Man’s injury becomes his life’s work

A debilitating injury can be difficult for anyone, and if it is caused by a negligent party or even an accident, there may be legal options available that will help pay for medical costs or pain and suffering. A spinal cord injury is particularly serious, so there may be costs accrued due to permanent disability, paralysis and long-term medical care.

Despite the seriousness of the injury, there is hope for victims. Readers in Maryland or Virginia might be interested in knowing about a man, 37, who has focused on walking again after an accident in August 2006 left him paralyzed from the neck down. He fractured his spinal cord in two places after a diving accident, and doctors reportedly told him he would never be able to walk again. Through intense physical therapy, he is now able to stand unaided.

After the accident, he started a nonprofit rehab facility that helps those with paralysis and disabilities get affordable training. The training is called “loco-motor training,” which helps the spinal cord to control motor functions again through repetitive motion. The organization will also expand across the country, including a location in Washington, D.C. First, however, the company is planning to move into New York, where it will be attached to Stony Brook University’s Rehabilitation Research and Movement Performance (RRAMP) Laboratory, which will help increase the studies and research being done on paralysis. The new facility will likely be open in 18 to 24 months.

Although a devastating injury can change a person’s life and take away some freedoms, there are many ways to continue in the future. In many situations, legal options may provide compensation for the medical care necessary to improve a person’s life after serious injury.

Source: KMAS, “Man Turns Tragic Paralysis Into Life’s Work,” Ville Juurikkala, Dec. 26, 2012.