Student Graduates After Five Months in a Coma Following a Chesapeake Car Crash

Few injuries in car accidents are as severe as head injuries. In some cases, accident victims lose consciousness. Although a coma is a grave condition, some people do regain consciousness. A student from Portsmouth graduated from school this month after five months in a coma following a Chesapeake car crash.

Two years ago, in 2017, the prospects of Tonasia “Nada” Edwards graduating from her high school seemed remote. WAVY reported how she suffered a traumatic brain injury after a Chesapeake car crash at the intersection of Deep Creek Boulevard and Military Highway.

Edwards was unconscious for five months after the crash before she finally lifted her arm after a bath, WAVY reported.

Then 16, she received occupational, physical, and speech therapy at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) following a six-month stay at Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CHOR).

This month, Edwards received her high school diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. Her day of graduation marked the first time she has stood on her own. Edwards will attend Norfolk State University in the fall. Edwards has also received a $25,000 Beat the Odds scholarship.

What Are The Chances of Recovering from a Coma After a Car Crash?

A coma is associated with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, car accident victims may suffer a momentary loss of consciousness with a less serious head injury like a concussion.

According to Medical News Today, someone who experiences a coma cannot be woken up and they do not respond to the world around them or to light, pain, and sound.

A coma does not usually last longer than a few weeks. If the patient is comatose for a matter of months, the chances of coming out of the coma decline.

Comas are unpredictable. There are no set pattens of recovery. However, doctors look for signs that patients are coming out of a coma like the patient being able to keep his or her eyes open for longer periods and making a response to verbal commands.

Medical professionals use the Glasgow Coma Scale to give coma patients a rating and to assess their chances of making a recovery. They look at eye opening response, verbal response, and motor response.

Emerging from a coma is not like waking up. Your loved one may not be able to focus his or her eyes or respond to you. Movements of the arms and legs can be another sign of improvement. The patient’s awareness and realization of what is going on improve as he or she gets better.

Many people who come out of a coma suffer many lifelong symptoms. They may not be able to walk properly. Many TBI sufferers struggle with communication and basic tasks they could manage in the past.

Although post-coma symptoms are often permanent, recent medical breakthroughs are helping patients who suffer from comas after car accidents.

Reach Out to Our Dedicated Brain Injury Attorneys

At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers we can help people after they suffer a brain injury or were left in a coma. Often another driver is responsible for the car crash that leaves you with a head injury. TBI sufferers incur massive costs and often have ongoing medical needs. Please contact our Virginia head injury team as soon as possible for a free and confidential consultation.