Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys

Comas

When a person experiences a severe traumatic brain injury, a coma is often one of the side effects. Comas can occur naturally or be medically induced to promote healing.

When a coma occurs naturally, it is an extended period of unconsciousness from which a person can’t be awoken even when the most painful stimuli are applied. A coma is not a disease but is a symptom of a disease or a response to an event, such as a traumatic brain injury. Most comas do not last more than 4 weeks. Some coma patients shift to a vegetative state. However, this only occurs in 5% - 10% of all coma patients. The outcome of a coma can be anything from full recovery to death. Recovering from a coma depends on the cause of the come and the extent of the brain damage.

When a person is in a coma, they do not experience reactivity (inborn functions of the brain like eye movement) or perceptivity (learned reactions of the brain like answering when one’s name is called). Head trauma is the #1 cause of death and disability among people age 1 to 44 years old.

When a coma is medically induced, it is a beneficial form of treatment. It is often used to give the brain time to heal or to heal other portions of a body that may be injured. People that experience burns over significant portions of the body are often placed in a medically induced coma because the experience is so painful.

People that come out of comas start with little responses and eventually wake up fully. Self care and other skills often have to be re-learned by these individuals.

If you or a family member have experienced a traumatic brain injury, contact the traumatic brain injury attorneys of Williams Kherkher at 866.950.9000 to discuss your case and to schedule an initial consultation.