Like a smoke alarm that keeps blaring long after the fire is out, CRPS is a pain condition where the nervous system keeps sending danger signals even after the original injury should be healing. Short for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, it usually affects an arm, hand, leg, or foot after a fracture, surgery, crush injury, sprain, or even a minor trauma. Common signs include burning pain, swelling, skin color or temperature changes, extreme sensitivity, stiffness, sweating, and trouble moving the limb.

For an injury claim, CRPS can raise the value of damages because it may lead to long-term treatment, missed work, and serious limits on daily life. The hard part is proof. Insurance companies often push back because the original injury may have looked small on paper, while the pain and disability later become severe. That makes early medical records, pain specialist visits, physical therapy notes, and photos of visible changes especially useful. A clear diagnosis in the chart helps connect the condition to the accident.

If CRPS shows up after a crash, work injury, or other incident, get consistent treatment and follow through. Gaps in care give insurers room to argue the condition came from something else. In Delaware, the basic deadline for most personal injury lawsuits is generally 2 years under 10 Del. C. § 8119, so waiting too long can hurt both the medical case and the claim.