CRPS is a chronic pain condition typically affecting a limb after injury or surgery, characterized by pain out of proportion to the initiating event along with sensory, vasomotor, and motor findings. Diagnosis rests on clinical criteria, most commonly the Budapest Criteria.
It is a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring that no other condition better explains the findings.
Alternative Names:
CRPS, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, RSD
Why it Matters?
CRPS claims generate high values because the condition is described as permanently disabling and treatment is lifelong, yet diagnosis depends on clinical criteria rather than objective testing. Defense analysis centers on whether the Budapest Criteria were actually applied and documented, whether objective findings were observed rather than only reported, and whether alternative explanations were excluded. Diagnoses made without documented criteria are a frequent and productive line of challenge.
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Frequently asked questions
How is CRPS diagnosed?
What is the most common defense challenge?
