The recent injury of the celebrated Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen sustained while riding an ATV highlights the safety issues surrounding the use of the recreational vehicles. Ms Van Dyken-Roeun was injured Sunday night near her home in Arizona while riding through a parking lot where she hit a curb, which caused her to launch over and the ATV went off an embankment. She suffered severe injuries including a severed spinal cord.
The 6-time gold medalist suffered the injury after she had been out to dinner with her husband, former Denver Broncos punter Tom Rouen. Rouen was near his wife and riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident, and rushed to her aid. A paramedic happened upon the injured Olympian and rendered aid. She is now in her third day of intensive care treatment at a Scottsdale hospital, and is expected to remain there for at least several more days.
Van Dyken-Rouen suffered devastating injuries, including a severed spinal cord, a broken vertebra, and a near rupture of her aorta. The prognosis for her recovery is still evolving, however doctors have suggested that paralysis is a probability.
June 8th-15th is also coincidentally ATV Safety Week, a program sponsored by the ATV Awareness Institute, which aims to raise awareness about the substantial dangers posed by ATV's and similar vehicles.
ATV's have long been recognized as posing a serious risk. However, despite increasing awareness about the dangers of ATV riding, accidents involving the vehicles have increased in recent years.
Rouen has indicated that the couple has received an overwhelming amount of support in recent days following the accident. "It's rough," he noted, "but Amy is aware of the challenges ahead of her. She is ready to meet them head on."
On Tuesday morning, Van Dyken-Rouen posted an update to her twitter feed thanking her friends, family, and fans for the outpouring of support. "Doing great today. My Room is the most decorated in the ICU. Thx for ur thoughts & prayers!" Van Dyken-Rouen wrote. The family has asked for privacy during Amy's recovery.
On Thursday, Van Dyken-Rouen announced that she would be transferring to Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO to continue her treatment and spine rehabilitation. Van Dyken-Rouen is expected to remain at an Arizona hospital for a few more days, as more surgery may be required prior to her transfer.
"She's looking forward to coming home and going to Craig Hospital and being near her family and friends in Colorado," Amy's husband Tom Rouen said. "She's looking forward to being back in that Mile High air. She's going to tackle this like everything else she does in her life."
Craig hospital is a world-renowned treatment facility that specializes in spinal injuries, with several notable programs that have assisted injured persons with walking again.
If you are injured in a car accident in the greater Denver metro area, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221 for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!
No comments:
Post a Comment