When people in Fox Lake hear news oflawsuits being filed after others have been involved in accidents, it might be easy for them to dismiss such actions as simply being vindictive. Yet the reality is that many such incidents can often leave victims requiring intense care for an extended period of time. One need only look at a person who has suffered a traumatic brain injury to reaffirm this fact. There should be no shortage of cases to review; per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.87 million people are seen in America’s emergency departments due to brain injuries every year.
A TBI can easily leave one dependent on around-the-clock care for the rest of their lives; it can also result in a mild concussion from which one might recover in just a few days. How can those whose loved ones have suffered such injuries understand their extent (as such information would likely influence their decisions to seek legal action)? Clinicians have helped by developing an observation test known as the Glasgow Coma Scale.
According to the CDC, the Glasgow Coma Scale measures a TBI victim’s response in the following areas:
- Motor skills
- Verbal response
- Eye opening
These functions are observed immediately upon commencing treatment, and can serve as indicators as to the extent of the injury. A point total is assigned to each category, and then those totals are summed to come up with an overall score (15 total points are possible). A score between 13-15 signals a mild brain injury, while scores between nine and 12 indicate a moderate TBI. Those with scores lower than eight have suffered severe brain injuries and could potentially be facing a very long recuperative road (if they are able to recover at all).
