Did you know that over five thousand motorcyclists died in an accident last year? Even minor motorcycle accident injuries can be incredibly serious. This is true even when you wear full protective material. Unfortunately, the hospital bills that accompany these injuries can quickly become astronomical.
As such, it’s important to be properly compensated by any guilty parties that may have caused the injury. In this article, we’ll go over some of the common types of motorcycle injuries caused by other drivers’ negligence.
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The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Unfortunately, due to the absence of a seat belt, motorcycle accidents are typically much more serious than automobile accidents. In this section, we’ve organized six of the most common types of injuries that people in motorcycle accidents suffer. Keep in mind that many victims suffer multiple injuries on this list.
If you experienced any of these injuries in an accident, then make sure to contact an attorney so that you’re properly compensated.
1) Road Rash
Road rash is the type of injury that most people associate with a motorcycle injury. Since motorcyclists can’t wear seatbelts they typically go sliding after an accident. This causes serious scraping and abrasions. However, road rash is much more serious than regular scrapes.
That’s because multiple layers of skin and muscle can be removed during the crash. Road rash is typically one of the less severe types of motorcycle injuries. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be serious. If a road rash doesn’t receive immediate medical attention, then it can quickly turn into a serious infection.
If left untreated, then this can cause loss of limb and death. Make sure you try to wear leather jackets and pants if possible when riding a motorcycle. In some cases, this can lessen the severity of a road rash.
2) Fractures
A fracture occurs when there are several breaks in the bone. Unfortunately, these types of injuries are common with motorcycle accidents. That’s because the type of vehicle is so heavy.
Certain heavier types, like the Harley Davidson series, can weigh well over five hundred pounds. When the bike falls on the rider’s legs, then it can easily crush their limb in multiple places. A rider can also fracture their hand and arm if they use it to block their fall when they’re flung off.
3) Broken Bones
Like fractures, broken bones are also common with a motorcycle accident. In general, leg injuries are much more common than arm injuries. That’s because the legs are the closest things to the ground. As such, they typically make contact first. The tibia and fibula are particularly prone to break.
These types of broken bones typically aren’t fatal. But they can incapacitate someone for weeks or months. This is especially inconvenient if the individual needs their legs to work. In some cases, severely broken bones can even affect future movements. For example, a serious femur break could cause someone to walk with a limp for the rest of their life.
4) Internal Injuries
These types of injuries occur when damage causes internal bleeding to the internal organs. Internal injuries can be obvious, like when a sharp object pierces the skin and causes bleeding.
However, they can also be harder to detect. This occurs when blunt force trauma causes internal bleeding without breaking the skin. These types of injuries can range in severity. However, if left untreated, then they can easily cause death.
5) Traumatic Brain and Head Injuries
A helmet typically does prevent an injury from becoming a death. Unfortunately, they don’t do much to protect against brain and head injuries. On the less severe spectrum, these types of injuries can cause serious cuts and concussions. More severe injuries can cause speech, development, and movement problems.
In some cases, they can even result in coma and death after the accident. Even minor brain injuries typically require expensive rehabilitation.
6) Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are perhaps the most severe type of injury because they can affect an individual for the rest of their last. Unfortunately, there’s no good way to protect against these types of injuries. Unlike a head injury, you can’t wear a helmet to shield it. The most severe type of spinal cord injuries can cause lifelong paralysis.
This can be either paraplegia (loss of movement in lower extremities) or quadriplegia (complete loss of movement). Less severe cases might be able to regain some movement. However, this usually comes after years of rehabilitation and surgery.
What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident Injury?
Unfortunately, not everyone is sympathetic to motorcycle accidents. Large insurance companies will do everything they can to pay as little money as they need to. Without an attorney, there’s even a chance that you won’t get any money at all. As such, we highly recommend calling one.
If you were involved in a motorcycle accident due to another negligence, then you should spend as much time as you need recovering. However, as soon as you or a loved one can, you should hire an attorney. The right attorney will do all the hard work and research while you recover in the hospital.
A good one will make sure that you receive maximum compensation — not just for hospital bills, but also for missed work and accident charges.
Want More Content? Keep on Reading
We hope this article helped you learn about some of the popular types of motorcycle accident injuries. Just because motorcycle accidents can be dangerous doesn’t mean the driver deserves any of the injuries. If a motorcyclist follows the rules of the road, then it’s perfectly safe. As such any negligent party should be held responsible if they caused the accident.
All you need is a good lawyer that cares about your case. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep on exploring our topics to find more content that you’ll love.
