Effects of active and completed litigation on treatment results: workers' compensation patients compared with other litigation patients.

Outcomes of multidisciplinary pain treatment in workers' compensation claimants and in the claimants of other insurance companies were studied. Patients were also segregated as to state of completion of the litigation process. No differences were found between the groups in organic and psychologic pathology. Significant improvement in outcome measures was found for the total group, but the workers' compensation claimants with completed litigation failed to show any significant improvement in these measures. The system itself and legal factors can be obstacles to rehabilitation of the patient with chronic pain. Early intervention is recommended to improve treatment outcome.