When a motorcycle accident occurs, motorcyclists are often seriously injured. After all, bikers have little protection from impact with the road, other vehicles, and nearby stationary objects. As a result, they are vulnerable to all sorts of injuries including road burns, scrapes, cuts, bruises, sprains, strains, fractures, nerve injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Unfortunately, all of these types of injuries are common triggers for reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD), also known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Understanding RSD or CRPS

When the nervous system is injured, it can cause chronic pain known as RSD. This debilitating neurological syndrome usually affects the arms or legs, causing intense pain that continues to spread and get worse over time. People with this condition experience the following symptoms:

  • Discoloration of skin
  • Skin texture changes
  • Changes in the skin’s temperature
  • Swelling inflammation
  • Abnormal sweating
  • Continuous burning, aching, or throbbing pain
  • Intense pain
  • Muscle spasms
  • Extreme sensitivity to touch
  • Hypersensitivity in the affected limb
  • Joint stiffness
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Anger
  • Sleeping difficulties

The symptoms of RSD can change by the hour, and every person with RSD may suffer differently. Unfortunately, RSD can worsen and cause people to live a lifetime of pain, unable to earn a living. For this reason, motorcycle accident victims need to seek compensation for the following:

  • Hospital bills
  • Medical treatment and ongoing medical care
  • Physical therapy and occupational therapy
  • Psychological therapy and counseling expenses
  • Prescriptions and medication costs
  • Lost wages
  • Future loss of income and benefits
  • Loss of the enjoyment of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Other damages

To learn more about the types of damages you may be entitled to, how to deal with insurance companies, and what you should and shouldn’t do after a motorcycle accident, we encourage you to order a free copy of our book The Florida Accident Handbook: What You Need to Know After an Auto, Truck or Bike Accident.

 

Damian Mallard, Esq.
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Board Certified Sarasota Personal Injury Attorney