In Palatine, Illinois, a local man, who depends on his wheelchair for mobility over long distances, reached out to the ABC7 I-Team for assistance after a malfunctioning sensor rendered his chair unusable.
Kevin Sullivan found himself in a challenging situation when the sensors on his wheelchair failed, leaving him unable to navigate effectively.
Sullivan shared that he endured an eight-month wait for a resolution from a company contracted through his insurance, which ultimately did not resolve the issue.
“I would be traveling at full speed when suddenly, my left or right sensor would malfunction, dropping downward,” Sullivan explained. “This would prevent me from making contact with the sensor, making it impossible to turn left or right.”
According to Sullivan, Numotion—the company responsible under his insurance—struggled to rectify the problem over several months but was unsuccessful.
“Over the span of about twelve appointments, they consistently sent technicians who were not adequately trained for handling these specialized head arrays,” Sullivan recounted. “At one point, they even ordered the incorrect parts.”
In this email from September 2025, a Numotion representative said “…I apologize this has taken so many appointments …” Sullivan says after waiting he reached out S&J Services and Repairs
It’s another company that’s not covered under his insurance. He says after only one recent appointment that company was able to fix the issue, and they did it for free.
“No one would accept that if it was something like their automobile, but for something like a wheelchair, it just feels like we have no choice but to deal with that and to constantly advocate for ourselves,” Sullivan said.
Numotion said in a statement:
“At Numotion, our customers are our number one priority. We’re in the business of providing mobility and independence to individuals with disabilities so they can be active members of their communities.
“Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we are not able to comment on the specifics of this situation. We are, and always will be, committed to serving our customers.”
“It could be fixed; it just takes someone with the proper training and knowing what they are doing,” Sullivan said.
S&J Services and Repairs said their employees do the right thing to preserve people’s independence and dignity.
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