What is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?

By Sean Carmody | May 7, 2025

Glasgow Coma Scale Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a life-altering event — not just for the individual but for their entire family. In Pennsylvania, if such an injury results from an accident caused by someone else’s negligence — whether it’s a car crash, workplace accident, or other serious incident — understanding how doctors assess these injuries is crucial.

One of the most common tools doctors use in evaluating brain injuries is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). It sounds technical, but knowing what it means can help you understand both your medical care and your legal options.

Never heard of it? You’re not alone.

But if you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, knowing how the GCS works — and how it can impact a personal injury case — could make a big difference. As traumatic brain injury lawyers, we want to explain what GCS is in detail for you.

What is the GCS in a nutshell?

The Glasgow Coma Scale is a medical tool developed in 1974 by neurosurgeons at the University of Glasgow. It’s now used worldwide, including in Pennsylvania emergency rooms, to quickly assess how a brain injury has affected someone’s level of consciousness.

Doctors use the GCS shortly after an accident to measure a patient’s responsiveness. In other words, it helps answer critical questions like:

Are they awake?
Can they speak?
Are they moving on their own?

The scale looks at three specific types of responses:

1. Eye opening response (E)

Spontaneous opening = 4 points
To speech = 3 points
To pain = 2 points
No response = 1 point

2. Verbal response (V)

Oriented and converses = 5 points
Confused speech = 4 points
Inappropriate words = 3 points
Incomprehensible sounds = 2 points
No response = 1 point

3. Motor response (M)

Obeys commands = 6 points
Localizes pain = 5 points
Withdrawal from pain = 4 points
Abnormal flexion = 3 points
Extension = 2 points
No response = 1 point

Doctors add these numbers together. The total score falls between 3 (the most severe brain injury) and 15 (mild or no brain injury).

What do Glasgow Coma Scale scores mean?

Once a patient’s GCS score is determined, it’s generally classified like this:

Mild TBI: GCS of 13-15
Moderate TBI: GCS of 9-12
Severe TBI: GCS of 3-8

Seems pretty straightforward, right?

But here’s where it gets complicated, especially when a personal injury claim is involved.

The role of the GCS in Pennsylvania personal injury cases

In Pennsylvania, a person injured due to someone else’s negligence – say, in a car accident on I-376 or a fall at a Pittsburgh job site – may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

And while the Glasgow Coma Scale is a valuable medical tool, it’s not a perfect predictor of long-term outcomes.

Unfortunately, insurance companies sometimes try to rely on GCS scores to downplay a TBI victim’s injuries.

Imagine this: You suffer a severe concussion in a crash. When EMTs arrive, you’re awake enough to answer basic questions – so your GCS score is 14.

Later, though, you deal with debilitating headaches, memory loss, and emotional changes, classic signs of a traumatic brain injury.

Will the insurance company argue that your injury wasn’t “that serious” because your GCS score was high? They might.

That’s why working with a skilled traumatic brain injury lawyer is so important. A lawyer can gather expert medical opinions, demonstrate how your life has changed, and push back against these oversimplified arguments.

TBIs are complicated. So are their effects.

The truth is: Not all TBIs show up immediately. And not all of them fit neatly into a scoring system.

According to the CDC, TBIs contributed to over 69,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2021 alone. Many more victims live with lifelong complications, even after a so-called “mild” injury.

Some common long-term effects of TBIs include:

Chronic headaches
Memory problems
Difficulty concentrating
Mood swings or depression
Sensory sensitivity (to light or sound)
Sleep disturbances

In Pennsylvania, these symptoms can dramatically affect your ability to work, enjoy daily life, or care for your family. And they may entitle you to additional compensation.

How a traumatic brain injury lawyer can help

If you or someone you love has suffered a TBI in Pennsylvania, your focus should be on healing, not fighting insurance companies or navigating complex legal processes.

Ways an attorney helps:

Investigate the accident thoroughly
Obtain and review medical records
Consult with brain injury specialists
Calculate the full extent of your damages
Negotiate aggressively with insurers
Represent you in court if necessary

Remember: The Glasgow Coma Scale is just one part of your story, and it’s not the whole picture.

Final takeaway: Your GCS score is only part of the story

Understanding the Glasgow Coma Scale is vital for anyone dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury in Pennsylvania. While it provides valuable initial information about the injury’s severity, it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle. The reality is that insurance companies may try to use that number against you. They might argue your injury isn’t “that bad” or that you’ve recovered faster than you really have.

That’s why having an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer on your side matters. A skilled attorney can help ensure your injury is fully understood — not just by doctors but by the insurance companies, judges, or juries deciding your case.

At Carmody & Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we understand the challenges faced by injury victims in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania. We’re committed to providing compassionate, personalized legal representation. Whether your injury happened at work, in a car accident, or somewhere else, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options and protect your rights.

Posted in Traumatic Brain Injury