRPS after receiving the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine. Here, the claimant qualified for compensation because she suffered from the symptoms of CRPS for longer than six months.
Recently, the number of compensable CRPS cases have been on the rise. In some cases, the Vaccine Court has ruled for the petitioner. In other cases, the government has conceded that the petitioner deserved compensation that was later decided by the judge or agreed upon by the parties. However, CRPS is a relatively newer compensable injury and there are still very few overall cases.
For CRPS cases, claimants can receive compensation for pain and suffering given the intense amount of pain and discomfort that they feel. They can also recover for lost wages for the time that they have missed from work and the time that they will miss in the future. Contact the attorneys at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates to learn more about the claims process and how we can help you throughout the process.
