- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Consequences of injury (secondary condition)
The worker began working as a caretaker with a school in 2007. On July 30, 2015, the worker was lifting a metal cabinet onto a dolly when one of the doors closed on his hand, injuring it. The worker was granted benefits for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) to the right upper arm, right forearm, and right hand. Entitlement was also granted for psychotraumatic disability. The worker received a 49% non-economic loss (NEL) award for a permanent impairment of the right arm and hand. He received a 13% NEL award for psychotraumatic disability, for a total NEL award of 62%.
The worker requested entitlement to benefits for a bilateral leg condition on the basis that the CRPS had spread to his legs. The ARO decision had concluded that the worker's bilateral leg condition was not related to his compensable injury on a secondary basis.The Panel allowed the appeal.The worker had complaints of spreading pain and objective clinical findings of symptoms consistent with CRPS in the lower limbs, and treating medical professionals had opined that the worker's CRPS had spread to his lower limbs. The articles referenced indicated that there are medically documented instances of CRPS spreading from one area of the body to another.The Panel concluded that there was evidence that CRPS can spread from one part of the body to another. This conclusion was compatible with Dr. Peskun's opinion, which is that CRPS "typically remains confined to the region of the body that was injured and incited the development of this condition". In this case, the worker had an atypical yet medically documented CRPS spread to the lower limbs.