Chronic Pain
In November 2013, the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) released a fact sheet about chronic pain in the country, prefacing it with the simple phrase: “Pain is poorly managed in Canada.” Some of the studies the CPS cited clue us into just how widespread and harmful chronic pain is:
- Risk of suicide – people living with pain have double the risk of suicide compared to those without it
- Expense – the estimated annual cost of chronic pain in Canada is nearly $60 billion
- Prevalence – one in five Canadian adults suffers from chronic pain. Furthermore, children are just as susceptible; one out of every five Canadian children has weekly or frequent chronic pain. Pain is also the most common reasons Canadians seek health care, and it accounts for up to 78 percent of visits to the emergency room
- Quality of life – people with chronic pain are reported to have a worse quality of life than those with other serious chronic diseases such as lung or heart disease
- Health risks – untreated pain compromises immune function, increases risk of tumor growth and slows healing with increased morbidity and mortality following surgery
- Work interference – nearly three-fourths of those with chronic pain report that their pain interferes with their normal work
Getting Help
It is important to seek treatment for your symptoms so that you and your medical care providers can determine the source of your pain and look for viable ways to treat and manage it. If your condition has affected your life and your ability to work, you and your chronic pain injury lawyer in Toronto may look into possible forms of compensation:
- Disability– if your pain is related to a short- or long-term disability, see if you are able to obtain disability insurance benefits
- Accident Benefits– if injured in a motor vehicle accident, you may be entitled to these benefits
- Tort/Negligence claims – if your symptoms are related to an accident, you might be able to recover your losses relating to pain and suffering and other expenses or losses in a personal injury claim
- Workers’ comp – if your pain is work-related, you may be entitled to benefits from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
Because there are many legal avenues that may or may not be applicable, and because chronic pain is exceptionally challenging to demonstrate to insurance companies and to litigate, discuss your situation with an experienced lawyer.
Consulting a Lawyer
Toronto chronic pain injury lawyers are sympathetic to chronic pain sufferers, and when they work with clients, they will do their best to ensure they receive all the benefits and compensation to which they’re entitled.
