Can a Car Accident Cause Fibromyalgia?

Most serious injuries from a car accident are immediately apparent when paramedics arrive on the scene and take accident victims to the hospital. But what if a Missouri car accident victim notices unusual symptoms months after the accident and receives a diagnosis of fibromyalgia? Insurance companies may assert that this is a mere coincidence, but research supports a connection between car accidents and the development of fibromyalgia.

Insurance companies protect their profits by using their insurance adjusters to investigate accident claims, with undervaluing them or denying them completely as their objective. Insurance companies commonly deny a car accident victim’s claim for medical expenses for fibromyalgia in Missouri injury claims, often labeling it as a pre-existing condition or one unrelated to the accident. It takes a skilled attorney to present compelling evidence that a car accident has caused a victim’s fibromyalgia so the victim can claim it as part of their damages in a car accident claim.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic medical condition affecting the musculoskeletal system. Research has long been unclear on the cause of fibromyalgia, which impacts many Americans—predominantly women. Fibromyalgia causes an amplification of pain signals felt in the body so a person with the condition often experiences symptoms that range from tenderness in specific parts of the body to chronic, debilitating widespread pain. Those diagnosed with fibromyalgia commonly complain of brain fog, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and overall fatigue.

The symptoms of Fibromyalgia may be periodic, so a person diagnosed with the condition may have good days and bad, or the symptoms may be continuous, depending on the severity of the disease. A growing body of evidence suggests fibromyalgia may be related to earlier bodily trauma experienced by those with the condition—including the physical trauma of a car accident.

Research Reveals a Link Between Fibromyalgia and Physical Trauma

Studies show that car accident victims have a greater chance of developing fibromyalgia. Reliable research shows a connection between the severe physical and emotional trauma experienced in a car accident and the changes that later develop within the body’s pain receptors. Research suggests these changes may result from over-stimulation of the nervous system. This results in an increase in the individual’s sensitivity to pain.

The pain associated with fibromyalgia may be debilitating, but how does a car accident victim recover compensation for the medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering of fibromyalgia when insurers fail to acknowledge a direct link to an accident?

Can I Make a Car Accident Claim for Damages From Fibromyalgia?

Missouri’s generous five-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims allows many sufferers of fibromyalgia to later claim their damages within five years of a car accident. An accident attorney in Missouri consults with medical experts and examines your medical records to file a claim for damages from accident-related fibromyalgia, including the following:

• Medical expenses and future medical expenses related to fibromyalgia treatment
• Past and future income loss
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Car accident victims may recover substantial compensation for pain and suffering when a skilled St. Louis car accident attorney gathers evidence to present a compelling case to the insurance company, showing that fibromyalgia has a direct link to the trauma of a car accident. 

If a negligent driver caused the accident, they are liable for all damages up to the limit of the at-fault driver’s policy. If the insurer wrongfully denies the claim, your attorney may file a Missouri car accident lawsuit within the state’s statute of limitations and recover compensation through a court award for damages. A successful claim for damages brings financial relief and a sense of justice to car accident victims who now suffer chronic pain due to fibromyalgia.