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Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Posted by Glenn Law Firm | May 10, 2021 | 0 Comments

The effect of most motorcycle accidents is exacerbated by the disparity between sizes of the colliding parties in case of two-vehicle collisions. However, another very important factor is the reluctance of people towards wearing motorcycle helmets.

While not wearing helmets does not make an accident more or less likely to happen and thus is not a factor for assigning fault for causing the accident itself, but it does make the motorcycle accident injuries much worse than they have to be.

In most cases, motorcycle accident victims have to contend with severe physical agony and emotional pain coupled with the financial burdens of the accident. However, if you were wronged due to someone else's negligence then there's a lot that you can do to get compensated fairly.

Contacting an experienced lawyer is step one.

But let's understand the extent of physical damage caused by such accidents before we go on and explore how a personal injury lawyer can help your case.

Types Of Injuries Caused By Motorcycle Accidents

Red car hits motorcycle accident lawyer

While the exact nature and intensity of accident injuries are never so easy to judge simply based on the type of accident (as there are many other factors at play as well), we can say with surety that motorcycle accidents are just as bad or worse the way they sound. The sheer momentum of the crash plus the lack of any cushioning surfaces makes the fall hurt like hell.

Even in minor motorcycle accidents, people can suffer from agonizing muscle pain, bruises, and radiating discomfort throughout the body.

As for the more extreme end of things, fatal injuries leading to wrongful deaths are also a vivid possibility.

Let's explore some of the most common motorcycle injuries faced by crash victims, according to the decades-long records safeguarded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHSTA:

Head Injuries/Traumatic Brain Injuries

A straight blow to the head is more probable in motorcycle accidents than what most people assume at first. Things are only worsened by the fact that many motorcyclists prefer not to wear helmets and thus put their lives on the line. While it is not a legal requirement for people beyond a certain age to put on protective gear, it is still a safe practice – better safe than sorry!

A simple head injury can easily morph into a traumatic brain injury with life-altering effects. Not only are blunt brain traumas capable of killing people but even in the case of survival, the patient may suffer from the consequences for the rest of their life and thus their quality of life will suffer (the same is true for permanent nerve damage).

According to an NHST study, 54 percent of motorcyclists who died in motor vehicle accidents were killed by severe injuries to the head. The study also revealed that of the percentage of people who suffer from TBI in accidents, the bigger fraction (21 percent) was that of unhelmeted riders in comparison to just 15 percent of the helmet-wearing motorcycle riders.

Thus it is safe to assume that helmets and safety gear do help here.

However, if you suffered from traumatic brain injury due to an accident which you did not cause, then not wearing the helmet will not make you partially at fault.

If the insurance adjuster presses hard against you, call a motorcycle accident lawyer immediately..

Spinal Injuries

The spinal cord is the epicenter of most sensory and motor impulses that travel through our bodies. Any damage to this delicate structure, even if slight, can have the severest of repercussions including partial or complete paralysis among other things.

Catastrophic spinal cord injuries usually have permanent, or at least long-term life-altering effects.. Recovery may be slow and only partially successful, however, even this much is not guaranteed, it all depends on the intensity of the damage; lack of protection can also become a factor here.

In case the sufferer loses their ability to earn due to such injuries, the compensation will be much higher than otherwise because the financial loss of a lifetime must be covered by the liability insurance carrier.

Of course, the payout will be limited by how much the other party can pay.

Leg Injuries/Extremity Injuries

Lower-extremity injuries, though not extreme in most cases, can easily turn into amputations in severe accidents (the same is true for arm injuries). Even in moderate cases, however, any trauma in the lower extremities can leave the person out of work for days, weeks, or perhaps even months depending on the extent of damage and the recovery time required to make things right.

Bone fractures and tissue damage usually worsen these injuries, which may not be life-threatening but still agonizing enough to make anyone remember the grim reaper every day. And the cost of surgical procedures (setting in metal plates) can be quite worrisome as well.

MRI of brain injury car accident attorney

Internal Organ Damage

Sometimes, the damage is not visibly apparent and instead residing deeper within the body. Injuries are possible even if the skin is not punctured and tissues underneath are not torn through. Internal injuries, especially internal organ injuries are quite dangerous for this very reason: they are not immediately apparent.

Thus it is always a safe practice to visit a medical professional and seek medical care as soon as possible when an accident happens.

This way, you'll get properly diagnosed for all of your injuries (i.e. internal bleeding, neck injuries, muscle damage, nerve damage, etc.) and thus be able to demand compensation for the full extent of the damage you had to suffer because of a negligent driver.

Fractured Bones

Bone fractures and broken bones are very frequent in motorcycle accidents because the momentum of such traffic crashes usually leads to the motorcyclist falling off the ride, or, as in some cases, having the bike fall over them.

It can happen in any number of ways, but the outcome is pretty clear in all instances.

When the cracking sound climaxes the fall, the rider knows that there's been a fracture.

Abrasions/Road Rash

The most frequent, or rather unavoidable segment of injuries in motorcycle crashes is road rash. While the damage done by this type of injury, on its own, does not amount to much, it does have some deadly consequences when coupled up with some other factors.

Road rash is simply the friction injury of the outer layers of skin (i.e. facial injuries, knee injuries, elbow injuries, etc.) which happens when a driver falls on the road surface.

Though the damage is limited to the surface, any infectious agent can penetrate the open wound and cause serious health problems.

Tetanus, for instance, is a very common infection resulting from innocent road rash injuries.

But in severe cases, even this superficial damage may become inflated in intensity and require extensive treatment like a skin graft to make things as they were before (appearance-wise).

Thus, no matter how insignificant your injuries appear to be, don't delay your visit to the doctor.

How A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

We've seen that motorcycle accidents can cause a fair deal of damage to both protected and non-protected riders, let's take a brief peek at the other end of things. What happens after such collisions? You'll probably get a call from the insurance adjuster of the other party.

The voice on the other end of the line will be as friendly as if it were that of a concerned family member, but alas, that's not the case. Don't fall for the quick payout trap, instead, ask for some time to gather your thoughts and recover before you contact them again.

In the meantime, you should get lawyers on board, and here's why:

  • They'll explain to you your position in the case.
  • They'll help you exercise your legal rights.
  • They'll get you compensated fairly for your short-term and long-term injuries.
  • They'll help you explore the complete details of your case so that you can make an informed decision.

The Glenn Law Firm Will Get You Compensated For Your Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Having to deal with the mess created by motorcycle accidents is much harder than how it sounds, especially if you're left to do so on your own. However, you need not inch back on your legal rights and instead can use the legal muscle of a team of experienced motorcycle accident attorneys pursue legal action against the liable parties.

The insurance adjusters are bound to downplay your sufferings and avoid paying up as much as they owe you, however, a little patience and planning can ensure that you get compensated fairly.

Head-on collision with a motorcycle attorney

Just be sure not to describe your sufferings on your own or spill out details of the accident before you know the full picture.

Instead, have your personal injury attorneys handle everything for you.

Worried about the advance on legal fees (or for legal consultation)? Don't be, because we at the Glenn Law Firm work on a contingency fee basis which means that you'll only have to pay when you win your case, not a penny before that!

Call us today and we'll show you how we can help you.

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