What is PVS?
A Persistent Vegetative State is one of 3 broad terms used when describing a persistently unconscious patient. There are three main categories of unconscious state:
1) Coma
When in a coma, the body isn’t aware of anything going on in the surroundings. Even the body’s reflexes can shut down resulting in a completely unresponsive patient.
2) Persistent vegetative state
The “middle state” is the persistently vegetative state (PVS). Unlike a coma, a patient in a PVS state still has some degree of reflex action and show minimal responses to outside stimuli. a patient in a PVS state may still require pain medication as it is still uncertain whether those suffering from PVS do experience pain.
3) Minimally conscious state
Although still unconscious, an individual in a minimally conscious state can show some small signs of being able to respond to stimuli. This can range from turning a head in the direction of sound to low audible, grunts or auditory responses.
When determining the level of damages awarded to a patient who has been placed in an unconscious state as a result of negligence, careful consideration has to be taken to ensure the correct category of awareness is used.
If you have been affected by anything described above, or if you think you or a loved one has been the victim of medical negligence, please call one of our friendly team on 0114 250 7100 and we will be more than happy to discuss your case with you.
Case Example
Our Director, Caroline, recovered £715,000 for a widow after her husband's death. Her husband spent almost two years in a persistent vegetative state before his death aged 46, the coma being caused by post-operative bleeding complications. He underwent surgery to remove a tumour in his chest and suffered abnormal internal bleeding that caused him to have a heart attack and severe brain damage.
You can read the full case study here
How can Medical Solicitors support your claim for persistent vegetative state caused by medical negligence?
As experienced solicitors that only deal with medical negligence claims, our specialist team has vast experience in helping clients with brain injuries.
We have also established strong working relationships with leading medical experts such as neurologists and neuropsychologists who we call upon to provide evidence and judgement about the experience as well as assess any ongoing needs.
As a Lexcel accredited law firm that has been praised for its compliance and case management, Medical Solicitors can help make your medical negligence claim for persistent vegetative state as stress-free as possible. We have offices across Yorkshire in Sheffield, York and Hull, so our medical negligence team is well positioned to help clients across the UK who are looking to make a medical negligence claim for persistent vegetative stat.
We offer no win no fee representation for our clients, meaning no matter your financial situation, you can access the expert legal advice you need.