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Erie Injury Lawyers Chronic Pain Article Raises Awareness

June 29, 2011

June 30, 2011, ERIE, PA — An article in today’s Erie Times reports that nearly a third of Americans have experienced chronic pain, lasting from weeks to months or longer. Still, the article notes, chronic pain patients are more often stigmatized than they are treated in today’s health system.

The article resulted from a recent study by the Institute of Medicine. The study, which can be purchased in full HERE or read in brief HERE , found that over 116 million Americans had suffered from chronic pain. It cost the nation an estimated $558 billion in medical bills, sick days and lost production, more than the cost of heart disease.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that chronic pain is a condition that is real, destructive and costly, many health care professionals continue to react with prejudice and superstition to chronic pain sufferers, the report found. Dr. Phillip Pizzo, Dean of Medicine for Stanford University and chair of the study, said that too many doctors view pain, “…with some prejudice, a lot of judgment and unfortunately not a lot of informed fact.” The report concludes that effective pain management is “a moral imperative” and urges the players in health care reform to transform the field of pain management.

As Erie injury lawyers, we see too often the effects of ignorance among health care professionals. Perhaps nowhere is it more evident than among the doctors who choose to offer their services to insurance companies as “Defense Medical Examiners.” These doctors frequently examine injured people involved in lawsuits, confirm that there are no broken bones or freshly torn soft tissues and then write reports that say, in effect, “There’s nothing wrong with this person that I can find.” Of course, these same doctors ignore or minimize the reports and findings of treating physicians, the evidence of impact on the patient and the patient’s own reports of ongoing pain and limitation.

Contact a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer

If you suffer from chronic pain that was caused by a Pennsylvania car accident or other trauma, an experienced Erie injury attorney can help. Call today for your free consult with one of our experienced Pennsylvania injury professionals. We can offer you advice about what to expect, whether you have a case and how to best handle the challenges associated with personal injury litigation. Call locally at 814-273-2010 or toll free at 814-273-2010.