People living with paralysis caused by a spinal injury can find apps designed for smartphones to be of great benefit, a charity has said.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which assists paralysed people who have suffered a spinal cord injury or degenerative conditions such as motor neurone disease, has unveiled a list of what it considers are the best apps for people with paralysis.

Rob Gerth, director of digital media at the Reeve Foundation, is confident the guide will help disabled people find the apps that suit them best and enhance their quality of life.

“With the thousands of apps on the market, no one can really find and test them all,” he added.

The guide highlights things like predictive text and voice-activated dialling in the likes of Blackberries and iPhones as being of benefit.

One documented app for iPhones is the VoiceOver feature, which allows anyone to scroll their fingers over the text and hear the letters out loud.

The spinal cord injury lawyers at Stark & Stark keep up with the latest developments. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of trauma, you can speak with a Stark & Stark attorney. http://www.starkinjurygroup.com

To help people with serious injuries survive the heat and drama of the courtroom and life beyond the verdict. To plead with the public to give seriously injured people a voice so that the value of their lives are not forgotten. To bring to life what it is like to advocate for the seriously injured.

Http://www.personalinjury411.com was launched on March 21, 2010, the first day of spring. Like spring, www.personalinjury411.com is a beginning- a chance to understand what life is like for people who many shy away from-people with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and burn injuries. It can be a beginning to those who suffer the injuries, helping them navigate rough seas by getting answers through stories from those who know how to tell them.

Http://www.personalinjury411.com has an informative blog, fresh every two or three days, free information about how to select a lawyer, information about types of personal injuries, and information about Albert M. Stark and his book, Insider Secrets to Winning Your Personal Injury Battle. Visitors who provide email addresses receive Albert M. Stark’s monthly newsletter.

Road hazards can be dangerous to your health. For years, I have successfully sued states and municipalites on behalf of drivers and passengers in cars and on  motorcycles. A recent case in New Jersey, Polzo v. County of Essex, makes it easier for seriously injured victims to recover for injury due to road hazards. (A-1553-09) Nathu Kahn-Polzo, a cyclist, died of head injuries suffered when she was thrown from a bike as it hit a depresssion on the shoulder of a county road.

The court said that sovereign immunity did not bar a lawsuit if the governmental entity did not have an inspection program that should have discovered the hazard. Kahn-Polzo’s motorcycle hit a depression that was two feet wide and an inch and a half deep. Court documents showed that about five weeks prior to Kahn-Polzo’s crash, complaints were made about potholes on the stretch of the road where Kahn-Polzo was riding. Repairs crews were dispatched, though it was unclear whether the inspection and repairs along the roadway included the shoulder.

The case now stands for the proposition that “in the absence of any routine inspection program, a jury could conclude that the failure to have such a program is palpably unreasonable.

The story of Terry Rich in Insider Secrets to Winning Your Personal Injury Battle illustrates other ways to successfully recover for dangerous road hazards.

Bringing an action against a state or municipality is complex. I recommend that victims of road hazards consult with an attorney who has had experience suing for dangerous road conditions. The Stark Injury Group provides free consultations to victims injured by road hazards. http:www.starkinjurygroup.com

A FAN of Success for the Seriously Injured asked me a question. “What lessons have you learned representing people with serious injuries?” I have often asked myself what I would have done differently after a case was over. In my book, Insider Secrets to Winning Your Personal Injury Battle, I reveal lessons others have taught me about trial strategy and what people with serious injuries go through on the way to court and what happens afterward.

So, this morning, on a walk, I thought about the question.

I have learned that there is nothing that makes me more effective in court than taking a long walk in the morning. It puts me in a good frame of mind for the rest of the day, especially if I have tossed and turned and got up at four in the morning thinking about the day in court.

Not to try to be who others think I should be, but to be me is a lesson I learned the hard way!

Early in my career, anger controlled me if I hung on to it. Eventually, I exploded. I learned that anger is not a problem. It is what I do with it.

From my brave survivors, I learned that life is a succession of moments and to live each one is in itself to succeed. They also taught me not to be afraid of my fears, but rather to embrace them, deal with them, and then they become, after a while, less than they once seemed.

Reflecting, I think the most important lesson I learned advocating for people with serious injuries is that grief is so often used as a safety valve, but the tighter you hold it, the sadder and more all-consuming you will feel.

There are ways to help prevent low back pain and protect your spine.

- Maintain a healthy body weight.

-  If you smoke, quit. Smoking and extra weight can not only damage the spine, but are factors that can negatively impact spine surgery.

- Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing and walking.

- Use proper lifting techniques to avoid injury. Bend your knees when picking up and lowering the object, keep a straight back, and do not twist. Do not lift heavy objects that are beyond your strength ability.

- Make sure your mattress and bed pillow support your neck and back.

- Do exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles of your abdomen and spine. Strong back and abdominal muscles can help you maintain good posture and keep your spine in its correct position.

- If you suffer from persistent, chronic, or recurring back pain, consult your doctor. In most cases there is a conservative, nonsurgical treatment that can resolve the pain. However, if left untreated or allowed to progress, back pain may lead to serious and severe disability.