One of the most catastrophic yet rarely considered types of injuries that result from an automobile or truck accident is a coma.
Doctors claim a person is in a coma if they exhibit the following traits:
*They are unable and do not initiate normal movements or voluntary actions
*They do not respond to painful stimuli
*They have been unconscious for a number of hours and cannot be awoken
*They do not exhibit a normal sleep/wake cycle
*They do not respond to sound and/or light
Comas are the result of trauma to the brain and, frankly, a diagnosis of 'comatose' has the potential to lead to hours and weeks before a recovery may occur - but can equally result in the death of the patient. It is not unheard of for comatose persons to remain in a vegetative state for years.
In studies done on the relationship of comas and vehicle collisions some interesting findings were uncovered. First, seatbelts themselves did little to prevent head trauma or lower the risk of a coma. But when airbags were introduced they tended to offer a greater extent of protection to the head and brain - with a noticeable decrease in coma injuries - particularly in front end collisions.
Unless side airbags are also standard in a vehicle then there was no noticeable depreciation in the number of persons who suffered comas in this type of accident.
As airbag technology becomes more sophisticated it is expected that the ability to prevent catastrophic injuries will increase.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston head injury lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free no obligation consultation with a brain injury lawyer in Houston call the Baumgartner firm.
