Vegetative State

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious condition that develops from direct trauma to the head, oxygen deprivation, or even a significant jolt of the head. TBI can range from a relatively minor concussion to severe damage that causes permanent impairment. Perhaps one of the most devastating results of a severe brain injury is “unresponsive wakefulness syndrome,” which is also known as a vegetative state.

While often equated with a coma, a vegetative state does not mean a victim is comatose. Instead of being indefinitely asleep, a victim in a vegetative state is awake though they do not have the ability to be actively conscious of their surroundings. They also cannot communicate with other people and cannot sense or perceive the occurrences that take place around them. A vegetative state can arise if a severe TBI victim awakes from a coma but fails to immediately regain awareness.

A vegetative state is not always permanent; however, after a few weeks, a patient will be diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state. Additionally, the longer they remain in that state, the less of a chance there is they will ever emerge to full wakefulness. Sadly, death may result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides that deaths as a result of TBI in men hover at just over 25 per 100,000 within the population.

Information Regarding the Vegetative State

While a person in a coma has their eyes closed and rarely moves, a TBI victim in a vegetative state is more active. For examples, an individual may respond to being fed or other events by opening or blinking their eyes. They may also follow moving objects with their eyes. Though family members often view these responses as a hopeful sign, such actions do not necessarily indicate any awareness. Other actions that may occur while a victim is in a vegetative state may include:

Grunting or moaning;
Facial expressions, such as smiling or grimacing;
Shedding tears;
Having a sleep-wake cycle;
Grinding teeth; and
Swallowing.

While such actions may cause family members and friends to hope that their loved one is conscious, any actions in a vegetative state are generally involuntary and not directly related to external factors or stimuli. However, these actions and signs of life are often enough to continue feeding tubes or other forms of life support–often indefinitely. While some TBI patients may suddenly come out of the vegetative state weeks after the injury, others remain in this state on a permanent basis.

Call The Casper Firm to Speak with a Skilled Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Baltimore or Washington D.C. Today

If your loved one is in a vegetative state or if you have emerged from a vegetative state due to TBI, your very first call should be to a highly experienced brain injury lawyer at the The Casper Firm in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. We fully understand that your focus should be on caring for your loved one or on getting your life back and, therefore, we will represent your rights and best interests throughout the entire legal process. If a negligent party cause your injury, you deserve full and just compensation for all of your losses. Please call today for a free consultation for more information about how we can help you.