Brain injuries could be life-changing, regardless of severity

A significant percentage of acquired brain injuries suffered in Delaware and across the country result from car accidents. To measure the severity of traumatic brain injuries, medical professionals use the Glasgow Coma Scale. Numbers are assigned to verbal, motor and eye responsiveness, with the total score ranging from 1 to 15.

Mild traumatic injuries measure between 13 and 15 on the GCS scale. Victims may suffer the effects for as long as one year after the date of the injuries. These could include sleep problems, fatigue, headaches, seizures, depression and mood swings. Minor or mild TBI often results from concussions.

Moderate traumatic brain injuries measure between 9 and 12 on the GCS scale. Victims could have impaired communication skills and partial paralysis. Furthermore, their cognitive skills may diminish. However, chances of recovery are more likely than those who suffer severe TBI.

Serious traumatic brain injuries are those with an 8 or lower total on the GCS scale. Victims typically remain comatose for longer than 24 hours. Furthermore, they could remain in a permanent vegetative state, suffer life-long disabilities or even death.

Regardless of the severity of traumatic brain injuries, victims typically have both physical challenges as well as financial consequences. Victims of a Delaware car accident that resulted from another party’s negligence might have grounds to file personal injury lawsuits to pursue recovery of economic and other damages. If such an accident is fatal, the surviving family members may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim in a civil court.