What Are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Key Takeaways:
Head Injuries are Predominant: Like many thrilling activities, motorcycle riding is exhilarating but it comes with risks. One of the most common of which is getting into an accident and suffering a significant injury. Choosing to wear a helmet every time you ride dramatically reduces the danger of head damage, allowing you to ride whenever you wish.
Wide Range of Injuries: Although brain trauma is the most often associated risk factor with motorbikes, there are several potential hazards like road rash, damaged bones, and organ damage all of which are painful conditions that can lead to serious repercussions if not appropriately treated.
Seeking legal assistance is vital: Hiring a personal injury attorney shouldn’t take a second thought because being in a motorbike accident is frustrating and traumatizing, so the last thing you should have to deal with is the complicated aftermath. Their guidance and expertise will relieve some of the stress, allowing you to focus on your recuperation. They are the ones who understand how to negotiate the intricate processes and get you rewarded so you don't have to worry about it as much.
Motorcycle riders face a substantially elevated risk of being severely injured, or worse, than compared to passengers in cars.
When it comes to sustaining serious injuries, motorcyclists are 10 times more likely to suffer, and their likelihood of being strictly involved in a traffic accident jumps to a whopping 26 times higher.
Motorcyclists are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention after a collision, even if the injuries appear, because they’re at such a higher risk of sustaining head injuries, spinal damage and other potentially severe injuries.
Below, we’ll explore the most common injuries sustained in motorcycle collisions and highlight the need for both effective safety measures and prompt medical response to help mitigate these risks.
What Is the Most Common Motorcycle Accident Injury?
Traumatic brain injuries are responsible for 50% of motorcycle fatalities and therefore turn the head and neck into two of the most parts of the body during a motorcycle crash.
Ranking as the most common and severe outcome because they’re often the result of the head being directly impacted when struck against an object, rapid shaking back and forth, or skull puncture wounds.
Even though the NHTSA found that 15% of helmeted riders still sustain traumatic brain injuries, wearing a helmet does significantly lower the risk by a solid 37%.
Helmets and other gear offer protection for riders during a crash, but motorcyclists need to be wary of road rash, another one of the most common injuries they can acquire. If their clothing is thin enough, the pavement can scrape through the layers and reach the skin underneath to cause the painful irritation. Although sometimes it can be minor, it can lead to permanent damage like skin irritations, infections and even nerve damage.
What Are Other Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
A motorbike crash can cause more than just road rash and head damage. Let's look at some of the other regularly sustained injuries below.
Broken or Amputated Limbs: No matter how the crash occurred, sometimes amputation is necessary to save the victim’s life because the impact was too severe.
Internal Bleeding: Avoiding internal bleeding is important because, even though it isn’t an obvious injury, it can cause serious other damage in your body without prompt medical attention.
Organ Damage: Motorcycle crashes are often the catalyst for internal damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs or other vital organs because of blunt-force trauma and penetrating wounds.
Spinal Injuries: The spinal cord is very sensitive and any injury can disrupt the brain’s connection to the body, decrease motor function, sensory capacity and lead to paralysis or other long-term issues.
Broken Ribs: An injury like a broken rib is not only incredibly painful, but it can often cause other internal issues by puncturing a vital organ, like the lungs.
Facial Disfigurement: Severe facial burns are extremely painful and lead to permanent scarring or disfigurement. Reconstructive surgery can help, but that runs the risk of significant emotional or psychological pain because of the radical modifications.
Whiplash: Any fast, sudden movement that the head experiences causes strained neck muscles and ligaments which leads to persistent pain and reduced mobility.
Lacerations: Although something like cuts or lacerations may seem generally minor, it’s important to note that if they’re not properly treated, they will result in serious infections and nerve damage.
How To Recover From a Motorcycle Accident
Following a motorbike accident, recovery calls for quick decisions as well as continuous action to protect one's financial and physical well-being.
First and foremost, road rash needs to be treated right once since, if left untreated, it can result in serious infections and irreversible scars.
Antibiotics, bandages, antiseptic lotions, and, in extreme situations, skin grafts to restore substantial damage are examples of effective treatment.
Getting medical help for any injuries as soon as possible is crucial to avoiding consequences like infections, paralysis, or permanent impairment.
This early intervention can reduce the risk of paralysis, severe diseases, or probable muscular injury, which can have a substantial impact on recovery.
Fortunately, most insurance policies cover some extent for injuries received while riding a motorcycle.
The next crucial step is to speak with a knowledgeable motorbike attorney after any medical issues have been resolved. They can assist you in bringing a lawsuit for damages against the irresponsible party.
Having legal counsel handle the complicated parts of the accident aftermath lets you recover with less stress. They will protect your interests and help make sure you have the funds necessary for both medical bills and long-term care.
A motorbike collision requires prompt medical attention for any physical injuries sustained as well as calculated legal action to obtain payment and assistance for recovery expenditures.
Detecting and Recovering From A Brain Injury
Brain injuries are some of the most common, and most devastating, results of motorcycle crashes so detecting one early on can significantly improve the recovery process.
Severe brain injuries, also known as TBIs, have a long list of symptoms that may indicate substantial neurological disruption. Some of those include amnesia, prolonged unconsciousness and coma.
Injuries like these can often lead to permanent changes in brain functions like motor skills, sensory perception, and emotional stability.
While some motorcyclists may experience partial recovery with the help of surgical interventions and ongoing therapy, many face long-term or even lifelong challenges as recovery from a TBI sustained in a motorcycle crash varies significantly among individuals.
Many survivors experience significant alterations in their mental functions and personal independence.
The brain injury recovery process is a long one and usually requires the skills of medical doctors, physical therapists and cognitive specialists.
Receiving both medical and legal guidance after a motorcycle crash is not only going to help properly manage the injuries, but also make sure that a proper settlement is given to support the victim’s new life.
Avoiding Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Help improve safety and minimize the risk of injuries while riding a motorcycle by considering these precautions:
Wear Motorcycle Gear: Protective gear, specifically helmets, is essential when riding a motorcycle. Helmets will significantly reduce the risk of fatal injuries. For the rest of your body, wearing thick and abrasion-resistant clothing will help protect against road rash.
Take a Safety Course: Not only do these courses sometimes earn you insurance discounts, but they help even the most seasoned of bikers refresh their safety precautions when driving a motorcycle.
Obey Traffic Rules, Use Your Signals, and Drive the Speed Limit: Being compliant with traffic laws, avoiding risky maneuvers like lane splitting, and going the speed limit all help reduce the likelihood of accidents, and help lessen the severity of one if it were to happen.
Check the Weather Before Heading Out: Try avoiding riding in bad weather at all, but if you need to, familiarize yourself with safe riding techniques beforehand.
Be Visible: Keep your headlight on at all times to increase visibility, wear bright clothing and use reflective materials on both your gear and bike.
Stay at a Safe Distance: It’s important to maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles to make sure you have enough time to react to sudden changes.
Be Observant and Watch for Road Hazards: Be aware of other people on the road, including other motorcyclists, and stay alert for road hazards like potholes and railroad tracks.
Inspect Your Motorcycle Before Each Ride: Consider creating a pre-ride checklist to ensure you regularly check your bike’s tire pressure, tread depth, fluid levels and brakes.
Taking safety steps like these before and during motorcycle rides will help avoid accidents and the chance of sustaining injuries.
What Does a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Do?
To put it briefly, motorcycle accident attorneys help victims and their families with the many insurance and legal issues that come up following crashes.
Typically, they deal with the following:
Legal Expertise: Our attorneys have extensive training and experience in the personal injury field, and understand the nuances surrounding motorcycle law. They take any of the legal paperwork and deadline requirements off your plate.
Dealing with Insurance Companies: An experienced lawyer is going to know how to communicate with insurance companies in order to bargain for your best outcome.
Determining Liability: Your lawyer will also research every possible avenue to make sure that no prospective liability settlement is missed.
Calculating Compensation: The extent of your injuries and how they’ve impacted your life after the accident are the particulars that determine the compensation amount you’re entitled to. Your lawyer knows how to calculate that amount to bring to the insurance company or judge.
Focus on Recovery: By taking on the strain of the claims procedure, the attorney frees the victim from the worry of handling the law so they may concentrate on their mental and physical healing.
A motorcycle accident attorney may utilize their experience to make sure their client's rights are upheld and the most money possible is awarded, which makes their presence in the case crucial.
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Near Me
If someone else’s negligence caused the motorcycle accident you were involved in, then seeking out legal counsel could be the essential step to receiving a fair settlement.
Guidance from an expert personal injury attorney is going to help you navigate the complicated process of getting damages covered and ultimately help you get maximum compensation.
Our team of experienced attorneys at Helping The Hurt are devoted to defending your legal rights while making sure no avenue goes unturned so you get the best outcome possible.
We want to level the playing field against insurance companies and at-fault parties since we recognize the complexity of these issues.
To locate an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in your area and to schedule a free consultation, get in touch with Helping The Hurt Personal Injury Lawyers right now.
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