Is Your Chronic Pain Worse After a Buffalo Accident? 

You Deserve Answers. 

Chronic pain is exhausting. Some days, you push through. Other days, even simple tasks feel impossible. Then, out of nowhere, an accident makes everything worse. A car crash, a slip on an icy sidewalk, or even a workplace injury—it all adds up. Suddenly, the pain you’d learned to manage spirals out of control.  

And now, the insurance company’s telling you it’s your problem. They say your pain was already there, that the accident didn’t really change things. That’s not just frustrating, it’s wrong. 

We don’t let them get away with that. If someone else’s negligence made your condition worse, you deserve compensation. The Buffalo personal injury attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, fight for people like you, making sure you get the care and financial support you need. If you're looking for experienced legal representation, you should hire one of the best law firms in America. 

How Insurance Companies Try to Cheat Buffalo Injury Victims with Pre-Existing Conditions 

Insurance companies will do just about anything to avoid paying you what you deserve. And if they see a pre-existing condition in your medical records? That’s an open invitation for them to deny, delay, and underpay your claim. This is how they try to cheat you: 

• Blaming your past injuries. If you’ve ever had back pain, arthritis, or an old sports injury, they’ll claim your current pain isn’t from the accident. They’ll act like you woke up hurting one day and just happened to get into a crash the next. 
• Downplaying the accident. Even if you were rear-ended at a stoplight or slipped on an icy sidewalk, they’ll argue it wasn’t serious enough to cause real damage. But if you already have chronic pain, even a minor impact can send you into a painful spiral. 
• Cherry-picking medical records. They’ll dig through your history looking for any doctor’s note that says you were “doing better” before the accident. Then, they’ll pretend like your pain didn’t get worse—even if you know it did. 
• Delaying your claim. The longer they drag things out, the harder it becomes to connect your worsening pain to the accident. They want you to give up, accept a lowball offer, or stop fighting altogether. 

Don’t let them win. If your pain got worse after an accident, you could recover damages. You just need the right personal injury attorney in your corner. 

Car Crashes, Slips, and Falls—How Accidents in Buffalo Trigger Chronic Pain Flares 

Buffalo’s a great city, but accidents happen here all the time. Snowy sidewalks, reckless drivers, and dangerous work conditions mean there’s always a risk of injury. And if you already have chronic pain, even a small accident can leave you dealing with long-term consequences. 

Accidents That Can Worsen Chronic Pain: 

• Car accidents – Even at low speeds, a rear-end collision can mess up your back, aggravate arthritis, or cause nerve damage. A single jolt can turn manageable pain into something unbearable. 
• Slips and falls – Buffalo winters are brutal. One wrong step on an icy sidewalk can leave you with sprains, fractures, or a flare-up that won’t go away. If you already have joint pain, a fall can push you past your limit. 
• Workplace accidents – Lifting, bending, or even standing for long periods can make chronic pain worse. Add a sudden accident—like slipping on a wet floor or getting injured by faulty equipment—and you might find yourself unable to work at all. 

The truth is chronic pain doesn’t just happen. Accidents make it worse. And if someone else caused that accident, they should be held accountable. 

Proving That Someone Else’s Negligence Worsened Your Condition 

Insurance companies love to argue that your pain was already there. But here’s what they don’t want you to know: if an accident made your condition worse, you have a right to compensation under New York personal injury law. To prove your case, you’ll need: 

• Medical records – You need clear documentation showing how your pain changed before and after the accident. If your condition was stable but got worse after the crash, that’s powerful evidence. 
• Doctor statements – A doctor can confirm that the accident aggravated your condition, even if you already had pain before. 
• Pain journals – Keeping a record of your symptoms, treatments, and daily struggles can help prove how the accident changed your life. 
• Expert testimony – Medical specialists can explain how trauma makes chronic pain worse. If you have conditions like fibromyalgia or degenerative disc disease, their insight can be crucial. 

Even if your pain wasn’t “new,” that doesn’t mean the accident didn’t make things worse. And that’s what your claim is all about. 

Your Medical History Could Make or Break Your Claim—Here’s How 

Insurance companies are going to dig through your medical history. That’s a fact. They’ll look for anything they can use to argue that your pain has nothing to do with the accident. The key to protecting your claim? Knowing what they’ll focus on—and being ready to fight back. 

Why Old Injuries Matter in Your Buffalo Personal Injury Case 

Let’s say you’ve had back pain for years. Maybe you saw a chiropractor once in a while or took over-the-counter pain meds. Then, after a car accident, your pain becomes unbearable. You can’t work. You can’t sleep. You can’t even get through the day without serious discomfort. 

The insurance company will say, “Well, your back was already messed up.” 

But New York’s "eggshell plaintiff" rule protects people with pre-existing conditions. That means if someone else’s negligence made your pain worse, they’re still responsible—even if you were already vulnerable. 

How Medical Experts Can Strengthen Your Case 

A strong personal injury claim often comes down to expert testimony. Medical specialists can: 

• Compare past and current medical records to prove your condition got worse after the accident. 
• Explain how trauma aggravates chronic pain—even if your injury wasn’t catastrophic. 
• Predict future medical needs so you can seek compensation for long-term care. 

Their insight could mean the difference between getting lowballed and getting the settlement you actually deserve. 

Compensation for a Lifetime of Increased Pain and Suffering 

When chronic pain gets worse, it doesn’t just affect your body. It impacts your job, your relationships, your ability to enjoy life. The law allows you to seek compensation for: 

• Medical expenses – Doctor visits, physical therapy, pain management, surgery—you shouldn’t have to pay for any of it if someone else caused your suffering. 
• Lost wages and reduced earning ability – If your pain makes it impossible to work, you deserve compensation for lost income. 
• Pain and suffering – You don’t just deserve money for your medical bills. You deserve compensation for what you’ve endured—physically and emotionally. 
• Loss of enjoyment of life – If your condition now limits the things you once loved—playing with your kids, traveling, even simple everyday activities—that loss matters. 

At Horn Wright, LLP, we fight to get you everything you’re owed. If your chronic pain got worse after an accident, don’t let the insurance company tell you it’s your problem.  

You need a personal injury attorney who won’t back down. And if you want legal representation from a firm with a proven track record, you should hire one of the best law firms in America. 

Contact us for a FREE consultation today.