On March 30th, President Obama signed legislation that includes the Christopher and Dava Reeve Paralysis Act (CDRPA).  Though it had been blocked by a single Senator last year, it ultimately passed both houses of Congress with broad bipartisan support.

The legislation was named in honor of "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve who became a quadriplegic in a horseback riding accident, and his wife who cared for him until his death before succumbing to cancer herself.

The intent of the CDRPA is to encourage coordination of research to prevent redundancies and hasten discovery of better treatments and cures, as well as to improve the daily lives for those living with paralysis. The CDRPA has three components that support and enhance paralysis research, rehabilitation, and quality of life programs:

• Expands research on paralysis at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Builds on research to enhance daily function for people with paralysis, including a Clinical Trials Network to measure effectiveness of certain rehabilitation tactics

• Works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the quality of life and long-term health status of persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities

Ken Shigley is a trial attorney in Atlanta, Georgia who has been listed as a "Super Lawyer" (Atlanta Magazine), among the "Legal Elite" (Georgia Trend Magazine), and in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Martindale), and is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy,. Mr. Shigley has extensive experience representing parties in trucking and bus accidents, products liability, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, brain injury, spinal cord injury and burn injury cases.  Currently he is Secretary of the 40,000 member State Bar of Georgia.