Motorcycle Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that motorcyclists are five times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to get injured in an accident. With the tens of thousands of accidents that injure motorcyclists each year, there’s a 23.41 per 100 million fatality rate in vehicle miles traveled. Those accidents that don’t end fatally often end with serious injuries. What are the most common injuries?
1. Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBI is by far one of the most common injuries occurring to individuals who are in motorcycle accidents. Although a helmet is going to help, one study showed that 15% of riders who experienced TBI had a helmet on at the time of the accident. It jumped to 21% for those who were not wearing helmets, so you can see how important a helmet is.
2. Lower-Extremity Injuries
Studies show that lower-extremity injuries occur more often than any other type of motorcycle accident injury. Leg injuries topped the list for lower-extremity injuries, with bone fractures being more common than injuries in the soft tissues. These injuries often occur when the rider gets pinned under the motorcycle or between the motorcycle and another object.
3. Road Rash
Some people consider road rash a minor injury, but it can get quite severe when you’re riding at high speeds on a motorcycle. Road rash can get down to the bone in some cases, so prompt medical attention is always required if the rider expects to recover with minimal scarring.
4. Spinal Cord Injuries
Unfortunately, without the same protections that the driver of a car or truck has, spinal cord injuries are fairly common in motorcycle accidents. Many motorcyclists who get a spinal cord injury in a crash are unable to ride again because they become paralyzed. This isn’t always the case, and prompt medical attention can reduce the chance of paralysis.
5. Internal Injuries
Internal injuries aren’t just dangerous because of the nature of the injury, but because some riders don’t realize they’re there. Internal injuries could include bleeding or internal organ damage. Blunt-force trauma often causes these injuries, but penetration trauma could also cause them. Bleeding of the brain is something that has also occurred to some victims of motorcycle crashes. If this has happened to you or a loved one it may be time to contact an experienced brain bleed lawyer, like the lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC, for help with your case.
