Brain injury can take many forms. Click on the links below for
further details:
Coma
Vegitative State
Persistent Vegetative State
Minimal Responses State
Moderate Traumatic Brain
Injury
Mild Brain Injury
Coma
A coma is a state of unconsciousness from which the individual
cannot awake. You may have heard of the Glasgow Coma Scale. This
rates the survivor’s ability to open his eyes and respond to verbal
commands. The lowest possible score is 3, where there is in fact no
response. An alert and oriented survivor will be rated at 15.
| Eyes |
Score |
| Open to verbal
command |
3 |
| Open to
pain |
2 |
| No response |
1 |
| Best motor response to verbal
command |
Score |
| Obeys verbal
command |
6 |
| Best
motor response to a painful command |
Score |
| Localised pain |
5 |
| Flexion - withdrawal |
4 |
| Flexion - abnormal |
3 |
| Extension |
2 |
| No response |
1 |
| Best verbal response |
Score |
| Oriented and
converse |
5 |
| Disoriented and confused |
4 |
| Inappropriate words |
3 |
| Incomprehensible sound |
2 |
| No response |
1 |
Vegetative State
This is a severe brain injury in which there is arousal but the
ability to interact with the environment is not. There may be
general response to pain and the eyes may open in response to
stimulation.
Persistent Vegetative State
This term is used for someone who has been in a vegetative state
for more than a month in their criteria is the same as above.
Minimal Responses State
This term is used for those who have suffered severe traumatic
brain injury and may have come out of a coma or a vegetative
state.
They will have primitive reflexes but will not be able to
necessarily follow simple commands. They will have an awareness of
environmental stimulation.
Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury
Here the Glasgow Coma Scale will be between 9 and 12. There will
be:
(i) A loss of consciousness for more than a few minutes to a few
hours;
(ii) Confusion lasting at least a matter of weeks; and
(iii) Cognitive and behavioural impairments which may be
permanent.
Treatment is imperative in moderate traumatic brain injury as
the individual may have to relearn the most basic of communication
skills and self caring.
Mild Brain Injury
Whilst a severe traumatic injury is obvious to all, a mild brain
injury may go undetected and unrecognised.
The individual may have suffered:
(a) brief loss of consciousness; and
(b) loss of memory of events immediately following the incident
in which they were involved.
The injury may not be obvious on an MRI scan and some survivors
themselves may not be aware of the symptoms of their injury.
However, many people with a mild injury realise that there is
something wrong but do not understand what. They may face
difficulty in obtaining treatment.
When faced with such difficulties in the course of a personal
injury claim, we would seek the advice of an appropriately
qualified Specialist such as a Neuro Psychologist to conduct
psychometric tests to evaluate the extent of the injury and the
effects on the individual.
Whilst a brain injury in medical terms may be described as mild,
the effect on the individual can be devastating.