Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a confusing and upsetting experience. Social Security doesn’t specifically list CRPS as an impairment that qualifies for disability benefits, but it does recognize its constellation of symptoms.
You suffered an injury or underwent surgery. You healed, or thought you did. Then the pain mysteriously came back.
Maybe you have redness, numbness, tingling, hypersensitivity or swelling. These are symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome that you could document for a Social Security Disability claim.
Nobody knows exactly what causes CRPS, which, also called reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), but it affects about 200,000 people in the U.S. every year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
It can be manageable, but in some cases the pain is so intense that it hinders your ability to physically function. If it’s severe enough, it can prevent you from working, which is when you qualify for disability benefits.
When you can’t work, Social Security Disability benefits are a critical lifeline to keep you financially stable.
Securing those benefits isn’t easy. Social Security won’t just take your word for it. You’ll need to compile a mountain of evidence. It’s especially tricky for a vexing condition like CRPS or RSDS. And Social Security denies around two-thirds of disability applications.
A skilled disability lawyer can increase your chances of success. At Nash Disability Law in Chicago, Social Security Disability Law is all we do. Our disability lawyers have helped thousands of people.
Our team knows how to frame your story in the most compelling way to the claims reviewers and disability judges who will assess your case so you can get financial relief.
If you live in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Waukegan, Gary or anywhere in Chicagoland, Illinois or Northwest Indiana, get in touch with us for help with your CRPS disability claim.
Not local? That’s perfectly fine. Most Social Security Disability hearings are conducted by phone, so we can represent you no matter where in the country you live.
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Medical experts are searching for what causes CRPS or RSDS.
They’re not sure why some people develop it while most do not. It can occur after an injury, a surgery or sometimes for no obvious reason at all. It appears some people have nervous systems that are overly sensitive to pain, almost like an allergy.
You may have an increased risk of CRPS if you have diabetes or immune system problems. Scientists have also found CRPS occurring within families, which hints at a possible genetic factor.
Broken bones are the most common injury associated with CRPS, but it can also develop after sprains, strains, bruises, burns or cuts.
CRPS most often impacts people’s limbs, especially hands. It is strongly associated with damage to the small sensory nerves that transmit pain, react to temperature and send signals to the small blood vessels responsible for the health of the surrounding tissue.
Because it’s rare and generally misunderstood, diagnosing CRPS is difficult. CRPS symptoms usually begin about four to six weeks after the damage occurred.
For a disability claim for CRPS, documenting your individual debilitating symptoms may be more important than your diagnosis.
Doctors will look for:
Sometimes CRPS also causes abnormal hair or nail growth or involuntary movement in the affected area.
Treatment for CRPS involves typical interventions that reduce pain, increase functionality in the affected limb and improve your overall quality of life.
An important part of applying for disability benefits for CRPS is showing your efforts to pursue treatment and relief.
Even with treatment, CRPS might not improve.
And if you can’t earn a living because of the ways CRPS has turned your life upside down, Social Security Disability benefits may be your best route to stabilizing your life.
Nash Disability Law can help you through Social Security’s demanding claims process, whether you’re appealing a denial or applying for the first time.
It costs you nothing to talk to us about your situation.
Get a FREE CRPS disability claim consultation.
Because CRPS is not in Social Security’s official listing of qualified medical impairments, it takes an extra level of research and paperwork to prove that your condition is eligible for disability benefits.
But Social Security does provide some guidance. It recognized complex regional pain syndrome and reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome in a policy ruling describing how CRPS/RSDS can qualify as a “medically determinable” impairment.
The starting point is to understand Social Security’s definition of “disability.” It’s not just that you’re sick or physically impaired. It’s that your condition will be severe enough to keep you from working for at least a year.
To prove this, you will need to gather medical history, including your CRPS or RSDS diagnosis.
Any tests, doctors’ notes and treatment records will be a part of this, including evidence that your condition has not improved.
Social Security will want to see whether other conditions have been ruled out, although you can have multiple impairments that, when combined, inhibit your ability to hold a job and therefore strengthen your case for disability benefits.
Social Security also will likely ask for an assessment of your “Residual Functional Capacity”—a detailed description of how your CRPS has limited your physical and mental abilities needed for a typical job.
The disability attorneys at Nash Disability Law can be your guide as you present your life with CRPS to Social Security.
We’ve been helping people gain disability benefits since the 1980s. We are one of the top law firms in Illinois in terms of volume of benefits won for clients, according to Social Security reports on disability representatives.
When CRPS has disrupted your life, you can pursue support for greater comfort and peace.
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Thank you for all your help with my disability case. I felt very confident after discussing my claim with your attorneys. The representation I had for my court date was wonderful. I know I couldn’t have done all that you did on my own . I am very appreciative for all the hard work, time and care you gave to me!
