Posts Tagged ‘Amputee Veterans’

Amputee Veterans Able to Program Their Own Bionic Hands

Monday, May 6th, 2013

Amputee veterans have seen some amazing advances in prosthetic technology in recent years and now smartphones may help give additional control to disabled veterans.

In the past, loss of limb meant a veteran had to work with a static prosthetic limb or undergo programming at a doctor’s office every time the limb needed to be adjusted. The i-limb line of prosthetics was among the latter class of bionic limbs, and for many amputees it was inconvenient to visit a specialist for programming of grip responses.

The latest line of i-limbs now features a phone application that can be linked to the prosthetic in order to let the user change grip settings when needed. The user can select from 24 grip patterns from a smartphone with the new technology.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has dedicated a specific research branch to helping amputee veterans regain mobility and dexterity after loss of limb. The VA Center of Excellence for Limb Loss Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering is focused on improving quality of life for disabled veterans who lose limbs during active duty or due to combat-related illnesses or injuries.

Amputee veterans who suffered loss of limb due to a combat injury or service-connected illness may qualify for veterans’ disability benefits. Losing a limb or even loss of a part of the limb can be life-altering and result in long-term and permanent medical needs aside from prosthetics. These needs are often qualifying factors for veterans’ disability benefit compensation.

The Law Offices of LaVan & Neidenberg, P.A. is focused on helping our nation’s disabled veterans obtain the full range of benefits and compensation to which they are entitled. Contact our veteran’s disability firm to speak with a disability claims representative – 1-888-234-5758.

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USF Studies Helping Amputee Veterans with Joint Pain

Thursday, September 13th, 2012

An amputee veteran who lost a limb during combat often qualifies for veterans’ disability benefits. Scientific and technological research and advancements have made life a little easier for some of these vets, and a new simulator being used at the University of South Florida may provide further assistance to individuals requiring prosthetics.

USF in Tampa is home to CAREN, a state-of-the-art simulation system that lets researchers simulate various scenarios while treating or assessing medical conditions. One of the uses for the system has been to study the effectiveness of new prosthetic limbs, which may benefit disabled veterans.

An individual seeking a new prosthetic is placed in a harness and a simulation is run to assess the comfort, fit, and integrity of the artificial limb. Simulations may range from a sandy region of Afghanistan to a cityscape, allowing researchers to assess the prosthetic’s effectiveness in various environments.

Not only may amputee veterans benefit from these tests, but the simulation may also provide a new method of treatment for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Exposure therapy may be made easier when the CAREN system helps clinicians introduce disabled veterans to the traumatic event in a safe setting. This may desensitize them to the event and hopefully alleviate symptoms.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.

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Congress To Hear Amputee Bill Of Rights Legislation

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Congress will hear new legislation focusing on creating a Bill of Rights for injured and amputee veterans. The Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights (H.R. 5730) was introduced by Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Bob Filner. The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) was in the driver’s seat in drafting the bill to demand stability and uniformity in orthotic and prosthetic benefits across the board in the VA’s health care structure. The hearing will determine whether the bill of rights will be implemented across the country.

At the VA Health Subcommittee Hearing it was very apparent creating a bill of rights for amputee veterans has support from very influential organizations. The more significant supporters for the bill include:

  • The Disabled American Veterans (DAV);
  • The Paralyzed Veterans of America;
  • The American Legion;
  • The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW); and
  • The Amputee Coalition of America.

Passing this bill will force the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish one uniform standard of care for veterans suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and requiring prosthetics and orthotics. The VA health care system will be held to a consistent high level of care, which includes providing the most technologically advanced care available.

Additionally, the NAAOP is pushing for the legislation to include rules forcing the VA to provide every amputee patient with a paper copy of the Bill of Rights and then have the patient acknowledge in writing they read the document. NAAOP is also attempting to establish a system in which the VA’s compliance with the Bill of Rights can be charted.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.

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