The Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Allied Health and Nursing is using iPads to treat disabled patients who suffer from spinal cord injuries and other serious injuries. With $13,000 in funding, provided by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, NSU has purchased 20 iPads to assist spinal cord injury patients.
Researchers at NSU believe that the iPad is easier to use than a laptop or other computers. Spinal cord injury patients, with limited mobility, can use the portable and lightweight iPads to access GPS, the Internet, and other applications. The touch screen, according to NSU, is also easier for spinal cord patients to manipulate. Many things that are impossible for spinal cord patients to do – such as read books – is possible with an iPad. The mobile devices can also be used in occupational therapy, according to NSU researchers. The iPads can also assist patients with cerebral palsy, brain injuries, and other injuries. Additional iPods will be distributed in Broward County, according to NSU researchers.
The research is of particular interest to Florida spinal cord injury patients as well. Every year, Florida car accidents, truck accidents, and other types of accidents cause serious spinal cord injuries to many Florida residents. In many cases, these residents can no longer take part in basic everyday activities, such as reading a newspaper. The new research from NSU does suggest that some mobile devices can help these spinal cord injury patients enjoy a more normal life. As mobile devices become more available and become more affordable, there is hope that these devices could help spinal cord injury patients in Florida and across the country live a more normal life. Generous grants from organizations such as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation could potentially help Florida spinal cord injury patients get access to mobile devices that help them recover and live a more normal life.
The research also highlights a common problem that many Florida spinal cord injury patients have. Many Florida spinal cord injury victims find that insurance carriers do not cover all the costs of treatment after a final cord injury. Spinal cord injuries are among the most expensive injuries after a car accident or truck accident. Many spinal cord injury patients require a lifetime of rehabilitation and suffer a lifetime of income loss. Despite this, insurance carriers are often unwilling to pay for devices and treatments which could potentially help spinal cord injury victims lead a normal life. It is unlikely that the NSU research, for example, will convince insurance carriers to pay for the costs of iPads for spinal cord injury patients.
In addition to generous donations from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Florida law also protects spinal cord injury patients in cases such as these. If you have been in an accident and have sustained a serious spinal cord injury or another serious injury, contact a qualified Florida personal injury attorney. An attorney can help you negotiate with your insurance company, so that you can heal and recover more fully. A good attorney can also help determine the liable parties in your accident and can help pursue your case so that you get a fair settlement, which allows you to pay for medical care and rehabilitation expenses.
If you need an experienced attorney, contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free accident consultation. The legal team at the Flaxman Law Group has decades of experience with Florida spinal cord injury victims. With law offices conveniently located in Miami, Hollywood, and Homestead, the Flaxman Law Group is poised to help spinal cord injury and personal injury victims across South Florida.