Medical Malpractice attorney for pain condition

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, pain is defined at an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with potential or actual tissue damage. Pain is classified as acute and chronic and the distinction between the two is usually based on the duration of a specific pain problem. If pain persists more than six months, it is generally considered chronic. If you are experiencing chronic pain conditions as a result of another person’s negligence, contact a  medical malpractice attorneyas you might have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

Pain cannot be seen or directly measured. Because of this, it may be difficult to get a correct diagnosis from a medical provider as some providers directly correlate the amount of pain to the severity of an injury. Pain levels are NOT a reliable method of determining the severity of an injury. Some very serious and life threatening injuries may produce only a small amount of pain, while a non-life threatening injury such as a very small burn or abrasion, may cause extremely high levels of pain.

Medical treatment of chronic pain falls into one of two categories, depending on the treatment goal. The first category includes consistent efforts to eliminate, resolve or repair the underlying source responsible for the pain. These treatment approaches are considered curative. The second category targets treatment approaches that have the goal of alleviating the pain symptom vs. going directly for its source. Some examples of this second treatment approach would be treating for depression, muscle spasms, anxiety and sleep disturbances.

Chronic pain has a direct relationship to a person’s emotional reactions and often causes anxiety, depression, irritability, fear, anger and impatience. Chronic pain can also affect one’s cognitive functions such as problem solving, memory and judgment. As a result of backing off activities that seem to increase the pain level, a person suffering from chronic pain typically becomes less active which can adversely affect their overall conditioning.

In order to further complicate the pain issue, narcotic pain medication is widely used to provide relief for pain symptoms, but can create dependency and drug addiction if used for a long period of time. Balancing a medication regime that balances quality of life without over medicating can present a challenge for medical providers and their patients. Prescription malpractice is on the rise.

As is evidenced above, pain conditions can be temporary, long lasting or chronic, depending upon the level of the injury that has been sustained. Pain can affect every aspect of one’s life, and if you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain that was due to someone else’s negligence, you should confer with a medical malpractice attorney to ascertain if you have a case. As with any personal injury lawsuit, negligence or malpractice must be proven before damages or compensation can be sought.

Your medical malpractice attorney will review the details of your case, gather information and evidence, and speak to expert witnesses before filing the lawsuit. The lawsuit’s intent is typically to gain financial compensation for pain and suffering as well as money for medical bills, rehabilitation costs and lost wages both past and future. This is appropriate and just, as pain conditions can be debilitating, compromising a person’s ability to earn a living for the family.