As there are so many problems for these folks, good health care is essential.  Unfortunately many of these folks have, in the past met their maximum limit of coverage or have been kicked off their plans because the medical care costs cut into the obscene profits of the health insurers.  As health insurance in America is a for profit system, and as the free market system encourages lower costs and higher profits, it is only natural that insurers look with dismay at spinal cord injury victims. 

 The health care law has provisions that will help spinal cord injury victims.  I read in the paper today, that despite all the gloom and doom about the health care law and its effects on profits, most health insurers are doing quite well.  So it is shocking, though not surprising (profits can never be too high) that the vested interests are attacking the law and as a consequence attacking Hoosiers, and all Americans, with Spinal cord injury.  I am placing a paragraph from the National Spinal Cord Association Website (http://www.spinalcord.org/) about this issue here in order to bring attention to the problem:

TELL CONGRESS TO OPPOSE EFFORTS TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

NSCIA urges all our members and their family members to immediately call your Representatives and Senators to oppose the House Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. A vote is currently expected to be scheduled late in the week of January 17. Thanks to the generosity of Families USA, our coalition partner, you can call 1-888-876-6242 for free connect directly to the Congressional switchboard where you can ask for your Representative’s office. Click to full story for suggested message points.

After identifying yourself, tell your Congressional Representative you oppose the repeal or replacement of the Affordable Care Act because:

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing that as a person with a disability, you and others in your family will not be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition.  IF YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED ON THIS BASIS PREVIOUSLY, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing that you and your family members will no longer be subject to annual or lifetime caps on benefits which has bankrupted many families and caused destitution.  IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL STORY TO SHARE ON THIS MATTER, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing all policies must now contain certain essential benefits, including rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices and chronic disease management so needed by those living and working in the face of long-term chronic conditions and disability challenges.  IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN DENIED SUCH SERVICES UNDER YOUR POLICY, LET THEM KNOW.

The Affordable Care Act has provided you and your family members with the peace of mind of knowing expanded home and community based services will be made available for people with disabilities and chronic conditions to live at home and participate in their communities rather than be institutionalized at far greater expense.  IF YOU HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED AT A NURSING HOME OR OTHER LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND FEEL YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED REMAINING IN THE COMMUNITY, LET THEM KNOW.

It is critical that we make our voices heard as we battle this first major effort to dismantle the health reforms we fought so hard to finally obtain.  Please call your Representative and Senators today.  It will cost you nothing but your time and what is at risk is enormous.  The toll-free number again is: 1-888-876-6242. ACT NOW!

Know that your fellow Hoosiers, and fellow Americans, deserve the dignity of proper health care.  Act now.

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We would like to take just a moment to say a few words about an issue that arises frequently in families dealing with spinal cord injury. It makes no difference if you are Sam Schmidt , Christopher Reeves or a working Hoosier, we need assistance with our activities of daily living and personal toilet.  Often times the spouse steps up and takes on this very important role.  Others times it is another family member.  Of course additional assistance is generally necessary.  The focus is on the injured family member, and rightly so.  Yet, the spouse and family members must recognize that they too have suffered a loss.  They must know that it is not selfish to feel burdened and sad.  It is a normal part of the grieving process over a loss.  One danger associated with these types of losses is that the spouse or family member does not recognize, or is unwilling to accept that they are involved in the grieving process.

Why is this so important?  Well, truth be told, you cannot continue to offer good quality care to your loved one if you do not take good quality care of yourself.  You must consider counseling.  If not counseling, then maybe a support group for people dealing with these issues.  Talking about your loss and your feelings is not an insult to the person you are assisting. It is a benefit to them because you are helping yourself to stay healthy so that you can be the most effective assistant you can be.  Thank you for being a strong person and standing by your family member.  Yes, thanks are appropriate because what you are doing is making the life of another human being fuller and richer and there is no greater gift than that.

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Kids are particularly vulnerable to head injuries, he explains, because of their proportionally larger heads, higher centers of gravity, and less developed coordination skills.

In choosing a helmet for yourself or any member of your family this summer, the doctor recommends getting one that meets the standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. He advises that an appropriate helmet should be snug, level, and stable.  It also should be brightly colored so motorists can see you easily.

An unprotected head is an easy target for brain injury. A brain injury can leave permanent life-altering damage including spinal cord injury and/or paralysis. As you or your loved ones enjoy the summer weather on a bike or motorcycle, remember that a helmet is an inexpensive way to minimize the harm of a brain injury in a road accident.

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That’s perhaps what makes a study to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics so interesting, even if it is “common sense.” In research that focused on youth hockey, it appears  bracing for an impending blow to the head could reduce the harm from the hit In the study, players wore helmets hooked up to high-tech sensors that measured impact and compared that to game videos and with the number of injuries the players suffered during the season. According to the findings, being prepared for an imminent concussion helped offset more serious injuries. As CNN explains:

“If players anticipate collisions they can better absorb the forces related to impact,” said Jason Mihalik, lead study author and assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “[Athletes] who don’t expect to get body checked are not able to tense the neck muscles to absorb force, and that can lead to a more severe impact to the head.”

Coaches need to train players to avoid the “calamitous” effects of being blindsided, according to Professor Mihalik. So if your kids are active on middle school or high school sports teams, remember that any impairment to the circuitry of the brain at minimum diminishes the ability to process information and perform in school. And serious concussions can lead to permanent and severe harm to the injured person.

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Spinal cord injury can be described as complete, meaning that there is a total loss of feeling and function below the point of injury. It can also be characterized as incomplete, which leaves some degree of feeling and use.

A little anatomy lesson may be helpful.  The spine is divided into three general areas, the cervical region (neck), the thoracic region (mid-back), and the lumbar region (low back).  The spinal cord snakes through holes in each of the vertebrae known as the foreman.  Off the spinal cord shoot nerve roots which travel to all parts of the body for muscle control and the ability to sense (feel) objects. Each vertebrae is separated by discs which act as cushions between the vertebrae.  The nerve roots which exit the spinal column in the cervical area serve the head and neck.  The nerve roots which exit the thoracic area serve the truck of the body.  The nerve roots which exit the spinal column serve the buttock and leg areas.  So you can see, if the injury is higher in the spinal column everything below that injury is going to be affected.  Symptoms of spinal cord injury include complete paralysis, partial paralysis, muscle spasms, tingling, pain, sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel dysfunction.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, call John P. Young for a free consultation today.  Mr. Young will work with you personally to help you sort through all the issues you now face.

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The spinal cord injury can be so catastrophic because it can lead to paralysis.    If the injury is high in the spinal cord, the result can be quadriplegia, or the loss of sensation and motor movement from the neck down.  If the spinal cord injury is high enough in the neck (also called the cervical region) the result can be wrongful death.  If the injury occurs lower down in the spinal cord, the injury can be paraplegia, or the loss of sensation and motor movement from the waist down.

At Young and Young, as experienced Indianapolis Injury lawyers, we know that it is essential to work with all your medical professionals to completely understand the full extent of the spinal cord injury.  We know from experience that the injury will require many new and different types of treatments.  Usually the spinal cord injury is watched over by a hospitalist (also known as a physiatrist) who is the Captain of the ship so to speak.  They head up the team of medical specialists and coordinate treatment.  These professionals will include one or more of the following: neurosurgeon, neurologist, orthopedist, pulmonologist, infectious disease specialist, nephrologist, physical therapists, and others.  The injured Hoosier will initially be treated at an acute care hospital.  They will then be sent a rehabilitation hospital.  Therapies will last months, and will focus on adaptation.  Devices adapted to the injury will be introduced to help you re-enter your life and complete the activities of daily living, to get back to being as independent as possible.

Young and Young knows how to document all of the costs you will face, including future medical care, and future lost wages.  We have helped hundreds of spinal cord injured Hoosiers and we can help you and your family.  Call today for a free evaluation either in the hospital or in your home.

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 The larger danger is the loss of body control where the body turns upside down.  This danger is especially high in the double bounce.  The danger also exits when the user is alone on the trampoline.  When the user is turned upside down, they are in danger of landing on their head.  You see, your head is supported on your body by a flimsy neck.  In most instances the neck is strong enough to resist pressures that will injure the spinal cord.  Unfortunately  the neck is not strong enough to resist the pressure of your full weight coming down on the unstable surface of the trampoline.  The neck bends beyond it tolerances, and the vertebrae break.  The spinal cord is then allowed to push out of its canal and can be pinched or severed by the neck recoiling back into position.  This kind of injury causes paralysis, and possibly wrongful death.

The trampoline can be as dangerous as a wreck with a drunk driver, or a tractor-trailer crash.   Follow these links to learn more about the dangers.

CNN – Health experts: Dangers of trampolines underestimated

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS -  trampolines should never be used in the home environment

If you still want to use a trampoline – please read these safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

            If you have any other questions, or know someone who has been injured on a trampoline, Give John P. Young a call for a free consultation.

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The reason the vehicle may not be covered is because it may not be a listed vehicle on your auto insurance.  Most auto insurance policies require, if the vehicle is owned by you, it must be listed under the policy to be covered.   The first thing you need to know is that your insurance is a matter of contract.  In Indiana, generally, the Insurance companies are free to write into their contracts restrictions you would not know about or even imagine could be allowed in the contract.  So, the first thing you must do is read your contract of insurance.  If you do not feel comfortable doing this, you can pay a lawyer for an hour of his/her time to tell you what the contract means.  If you do not wish to pay a lawyer, you can sit down with your insurance agent and have them explain the coverage to you.  Be aware, however, that your agent, although well intentioned works for the insurance company and has no legal training.  So if you do ask your agent to explain the provisions of the policy, know that their advice may not be accurate.

A second measure for your protection is to inform your agent, in writing and keeping a copy for yourself, that you have a moped or other off road vehicle and you what to make sure it is covered under your homeowners policy, or your auto policy.  It will probably raise your rates a bit, but it is worth it to protect yourself and your children.

At Young and Young, we have over 55 years of experiences helping people recover the proper compensation for their injuries.  Please give us a call.

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A structured settlement of any or all compensation is a valuable tool for protecting money you will need well into the future.  Think about a child who turns 18, and gets a bunch of cash.  That kid is going to blow all that money.  He/she will blow the money on things that will not last, like a new car.  They might spend it on drugs and alcohol.  They might spend it on new toys like an off-road vehicle.  What they are unlikely to do is invest the money so that it will be there for them when they need it, to get married, pay for their education, start a business, or a lot of other things that will help that child live comfortably.

A structured settlement is money from your compensation that is invested in an annuity, more likely than not with a large bank or insurance company.  The money is paid out, over time, with interest.  The plans can be set up any way you want, it depends on the need.  If the person who is going to receive the money is a child, it may be set up to pay out enough money each year to pay for college.  The rest may be paid out over time to help start a business or pay for a house.  If the person who is getting the money has future medical costs, and is not able to work, the money can be paid out every year just like receiving a paycheck.  Smart injury lawyers know how to set up these settlements so that the interest earned off the money invested is paid out tax free.

You see companies advertising on TV telling you “It’s your money, use it when you want.”  What they are not telling you is they will only pay a fraction of the true value of the structured settlement.  This cheats the unsuspecting injured person out of the money and the security of having future payments.  The people on TV smile and tell you they want to help.  What they really want is your structured settlement at a cheap price.  After all they are in it for the money.  Do not sell to them.  Counsel others not to sell to them.  A structured settlement can be a great thing.  Let it work for you.

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 We start first with acute care, and post acute care hospitals.  Acute care hospitals are those hospitals that treat immediate injuries and conditions and there short term consequences.  The goal of the acute care hospital is to get the patient stabilized, so that proper treatment can be rendered to address the patient’s medical issues. The word acute simply means having short and relatively short duration. Thus the patient who has been injured in a car accident or is injured in a construction accident is going to be taken to an acute care hospital.  

There are different types of acute care hospitals.  They are divided by levels.  A level one trauma center is the most prepared for significant trauma patient.  Indianapolis is fortunate enough to have two level one trauma centers, Wishard Memorial Hospital and Methodist Hospital.  The most severely injured patients will go to one of these hospitals.  As the ability of the hospital to deal with significant trauma decreases, their level increases.  Many hospitals are not equipped to deal with significant trauma, and the patient is likely to be transferred by either ambulance or helicopter to the level one trauma centers. 

After your stay in an acute care hospital is complete, you may be transferred to a post acute care hospital.  These hospitals are typically referred to as rehabilitation hospitals.  These hospitals specialize in helping patients adapt to life after their injury.  They do this by offering many types of rehabilitative therapies, including occupational therapy and physical therapy.   Many spinal cord injury, brain injury and amputation injury patients become patients at a post acute care hospital. 

Qualified accident attorneys and injury lawyers know the difference between these types of facilities, and will work with you doctors and hospital staffs to fully understand your needs and requirements.  Young and Young is dedicated to helping you and your family deal with severe injuries.  We have been since 1954.  Give us a call, we can help.

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