Galveston Family’s Life Forever Changed by Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted in Car Accidents,Drunk Driving Accident Victims on December 8, 2015

In a split second, a person’s life can be changed forever. One bad decision, such as driving drunk, can inflict lifelong emotional and physical trauma on many people, either directly or indirectly. Five years ago, a Galveston family’s lives were forever altered when 19-year-old Sarah Hrachovina Coreas was hit by a drunk driver. Now 24, Sarah’s severe injuries sustained in the crash requires round the clock assistance and care. The progress she has made in the 5 years since the accident has been slow, but her family is optimistic and have hope that her condition will continue to improve.

Sarah, a newlywed and a new mother at the time of the accident, was driving to work at 7 a.m. when a drunk driver crashed into her and then fled the scene, leaving Sarah to die. She was dead for several minutes at the site of the crash, but emergency responders were able to revive her. She stayed in a coma for almost 5 weeks and in intensive care for 3 months. She now lives in a nursing home. She is unable to walk, sit up on her own, talk, and requires a feeding tube to eat and a tracheostomy for breathing. The emotional and physical trauma on Sarah and her family has been devastating. The drunk driver that hit her was caught by the police and ordered to pay $800,000 restitution to Sarah’s family. He failed to pay, and is now in prison.

Dr. Brent Masal, a neurologist and National Medical Director for the Brain Injury Association of America, said that for people with traumatic brain injury, “Life is never the same. It’s defined by the date of that accident for the person, the family members, spouses, everyone involved.” The human brain is incredibly complex, so it is nearly impossible for the brain to recover to its pre-injury state.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed by a drunk driver, seek the counsel of an experienced and supportive drunk driving accident lawyer.