Unresponsive. Unconscious. Comatose.

Any one of these words can stir up fear and panic, especially when they’re spoken about someone you dearly love.

When you’ve just received word that a family member has been hurt in a Maryland truck accident, it can be difficult to process the information and even more difficult to understand what exactly these medical terms signify for your loved one.

Will he live? Will she ever be her normal self again? How will this affect our future? Unfortunately, even the best doctor can rarely answer those questions right away. The good news is that a coma is a treatable condition.

Coma is based on a Greek word that is literally translated as “deep sleep.” Signs that a person is in a comatose state include:

  • Closed eyes
  • Pupils that do not respond to light
  • No response (except reflexes) from the body’s limbs
  • No response to painful stimuli
  • Irregular breathing

Because time is such a crucial factor when dealing with a coma, doctors will immediately begin a series of blood tests and brain scans to determine what exactly caused the coma, where the damage exists, and how best to treat it.

Auto accidents are a common cause of comas in the United States. Truck accidents in particular can lead to serious injury, and a coma may be only one of multiple injuries following such a traumatic event.

Treatment for a coma varies greatly and will depend on which part of the brain was affected. Antibiotics may be used to prevent or treat an infection, and surgery or other procedures may be needed to help relieve swelling on the affected portion of the brain. The patient may require a respirator to help regulate breathing.

The sooner a person wakes up from a coma, the more likely it is that the person will recover completely. In cases where serious brain damage is done, the person may wake up with permanent damage or may never awake.

When your loved one is the victim of a Maryland truck crash leading to a coma, you want to do everything possible to make sure they wake up and recover completely. You may also want to pursue legal action against the person who caused such pain to your family.

If you are considering a lawsuit, you should contact an experienced Maryland truck-crash lawyer who is familiar with the process. For a free consultation, call Nickelsporn & Lundin at 800-875-9700.