If you or a loved one was a victim of a motorcycle crash and suffered a serious injury or fatality, you may be faced with a devastating situation. In addition to dealing with medical bills, you may wonder what the future holds. If you do not already have legal representation, consider discussing your case with a motorcycle accident lawyer. A skilled attorney can help you recover maximum compensation for your accident-related damages.
Some motorcycle injuries occur more often than others. Depending on their severity they may be extremely serious. Here are some of the most common:
Head Injuries
When someone is riding a motorcycle, they have very little protection from accidents. There are no car walls to absorb the impact or to provide them with an airbag to reduce traumatic forces. While wearing a motorcycle helmet approved by the Department of Transportation is good safety practice, many riders don’t wear helmets. This puts those motorcyclists at risk for serious head injuries, most notably the following:
- Brain damage
- Swelling
- Cracked skull
- Concussion
- Neck injuries
A helmet may not prevent all head injuries, but it can reduce your risk of serious head trauma in the event of an accident.
Road Rash
It’s not something many people consider the worst injury, but it can be quite bad. It can be bad enough you require a skin graft, surgery, and months of recovery. Sliding across the road even while wearing long pants and a leather jacket may not be sufficient protection. As a result, road rash is very common in motorcycle accidents.
Biker’s Arm
This is an injury with a specific name because it occurs so often. The natural reaction of most people is to try and break their fall with their arm, which is very common when laying down a motorcycle. This will often severely injure the person’s arm which is why it’s called Biker’s Arm.
Leg Injuries
Legs are not protected while riding a bike. Most of the time these injuries consist of shattered bones, fractures, and other injuries. Wearing reinforced leggings such as quality leather pants can help, but very little can be done to prevent serious leg injuries in a motorcycle accident.
Muscle and Nerve Damage
Your muscles are at serious risk on a motorcycle in an accident. Muscle damage that goes untreated or undiagnosed can become permanent with little hope of correction in the future. Many injuries are not immediately obvious, which is why it’s important to seek medical attention after any motorcycle accident, however minor it may have seemed.
As a victim of a motorcycle accident caused by someone’s negligence, you are entitled to recover your damages. A motorcycle accident lawyer trusts can help you seek restitution following an accident that results in a serious injury.