Help

Complex Regional Pain is defined as a chronic pain condition in which high levels of nerve impulses are sent to an affected area of the body.

There is no cure for the condition.

There may be multiple causes of CRPS.

Often there has been some type of injury or trauma and then symptoms of chronic pain develop.

The symptoms include burning pain, swelling and stiffness of affected joints, decreased ability to move parts of the body, changes in nail or hair growth, temperature changes or color changes of the skin.

There is not a specific diagnostic test for CRPS. It is based on an initial injury, higher than usual pain for the injury, a change in the appearance of the injured area, and no other cause for the pain or change of appearance.

Treatment for CRPS is nerve blocks, pain medications, or electrical stimulators.

People who have a serious CRPS condition may be limited because the pain is so severe that it interferes with concentration, and limits the ability to sit, stand, walk, or lift, or handle, finger or reach.

The limitations as a result of CRPS will be important in determining the value of your Work Comp case. Permanent limitations may prevent you from working at your former job, or from working at any job.

Questions about your work injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.

You may think that since the Social Security Disability hearing is a legal proceeding the only things that matter are rules and laws.

However, any time people are involved then personalities are important.

Certainly your medical records and your limitations are very important.

But the secret is that if you can get the Judge to like you or empathize with your situation, then it surely will not hurt you.

I have seen Judge’s who take an immediate dislike toward a claimant and then they discount all the favorable evidence and pick on insignificant factors.

I have also seen Judge’s who for some reason sympathize with a claimant and the entire hearing is smooth sailing, and even a hostile vocational expert is not able to stop the Judge from finding the person disabled.

What does all of this mean to you as you get ready for your hearing?

You should be very polite to the Social Security Judge.

No matter if the Judge is mean or sharp, you should respond in a humble manner.

It may feel good to snap back at someone in authority who mistreats you but it does not help you in the long run.

The hearing only lasts 45 minutes to one hour so the pressure will be over soon.

Responding in a polite manner will usually calm the Judge and may cause the Judge to rule in your favor.

Your goal is to win your case, not to get into a fight with the Judge.

Questions about your Social Security Disability case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.

The reality is that it is getting tougher to qualify for Social Security Disability.

The rules and law have not changed but the political climate has caused some people to complain that it is much too easy to get disability.

It has never really been easy to get approved for Social Security Disability in Central Illinois. However, some parts of the country were much more lax on the standards for approving people than they are currently. Now the approval rates are dropping nationwide.

The best approach to strengthening your case is to have some objective medical evidence to support your testimony and what your doctor puts in her medical records.

Examples of objective medical evidence are Xrays, MRIs, and EMG nerve conduction tests.

These type of tests may show arthritis, herniated discs, nerve impingement, radiculopathy, neuropathy, or carpal tunnel syndrome.

There is no test to prove pain but these tests may be able to explain why you are having problems.

Anything that gives the Judge a reason to understand why you are limited in using your hands, or cannot stand or walk or sit for long periods is important in helping your case.

Some of these tests are expensive but they make the difference between winning and losing your disability case.

Questions about your disability case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer Dirk May at 309-827-4371.