Assistive Technology and Aids for Catastrophic Injury Patients

By Roger Soroka | September 6, 2023

Assistive Technology For Catastrophic Injury PatientsDepending on the type of catastrophic injury that a patient suffers, there may be a variety of different assistive technology and aids available to them. These devices help them learn or relearn how to carry out their daily duties and tasks, as well as live a happy and healthy life to their best abilities. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to deciding what type of assistive technology and aids may be beneficial to you. Instead, doctors, specialists, nurses, and physical therapists will assess your injuries and determine the types of assistive technology and aids that will work best.

What are catastrophic injuries?

If your doctor tells you that you have a catastrophic injury, this typically means that you have little to no chance of ever making a complete recovery. When we work with folks who have been diagnosed with this type of trauma, they usually have injuries such as:

As you can see, most of these injuries will change your life forever. You may not be able to walk, use your arms or legs, stand, move, process thoughts, hear, see, or even speak as you did before your accident. However, that does not mean that you cannot regain some function. You can very well become stronger, relearn how to do day-to-day tasks, and create a new path forward for yourself and your family.

10 types of assistive technology and aids for catastrophic injury patients

Throughout the years, researchers, doctors, manufacturers, and other professionals have worked together to develop new and improved assistive technology and aid devices for catastrophic patients. The objectives of these devices and products are to make these patients’ lives easier, as well as give them a better quality of life regardless of their injuries. Here are 10 types of assistive and adaptive aids that often benefit catastrophic patients:

Newer available technologies:

  1. Cochlear implants: Cochlear implants are surgically placed inside the ear to help a person who has hearing loss hear and understand others better.
  2. Prosthetic devices: Prosthetics have been around for thousands of years, but today’s products are a far cry from wooden legs. The technology advances in these devices every day: there are, for example, prosthetic legs designed for walking, for running, and for swimming. There are prosthetic limbs being developed that allow for the sensation of touch. There are even some that are composed of different materials, allowing users to “swap” parts of them out to achieve a different aesthetic.
  3. Screen readers and magnifiers: If an individual loses their eyesight, they may depend on a screen reader to read texts and describe images to them. A screen magnifier can also help make computer content larger for those with poor eyesight or visual impairments.
  4. Transfer devices and equipment: Transfer devices and equipment allows patients’ caregivers to lift and move them when needed. This helps provide support to the caregiver as well as prevent bed sores from forming on the patient. These devices are typically used for individuals who have been severely hurt and can no longer walk, move, or sit up on their own. Today’s transfer devices provide all levels of support, and can be installed directly into rooms in the home. This allows for a greater level of autonomy for the injured person.
  5. Medical device implants. Replacement joints, pacemakers, and defibrillators are the most common devices, but they are not the only ones. Researchers in Switzerland have developed a brain implant that restored communication between the brain and the spinal cord in a man with tetraplegia – and now he can walk again, on his own.

Tried and true devices:

  1. Wheelchairs
  2. Walkers
  3. Canes
  4. Hearing aids
  5. Splints/braces

Are assistive and adaptive aids covered under a personal injury lawsuit?

They can be. When our Columbus personal injury lawyers file a lawsuit on behalf of a client, we seek damages (compensation) for economic and non-economic losses. One type of economic losses includes current and expected medical care.

For example, when the victim is a child, the needs of that child will change over time, as will the efficacy of the devices. A wheelchair or prosthetic limb that fits a child of eight will need to be replaced as the child grows. The same may be true of certain types of implants, which can wear out over time. But an adult may not need replacement devices and aids as quickly.

We also consider quality of life. In Ohio, you can seek “general damages” for non-economic losses – physical and mental/psychological pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, physical impairment, and the inability to perform ordinary activities. If you sustained an injury so catastrophic that it requires an assistive device or aid to survive, let alone to engage meaningfully with the world around you, we will advocate for the maximum compensation under law for these damages.

Causes of catastrophic injuries in Columbus, OH

Vehicle accidents and falls are leading causes of catastrophic injuries. Other examples include:

When these types of incidents are the result of someone else’s negligence – a dangerous driver, a greedy corporation, a manufacturing defect – you can seek compensation for your losses. We don’t believe you should have to bear the financial burden caused by another person’s negligence.

The recovery and healing process for catastrophic injuries is one of the most challenging and difficult processes that a person can go through. At Soroka & Associates, our Columbus catastrophic injury attorneys acknowledge this and offer our support, compassion, and guidance to each of our clients going through these types of situations. We will not only recommend top quality care to you, but we will also provide the best legal advice possible to ensure that you get the help and compensation you need going forward. Call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free consultation.

Posted in Catastrophic Injury