Legal Definitions - brain death

Brain death is a condition where a person's brain shows no response to external stimuli, no spontaneous movements, no breathing, no reflexes, and a flat reading on a machine that measures the brain's electrical activity. It is also known as legal death.

An example of brain death is when a person is in a coma and their brain has stopped functioning. They are considered legally dead even though their heart may still be beating and they may be on life support.

Another example of brain death is when a person has suffered a severe brain injury and their brain is no longer functioning. They are considered legally dead even though their body may still be alive.

Brain death is important because it is used to determine when a person can be taken off life support and when their organs can be donated for transplantation.