What Types Of Car Accident Injuries Lead To Chronic Pain Syndrome?

Understanding Chronic Pain Syndrome

Most pain after an accident fades. Bruises heal, whiplash resolves, broken bones mend. But for some people, the pain doesn’t go away. It digs in, spreads, and starts shaping every part of daily life. When this happens, it is often referred to as chronic pain syndrome. It won’t show up on X-rays or other scans, which makes it frustrating when dealing with the insurance company.

Chronic pain syndrome is different from other types of car accident injuries. Your other injuries heal and go away, but the pain lingers. For some people, they can have chronic pain for months or years. For others, the pain never subsides. It can start with whiplash, a nerve injury, or a back injury from a car crash in Colorado.

People managing chronic pain from a car accident can also experience:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue
• Reduced mobility
• Mood swings
• Anger

When your pain persists long after your other car accident injuries have healed, it could be chronic pain syndrome.

How Chronic Pain Syndrome Develops After A Car Accident In Colorado

Chronic pain can develop from different types of crashes, including:

• Rear-end crashes
• Side and front impact crashes
• Penetrating crashes
• High speed T-bone crashes

Most modern vehicles lack the shock-absorbing features found on older models. When another car impacts your car, the majority of the force is transferred directly to your body. For example, in a low speed rear-end crash, that force can cause your neck to snap back and forth like a whip, often causing whiplash. The severity of the injury can also be a factor contributing to chronic pain syndrome.

In addition, several areas of the body are prone to developing chronic pain syndrome, such as:

• The spinal cord
• Muscles
• Tendons
• Nerves
• Bones

The moment your vehicle is hit, the force of the crash puts enormous strain on your body in a matter of seconds. Your body initially responds by releasing a flood of adrenaline to mask symptoms and pain. In some cases, you may feel fine after the crash. Yet, this is adrenaline.

Over the following weeks, your body will slowly heal and recover. Lacerations and bruising fade, broken bones start to grow back together, and torn muscles and tendons start to repair themselves.

Yet, for reasons that aren’t fully understood, certain types of injuries alter how the nervous system processes pain signals. Even after all your other injuries have healed, your brain is still stuck in a painful state. The pain persists because the central nervous system continues to send pain signals to your brain. 

The Types Of Injuries Most Likely To Lead To Chronic Pain

Not every car crash injury carries the same risk. Some are far more likely than others to become long-term pain conditions, and could include:

• Whiplash and soft tissue injuries: Some people develop chronic neck pain, headaches, and limited range of motion that persists for months or years.
• Herniated or bulging discs: Crash impact can rupture or push discs out of position, pressing on nearby nerves, leading to chronic back or leg pain that persists for years.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Even a mild TBI that does not cause a loss of consciousness can result in chronic headaches, brain fog, light sensitivity, and mood changes that could outlast the initial injury by years.
• Nerve damage: Crash-related nerve injuries can cause burning, stabbing, or tingling pain that’s difficult to treat. Conditions, like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), can develop after even relatively minor-looking injuries.
• Fractures and broken bones: Breaks that heal improperly, or the damage surrounding nerves, can become sources of ongoing pain long after the bone has healed.

Ongoing Pain Is Real And Serious

Chronic pain is a real medical condition, not an exaggeration or weakness. The medical community has long recognized that pain can persist and worsen despite the absence of visible tissue damage.

However, from an insurance perspective, proving it in a legal context is difficult. There is no blood test for it, imaging often looks normal, and insurers routinely use the lack of objective findings to question whether someone is actually suffering.

What matters is consistent, detailed medical documentation from the start. Make sure you take note of:

• Every appointment.
• Every symptom.
• Every functional limitation.
• Every treatment prescribed.
• Every referral to specialists.
• Every diagnosis.

Keeping a pain journal is equally beneficial. Document how the pain is affecting your ability to care for yourself and your family, work, sleep, and the hobbies and activities you enjoy doing.

The Legal Challenges Of Chronic Pain Claims In Colorado

Chronic pain cases are harder to negotiate than broken bone cases. The damages are real but harder to quantify. The insurance adjuster will almost always argue that your pain predates the accident or isn’t supported by the evidence.

Colorado’s modified comparative fault system gives the defense an incentive to assign partial blame to you, which reduces what they will have to pay. They may also argue that you failed to mitigate your damages by not seeking treatment immediately following the car crash.

These cases require attorneys who understand both medicine and the law. It’s not enough to know that someone is in pain. You need access to resources and experts to establish a valid claim for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

The Importance Of Medical Documentation And Legal Representation

If you are dealing with ongoing pain after an accident, the most important thing you can do is continue to document your care and keep a pain journal. Don’t miss any appointments either. Speaking with an experienced car accident injury attorney in Colorado is free and highly recommended as soon as possible following your crash.

During your initial consultation, they will:

• Explain your legal options.
• Tell you what your claim is actually worth.
• Answer all your questions.
• Make sound recommendations on how to proceed.

Managing chronic pain from a car accident often means a lifetime of treatment, and a settlement that only covers what you’ve already endured isn’t enough.

How Bachus & Schanker Can Help With Your Chronic Pain Injury Claim In Colorado

Bachus & Schanker has handled car accident cases across Colorado for decades, including complex, difficult-to-prove injury cases. We work with medical experts who can explain your condition clearly.

Our Colorado car accident lawyers know how to build a strong, well-documented case to withstand any pushback from the insurance company.

Whether it’s been months or your car crash just occurred, find out what your options are to secure a favorable settlement for chronic pain. There’s no cost to speak with us, and there are no fees unless we win.

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