Amanda Anderson - help needed

[KTMissouri]

I have been in contact with Mona Anderson the mother of Amanda. Amanda was injured in a riding accident on 3/11. She had a burst fracture in L2 of her spine. She is partially paralized, but has made some significant progress. She now has pretty good movement in one of her legs.

The doctors feel that the fact that she was wearing a neck donut limited the severity of her injurys. Mona wants all parents to pay attention and make their kids wear a neck brace. I told her all about the Leatt brace and she was impressed.

The Anderson Family has been denied payment by their insurance company (John Alden/Assurant). Tatonka, didn't you tell me that this was the same insurance company that you have?

Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

[Gatlin5]

Amanda and family, we wish you all the best and are here for you. You will be in our thoughts and prayers, God Bless.

[Tatonka]

Amanda - you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Keep up the good work and keep making that progress! There is amazing work being done in the SCI field right now.

Shawn - yes, that is the same insurance carrier I have and frankly it doesn't surprise me that they would take this stance, in fact I believe most health insurance companies in America would view it the same way these days. :evil:

[688MOM]

Amanda Andersen was released on April 18th after her crash in Fernley, Nevada on March 11th. She has feeling and movement in her Left leg, however her Right leg we say is still on vacation. I don't know if I am over thinking her Right leg, but there are days I think it is getting worse. I don't dare say that to her as I don't need her thinking about that. Tests in the Trauma room showed she had broke her back L2, the Doctor put her on Steroids (for swelling) and said he would operation 24 hours. He would use 4 screws and she would be able to have them removed in about a year or so, they felt that she was paralyzed because of swelling. About 9 hours later Amanda's tests and vitals showed major failure. They rushed her to Emergency Surgery with a Neurosurgeon and found she had a Burst Fracture in L2 which they used a 3" rod and 4 bolts forming almost a cage. Bone fragments had punctured her Spinal Fluid which was leaking into her system. They plugged and patched that with her own blood forming a blood clot. She was unable to move for 48 hours so that could take. The nerves had stretched so bad that they were folded in half with bone fragments embedded into the nerves. The Neurosurgeon told us 5 days later that he has never had a patient that has not walked and he would not allow her to be the first. We really like that attitude. We saw him on the 3rd of this month and he still says that she will walk again, it's looking close to a year before that will happen, but it will happen.

Yes, we are still fighting that #%(#^(@W)& Insurance (John Alden/Assurant). I can't believe that I over looked the "Competitive Sports Injury Clause). By this they don't have to pay even if your kid gets hurt in High School Sports. We have applied to everything possible, just gets so frustrating when the only "Emergency Medical help" that is out there is for people here in the U.S. illegally and/or an unwed mother with 1 or more children. I can honestly say I have not been prejudice before, however the State of Nevada has made me prejudice as I could not get any help for our 20 year old daughter. The Hospital even came into her room 2 days after being released from Trauma ICU to tell her she needed to start a payment plan. We had know idea if she was ever going to walk again and this woman wanted her to start a payment plan. Next door was a man that crashed his road bike with no vehicle Insurance and over here illegally, he got any Doctor he wanted. He was able to order a beer with his dinner at the hospital, order people around like he owned the place and guess what????? The good old USA will be flipping the bill. He will even get a nurse to come to his "home" to make sure he is alright. My daughter was released from the Rehabilitation Hospital a week early (because she has "No Insurance") and she is unable to get Outpatient Therapy because "No Insurance" so we are trying to do it here at our house and at the Gym.

Anyway, Amanda is so strong and is truly my hero now.... She just keeps saying; "I just want to walk again". I completely look up to her.

The sling over the treadmill is something use now. They say even simulating movement will get the signals to and from the brain. Note the 2 Therapists that are moving her legs for her.

The x-ray shows the metal in her spine and The back shot is the incision that the Neurosurgeon had to make to get the Spinal Fluid plugged. It looks a lot better now.

I hope the pictures that I have tried to put on this will show you a little bit about my daughter. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I will try to get updates to you every now and then.

[Tatonka]

Amanda - keep at it, everyone here at RiderDown is pulling for you and you are definitely in our thoughts and prayers!

Mona, your daughter sounds like a fighter and it sure sounds like you have become one also! Dealing with hospitals and insurance companies these days is a major PITA and can drive you crazy! :explode: I also have had dealings with John Alden and they have not always been good. More people need to be made aware of what their insurance company will & will not cover so they can at least be aware of the risks they take. The other issues you mention regarding the "free" health care that we offer in this country just makes my blood boil! When are we going to stand up as a nation and say enough is enough?

Please keep us posted on Amanda's progress and let us know what we can do to help.

[quadrider833]

wow that is so crazy i mean come on you guys are deeling with a life changing event, i know what shes going thro, and as long as amanda keeps a possitive attutude she will get thro everything ok, i had my accident a little over 3 years ago when i was 17, and have just recently done a surgery about 2 months ago so im kinda waiting on this to heal up so i can go back to therapy, i moved all the way from MN to AZ just for therapy they have an awesome rehabilitation center here, but its so expensive it seem like everything is so expensice though well tell your daughter that i wish the best for her and good luck with everything im sure you guys will get it all figured out

[TwinTurbos]

Mona - We're all pulling for Amanda and hope she can feel all of our good thoughts and prayers! If you can, please keep us posted as to how she is doing.

[688MOM]

Well...... Amanda is still about the same... the Right leg is still on that "Vacation" and we are starting to wonder if it is coming back..... The Neurosurgeon says it will, but it will probably be closer to a year before she is able to use it.

We are still going through the "Insurance Mess", I turned John Alden/Assurant into the State of Nevada Insurance Division....After speaking to this lady reading her the exclusion(s) she stated that the "Insurance Company did not give her that page" and by that they should have to pay..... The page that the Insurance "forgot" to send her states:
14. Treatment or services required due to Injury received while engaging in any hazardous occupation or other activity, including the following: Participating, instructing, demonstrating, guiding or accompanying others in parachute jumping, hang-gliding, bungee jumping, flight in an aircraft other than a regularly scheduled flight by an airline, racing any motorized or non-motorized vehicle, rock or mountain climbing, professional or semi-professional contact sports of any kind. Also excluded are treatment and services required due to injury received while practicing, exercising, undergoing conditioning or physical preparation for any such activity.

15. Treatment or services required due to injury received while engaging in any hazardous occupation or other activity for which compensation is received, including the following: Participating, instructing, demonstrating, guiding or accompanying others in skiing and horse riding. Also excluded are treatment and services required due to injury received while practicing, exercising, undergoing conditioning or physical preparation for any such compensated activity.

even with the following information and the fact that Amanda does not receive any compensation for her recreational sport ----it did not matter even though I have written documentation as to what the State of Nevada considers a "Motorized-vehicle". In the policy it self, there is not a definition for this term so I went to the State of Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and found the definitions for these words....
THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THAT DMV DOES NOT CALL A DIRT BIKE A MOTORIZED OR NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLE. Any motorized vehicle which does not have the normal safety equipment such as lights and mirrors or is not built to federal vehicle standards is an off-highway vehicle And is restricted to off-road use only. IT IS NOT STILL CONSIDERED A MOTORIZED VEHICLE BY MEANS OF "FEDERAL VEHICLE STANDARDS."

In fact if I look at their definitions for
NRS 482.075 “Motor vehicle” defined. “Motor vehicle” means every vehicle as defined in NRS 482.135 which is self-propelled?
[Part 1:202:1931; A 1951, 165; 1953, 280]
HOWEVER LOOK AT THE DEFINITION ABOVE; IT IS CALLED AN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE, NOT A MOTORIZED VEHICLE WHICH HAS TO HAVE THE NORMAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS LIGHTS AND MIRRORS (DIRT BIKES DON'T HAVE) OR IS NOT BUILT TO FEDERAL VEHICLE STANDARDS IS AN "OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE"
NRS 482.135 “Vehicle” defined. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 482.36348, “vehicle” means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway. The term does not include:
1. Devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks;
2. Mobile homes or commercial coaches as defined in chapter 489 of NRS; or
3. Electric personal assistive mobility devices.
[Part 1:202:1931; A 1951, 165; 1953, 280]—(NRS A 1979, 1222; 2003, 1205; 2003, 20th Special Session, 299

When I emailed the same information to the Insurance Division her comment to me was that the Insurance Company has decided that the Dirt Bike is a motorized vehicle therefore the Insurance Companies Decision will be honored by this Department. This shows how CORRUPT the Insurance Companies are in the USA, which in turn makes you wonder exactly whom this woman works for!!!!!!

A local newspaper did an article about Amanda and the Insurance problems and a local Sports Therapy Center has taken her in under their wing on a "pro-bono" stipulation. We went to our 1st Therapy Session on Monday and WOW!!!!!!! These people are so professional, explaining things in terms that we can understand, even giving paper copies of the exercises they want her to start at home. They did some major Electric Stimulation.... I thought she was going to leave there with curly hair...... She said she could definately feel the shocks..... The Doctor there said that now we need to retrain those nerves to work when she needs them to, not after the fact. They are going to do afew more test tomorrow as Doctor feels there may be something going on in the lower area as this is severly swollen and that shouldn't be that way..... This could be the reason that she is still unable to use the Right leg...
I will keep you informed as soon as we know more.... Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

[GaMotoGirl]

Mona & Amanda,

Wow... I just cant believe all that you and your family are going through. Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers! I know I am many states away, but please please please let me know if there is anything I can do. From what you've already told us, Amanda has a very strong spirit, and the more stubborn she is, the better it will serve her in succeeding in walking. Please keep us updated.