A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may cause enough significant brain damage that it leaves the injured individual in a state of altered consciousness. This loss of complete consciousness can have a severe impact on a person’s life, as, depending on the extent of their injuries, they may not be able to recover full consciousness again. As a result, their family is often left with an immense financial burden in providing ongoing care for their loved one, who may need to stay in a hospital for monitoring or live with a caregiver.
At the Cottrell Law Office, we understand the kind of stress and strain our Arkansas clients face when a loved one has developed a brain injury that caused an altered consciousness. However, by filing a personal injury claim on behalf of a loved one, a family might not only be able to get much-needed compensation, but also justice for the harm that someone else caused.

Loss of Consciousness from Traumatic Brain Injuries

When a person sustains a traumatic brain injury, they may sustain varying degrees of brain damage across different areas of their brain. These circumstances can dictate how severe a loss of consciousness may be and how long it may take for a person to recover. The following types of altered consciousness may occur after a brain injury:

  • Coma, in which a person completely loses consciousness
  • Locked-in syndrome, although uncommon in cases of traumatic brain injuries, in which a person is still conscious and aware, but no longer has the power to move their body
  • A vegetative state, in which a person has no awareness of themselves or their surroundings, but does have the ability to respond to physical stimuli
  • A minimally conscious state, in which a person may retain limited awareness of themselves or their surroundings, and maintains the ability to respond to physical stimuli

In some cases, a person may progress through stages of increased consciousness until they fully recover. However, other injured individuals may have sustained too much trauma to their brain to recover fully, and may be stuck at some state of altered consciousness for the rest of their life.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Arkansas

At the Cottrell Law Office, we’re here to help, providing assistance and peace of mind to all of our clients when they need us most. If someone you love has fallen into a state of altered consciousness because of someone else’s careless or reckless conduct, call 800-364-8305 today to find out how we might be able to help you.