Innovative technology may enable thousands of paralyzed accident victims to walk again. Biometric exoskeletons are currently being tested by patients at different medical facilities across the country. So far, the results have been positive.

Marketed under the name Indego exoskeleton, the device works on the same principle as a Segway does. If a user leans forward, the device moves faster, while leaning back slows it down. The Indego essentially does the walking for a paralyzed person, allowing him or her to stand up and walk away. The device is constructed of with equipment that regulates a user’s posture, returning him or her to a balanced position.

When a user leans forward, the Indego enables him or her to stand up. Once standing, if a user leans forward again, the device will vibrate, which is a signal that a forward step is about to occur. To stop that step, a user only needs to lean back. If a user stays leaning forward, the device will continue to take steps until he or she leans back. The device even allows users to climb stairs.

The device is light, only weighing approximately 27 pounds and can snap apart in order to be easily transported. The manufacturers are hoping to receive FDA approval sometime this year.

According to national statistics, there are almost over one million people who have some form paralysis as a result of a spinal cord injury. Approximately 30 percent of injuries—362,000—happened from work-related accidents. Almost one-fourth of those injuries—311,000—are the result of a motor vehicle accident. Another 16 percent of spinal cord injury victims—206,000—were injured in a sports-related accident, and 9 percent of victims—112,000—were injured in some type of fall.

The cost of living with a spinal cord injury can be financially devastating. In the first year after a spinal cord injury, the average expenses can be anywhere between $228,566 and $775,567. The estimate lifetime cost is approximately $681,843 to over $3 million, depending on the severity of the injuries.

If you or a loved one suffers from paralysis or other spinal cord injuries as a result of an accident, contact an experienced Westport personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the party or parties responsible for the accident.