From £25,000 to £443,000: Why specialist representation matters in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) claims

When people ask me why specialist knowledge matters in serious injury litigation, this case is one that always comes to mind.

It wasn’t simply about increasing the financial value of my client’s claim; it was about recognising a life-changing condition, ensuring she received the right rehabilitation as soon as possible, and refusing to accept that an early offer reflected the reality of what they had lost.

• The injury: A hit-and-run pedestrian accident resulting in severe CRPS in the dominant hand, Somatic Symptom Disorder, and an adjustment reaction.
• Initial advice from previous solicitors: Client was advised to accept a £25,000 settlement.
• Final outcome with RWK Goodman: Secured £24,000 in private rehabilitation funding in addition to a final gross settlement of £443,817.

My client was injured when she was crossing the road. A vehicle reversed into her, striking her right hand with its wing mirror, before driving away without stopping.

Because the driver was never traced, her claim had to be pursued through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) under the Untraced Drivers Agreement.

Before coming to me, she had instructed another firm of solicitors, who advised her to accept an offer of £25,000. Feeling she had little choice, she reluctantly agreed.

Fortunately, before that acceptance became binding, she found me online because of my experience in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) claims. One of the first things I was able to do was successfully intervene and stop her previous solicitors from acting on her acceptance—a decision that dramatically changed the course of her claim.

By the time I became involved, it was clear this wasn’t a straightforward hand injury. My client had developed CRPS in her dominant right hand—one of the most challenging chronic pain conditions I encounter. She was also experiencing significant psychological symptoms and was later diagnosed with Somatic Symptom Disorder, alongside an adjustment reaction linked to her chronic pain.

What struck me most during our early meetings was how dramatically her independence had been affected:

• Her daughter had become her main carer, helping with cooking, cleaning, and personal care, such as washing her hair.
• A close friend regularly batch-cooked meals so there would always be something she could easily heat up in the evening.
• The physical injury had severely impacted her emotional wellbeing, causing her to lose confidence, struggle to leave the house, and become increasingly isolated.

When you see someone whose entire life has contracted because of pain, you know immediate rehabilitation must become the priority.

One of the advantages of working collaboratively with an insurer or the MIB is that rehabilitation can often begin early—long before a case concludes.

In this case, I persuaded the MIB to fund an Immediate Needs Assessment so we could properly identify the support my client required. From there, we secured a comprehensive package of private rehabilitation, which included:

• Specialist hand therapy
• Graded motor imagery and desensitisation therapy
• Mirror box therapy and physiotherapy
• Psychological treatment
• A bespoke pain coaching programme with CRPS specialist Richmond Stace

She had already undergone surgery to implant a high-frequency spinal cord stimulator, which had resulted in some improvement to her pain levels. The additional, tailored rehabilitation helped her make meaningful progress in managing her condition, rebuilding her confidence and regaining her independence.

Richmond Stace, the multidisciplinary pain specialist who provided my client’s pain coaching and rehabilitation support, explains why this carefully tailored approach was so important:

“To understand a person’s pain, we must understand the person and their life. From there, we can build a caring collaboration and personalised rehabilitation around what matters to them and their picture of success.

The relationship is key: meeting the person where they are, then equipping them with the knowledge, skills and know-how to live themselves better.”

As lawyers, we cannot remove someone’s injury, but what we can often do is ensure they have every possible opportunity to rebuild their life.

My client describes the difference that the legal and rehabilitation support made:

“I honestly don’t know where I’d be today if I hadn’t found Louise Hart. I had almost accepted a settlement that wouldn’t have come close to reflecting the impact CRPS has had on my life. Louise immediately understood what I was going through and fought to make sure I received the right support. She was always there to answer my questions, kept me informed throughout, and genuinely cared about helping me rebuild my life.

“One of the best things Louise did was arrange specialist rehabilitation with Richmond Stace. His knowledge of CRPS was incredible, and the treatment and support I received made a huge difference to both my physical recovery and my confidence. Thanks to Louise and Richmond, I’ve regained so much of my independence, returned to work and can look to the future with hope again. I can’t thank them both enough for everything they’ve done for me.”

Some of the biggest milestones weren’t measured in pounds. Before the accident, my client had been learning to drive, but afterwards, her symptoms meant she believed getting behind the wheel might never be possible.

However, we arranged a specialist driving assessment and secured an interim payment, which enabled her to purchase an adapted vehicle. She went on to pass her driving test, giving her a sense of freedom that had previously seemed out of reach.

Over time, she also became able to prepare more meals using adapted equipment, shower independently and use voice dictation technology on her phone to communicate more easily.

Perhaps most rewarding of all, she returned to employment, securing a temporary full-time role as a Personal Assistant within the NHS.

Watching someone gradually regain their life and independence beyond all expectations is the most satisfying aspect of my work.

Like all chronic pain claims, those involving CRPS depend heavily on obtaining evidence from the right experts. Because this claim proceeded under the Untraced Drivers Agreement, the MIB were responsible for obtaining the medical evidence. A key part of my role was ensuring the correct specialists were instructed so the full, long-term impact on her employment, daily living, and future needs was properly understood.

As rehabilitation progressed and the medical evidence developed, the MIB began increasing its offer significantly.

1. The first offer after I became involved was £90,000, which was rejected.
2. The MIB then increased their offer to £275,000, which my client again rejected, as it still did not adequately reflect her long-term prognosis.
3. Following further negotiations and a joint settlement meeting, we reached a final settlement of £443,817 gross (£400,000 net of state benefits), in addition to the £24,000 private rehabilitation costs.

While the financial outcome was life-changing, I don’t consider this case a success simply because the compensation figure increased dramatically. I see it as a success because my client accessed around £24,000 of specialist rehabilitation that genuinely changed the trajectory of her recovery.

CRPS is a complex condition that can easily be underestimated, particularly in the early stages of a claim. Every case is different, but this one demonstrates how crucial it is to understand the condition, obtain the right expert evidence, and focus on holistic rehabilitation from the outset.

If you or a loved one is living with CRPS following an accident, getting the right legal and medical support early is vital. Contact me for a confidential, no-obligation discussion about how we can help you access the right rehabilitation and compensation.