A car accident may result in injuries that require immediate medical attention, such as fractures or soft tissue injuries. However, some types of injuries may take longer to develop. One of them is fibromyalgia, which can lead to severe physical and mental health complications over time. Although researchers do not know the exact cause of this disease, they often associate it with heredity, infection, and trauma. A car accident may trigger this ailment through physical trauma and psychological distress.
Once fibromyalgia affects an individual, there is no cure at this time, and it can cause enormous loss in a patient’s life. Treatments primarily focus on controlling the symptoms and can be very expensive. A person who develops this disease from an accident can exercise their legal rights and hold the person who caused the trauma responsible for the damage caused.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects the muscles and bones. It is a relatively common disease that can amplify musculoskeletal pain throughout the body. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is widespread chronic pain, which usually lasts for at least three months.
Some patients report that they experience pain at pressure points, like a tender point on their body. Others say that they feel discomfort and pain for no reason. Injuries and bruises can also be more painful for such people. Research has not entirely been able to determine its exact causes.
Some of the most common symptoms associated with fibromyalgia include:
Fatigue
- Mental confusion
- Cognitive difficulties
- Inattention
- Persistent pain
Chronic fatigue is common because this disease can affect sleep. The pain that fibromyalgia can cause has the potential to interfere with sleep or the condition can cause other symptoms that may disrupt sleep, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea. It may also coexist with headaches or migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease. Doctors believe that fibromyalgia may amplify the brain’s perception of pain. There is no known cure, although doctors can use pain management techniques to treat patients’ symptoms. You can apply for disability For fibromyalgia if you are unable to earn a living as a result of this condition.
Is fibromyalgia common after a car accident?
According to research, many types of traumas can trigger fibromyalgia in an individual. Current research indicates that head and neck injuries may be particularly likely to cause fibromyalgia. Car accident victims who suffer from head and neck trauma in a car accident and subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be particularly vulnerable to developing fibromyalgia.
However, fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose. The most recent diagnostic guidelines state that, if a patient has medically unexplained widespread pain that lasts at least three months, the patient is considered to have fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia patients can experience a variety of symptoms, including:
- Severe pain, generally described as a persistent dull ache
- Cognitive impairment or “fibro fog” that affects the ability to concentrate
- Prolonged but non-restful sleep
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- Depression
Because fibromyalgia cannot be cured at this point in time, doctors often focus on treatment to control and relieve symptoms. Physicians may prescribe antidepressants to help patients combat fatigue and pain relievers to help ease discomfort.
Certain antiepileptic drugs have also achieved some degree of success in reducing some of the pain associated with fibromyalgia. Doctors often recommend that patients learn how to manage their stress, which can also exacerbate this chronic disease.
The medical costs associated with fibromyalgia can be very high because this incurable condition often requires lifelong care. If the fibromyalgia was triggered by a motor vehicle crash, these expenses may be settled through negotiation or a jury verdict in favor of the car accident victimfollowing personal injury litigation. All of this assumes that the accident victim has been correctly diagnosed.
Victims of car accidents should remember that accident-related injuries and conditions do not always appear immediately after the crash. They should not resolve their case until they know the full extent of their injuries and damages.
Can I seek compensation for fibromyalgia after a car accident?
A car accident survivor who develops fibromyalgia as a result of the crash can file a claim for damages relating to the condition. Chronic pain, decreased quality of life, emotional injury, lost wages, medical expenses, treatment costs, and legal costs are damages that a fibromyalgia patient may include in a car accident claim.
Some courts allow accident victims to seek compensation for economic and non-economic losses. However, patients need to determine the causal relationship between car accidents and this medical ailment. This may require the help of a car accident attorney.
Proving that this disease is a compensable loss in a car accident claim may require extensive medical records and expert witness testimony. Expert medical witnesses can help judges or juries understand the connection between car accidents and traumatic events. Medical witnesses can also help prove that these patients’ fibromyalgia symptoms occur as a direct result of the car accident.
A San Antonio car accident lawyer can help car accident survivors evaluate the extent of their losses, including conditions such as fibromyalgia, and demand fair compensation for them.