We wanted to touch on the seriousness of motorcycle accident injuries and how to rectify an accident of this intensity should it happen to you. Because of the lack of protection that motorcycles offer compared to standard vehicles, accident injuries are typically more severe.
Head Injuries
At this point, most states have passed laws requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets to limit the number of head injuries seen on the road annually, but there are always those audacious enough to not heed the law and crank up their bike without the proper protection. We cannot advise against this enough. Head injuries are one of the most severe because they can have life-long consequences like traumatic brain injury. These injuries require years of recuperation where the patient must relearn to speak, walk, feed themselves, or use the facilities. Sometimes even these basic tasks cannot be relearned.
Road Rash
Road rash occurs when the biker’s skin is dragged along road surfaces during an accident. Because of friction, external layers of skin are rubbed off which results in abrasions, cuts, and bruises along any exposed part of the body. Depending on how much protective (typically leather) gear the biker is wearing at the time of the incident, road rash can range in severity from light burns to deep scarring.
Spinal Injuries
The spine is an incredibly sensitive part of the body— one that is especially exposed to trauma during a motorcycle accident. Accidents can lend themselves to inflicting minor injuries to discs and soft tissue to causing life-long paralysis. Paralysis involves the loss of control of motor functions of the neck down, waist down, or for certain limbs that can’t always be rehabilitated. Those who experience spinal injuries such as these can require long-term care at assisted living facilities.
Broken Bones
Most common of all is the broken bone. It’s easy to break bones if you’re slung off your bike at high speeds. Because bikes don’t have airbags or seatbelts to keep you in place at the time of a collision, your body is forced to leave the bike. Because there’s nothing to absorb the impact, bikers are often inflicted with severely shattered or broken bones which can potentially tear through neighboring tissue and organs.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury and have been thinking about filing a claim, Joe and Martin can help you. Call us at (843) 357-8888 to discuss your rights and legal options during a FREE, comprehensive case evaluation.