The most serious consequences of a motor vehicle accident, construction accident or other traumatic event can leave a family facing steep financial challenges. Traumatic brain injuries, horrific burns or other catastrophic injuries can require a lifetime of expensive medical treatment and lost income.
One common result of the violent forces that accompany a serious accident is a spinal cord injury. Injuries to the spinal cord, the body's central conduit for delivery of pain and mobility impulses, frequently result in paraplegia or quadriplegia. The disabling harm caused in a moment is seldom reversible, but recent amazing technological breakthroughs will provide tremendous assistance to spinal cord injury victims in the not-too-distant future.
University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins researchers recently announced funding for projects to implement brain-computer interfaces (BCI) for spinal cord injury patients. Though such a development might have sounded like science fiction in the recent past, BCIs will soon allow patients to control robotic limbs, a computer mouse or other external devices with their thoughts. The technique involves placement of a BCI on the motor cortex surface of the brain, which then picks up neural activity and translates the signals through a computer.
"Our ultimate aim is to develop technologies that can give patients with physical disabilities control of assistive devices that will help restore their independence," senior scientist Michael Boninger told R&D Magazine. For a patient facing life in a wheelchair and constant nursing care to achieve the most basic daily needs, this technology promises incredible relief. But progress comes at a cost, and patients and family guardians must do their utmost to secure the financial resources necessary for the best adaptive equipment.
Personal Injury Attorneys Help Catastrophic Injury Victims Pursue Full Compensation for Their Future Needs
In the aftermath of a trucking accident, car accident or motorcycle accident, attention first turns to getting the best possible medical care for the patient. But the victim's legal right to pursue personal injury damages must soon receive close attention. One crucial aspect of a New Jersey spinal cord injury lawyer's representation is assessing the full extent of those injuries in collaboration with trusted medical experts.
The foremost reason not to underestimate the extent of injuries is to preserve the person's ability to obtain comprehensive compensation. As techniques like BCI implants become more widely available, spinal cord injury victims will need extensive resources to gain access to technologies that truly improve their quality of life.
