Can the impact of a car accident cause a coma?

Seeing someone you love in a coma can fill your mind with devastation and uncertainty. There could be uncertainty about what the outcome will be or the likelihood of a full recovery.

Car accidents are one of the most common reasons why someone could experience a coma. Considering the seriousness of the condition, your loved one may require immediate emergency aid and ongoing medical care.

Understanding car accident trauma

Wearing a seatbelt, staying alert and following traffic laws can help to protect you and your family against severe injuries. However, even then, suffering a jarring blow to the head or experiencing violent shaking can cause traumatic injuries to the brain and spinal column, resulting in a coma. According to The Mayo Clinic, even a lack of oxygen resulting from other injuries can trigger a comatose state.

Aside from visual injuries, when your family member experiences a coma, he or she could appear almost normal, like nothing is wrong. However, signs including delayed responses to painful stimuli, suppressed breathing and irregular pupils may all indicate something is seriously wrong.

Overcoming a coma

With immediate medical attention and customized treatment, your family member might make a full recovery. However, recovering from a coma often requires months of ongoing treatments including rehabilitation. Depending on your family member's condition, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries could take even longer to heal and may permanently impact mobility, independence and the ability to communicate.

If your loved one's car accident resulted because of another person's negligence, you might seek legal action. Recognizing the numerous ways that a coma has impacted everyone's lives, filing a lawsuit might help you recuperate some compensatory damages.