Coma After a Car Accident

Sometimes car accidents cause permanent damage and even result in comas. When this happens, people in a coma are unable to speak for themselves. Any instructions they may have left, such as a living will, are the only things they have to speak for them.

In the best interests of the patient, a lawyer may need to help assign a power of attorney in order to take care of some of the victim’s obligations and legal and medical needs. A coma after a car accident does not always mean that the victim will die, but it does mean that there is a significant injury and that an undetermined amount of medical care will be required.

What Are the Causes of Comas?

There are several reasons that a person might slip into a coma.

In some cases, a coma may be medically induced due to excruciating levels of pain or other medical issues that could be made worse if the person were to be conscious.

One of the most common causes of a coma is a brain injury. Because of the traumatic impact that victims can suffer during car and motorcycle accidents, serious brain injuries and comas are very real possibilities that sometimes happen.

Post-Coma Expectations

While a coma may require extensive hospital care, once the patient regains consciousness there are many other medical concerns and life changes to consider.

It is entirely possible that the victim will suffer from long-term brain damage, no matter what type of event caused the coma.

Depending on the length of time and reason the person was in a coma, he or she may also need extensive physical therapy to build up atrophied muscles and retrain the body to perform simple tasks.

Unfortunately, formerly comatose patients often suffer other complications even after they are awake. Years may have passed while the victim was comatose. Upon waking, the person will have to adjust to changes in the world, the seemingly sudden aging of loved ones, and time lost. Expensive therapy may be required to help coma victims through these challenges.

Legality of Loved Ones

People who cannot take care of themselves need to be represented by someone willing to take care of them and watch out for their best interests. Normally, this would be the regular caregiver, parent, or guardian.

The legalities in cases like these can be very intricate, especially if the person dies, causing the case to go from a serious personal injury to a fatality and possibly a wrongful death.

It is important to seek out a qualified attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing statutes of limitations and other legal hurdles. Further, you will need our experienced attorneys to ensure the victim gets the best care possible while he or she is in a coma after a car accident.

Contact an Attorney

If your loved one was injured and rendered comatose in a car accident, financial compensation could be a possibility. This compensation can help you pay for medical expenses and other losses, enabling you and your loved one to recover as much as possible.

Contact Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP online or call 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) as soon as possible to get started.