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Motorcycles don’t have seat belts, airbags, or a roll cage, so there is a significant risk of being thrown off the motorcycle and injured in an accident. Unfortunately, your chances of getting hurt in a motorcycle accident are relatively high. The risk of death or injury in a motorcycle crash is about 80 percent, compared to only 20 percent for a car collision. Depending on the type of collision, a motorcycle rider may be hurt in various ways. This article will discuss some of the most common motorcycle injuries and tips to reduce your risk.
Recovering from a motorcycle accident can be a time-consuming and expensive process, and the insurance company isn’t always as helpful as their commercials would lead you to believe. Many bikers are hit with claim denials or lowball offers that don’t begin to cover all their damages. Your insurance adjuster may even try to blame you to avoid paying the claim. The best way to protect yourself from insurance company headaches is to speak with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer immediately, preferably before talking to anyone from the insurance carrier.
When you’ve been in a motorcycle crash, attorney Ali Awad can help you protect your legal rights. He founded the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, which quickly became the fastest-growing law firm in the country, coming out ahead of 499 other firms. Mr. Awad offers no-nonsense legal advice to more than a million followers on social media. Contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm any time for a free consultation about your case – there’s no obligation and no fees until we win.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Here are some of the more common injuries we see in motorcycle accident cases and some tips for lowering your risk when riding:
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI)
Head injuries easily happen when you’re thrown from a motorcycle in an accident. Some people recover after a few days, but others may experience lingering symptoms like headaches, brain fog, cognitive or memory issues, seizures, or other neurological difficulties. Sometimes these may last several weeks or months, but they may become permanent in other cases. Patients may become permanently disabled due to a traumatic brain injury.
Wearing a helmet is the first and best defense against head injuries in a motorcycle crash. One study by the NHTSA found that about 15 percent of helmeted riders who went to the hospital after a motorcycle crash developed a TBI, while about 21 percent of those who were unhelmeted had a TBI. To address your risk, don’t just grab any helmet – make sure to choose one that fits your head snugly. Also, check its safety ratings and learn what they mean, as motorcycle helmets have several different rating systems. Certain kinds of helmets are better than others for different types of riding.
In most cases, a full-face helmet provides the best protection from injuries. While some riders prefer open-face or half helmets to enjoy the breeze and fresh air, these leave your face and head more vulnerable to injury in an accident. Some people may suffer eye injuries, broken noses, or head trauma that can lead to a TBI.
If you have an accident, see a doctor immediately to rule out any severe head trauma. Head and brain injuries don’t always show symptoms immediately, and it’s essential to ensure you don’t have a brain bleed or other serious but treatable head injury. You will likely need imaging, such as an X-ray, a CT scan, or an MRI, so that the doctor can assess your injury.
Treatment for TBI varies based on the severity of the injury and the symptoms you have. Mild cases may not require any treatment, while others may lead to surgery to remove blood clots, repair a fractured skull, relieve pressure, or stop bleeding in the brain. Once the initial injury is treated, some patients can recover with rest and time. But many others may need months of physical or occupational therapy to help with cognitive issues, memory problems, difficulty with speech or walking, and other issues. Rehabilitation care can be costly – especially if you need in-patient care – and many patients find that their insurance runs out before their recovery is complete. Even with uninterrupted treatment, a complete recovery isn’t always possible. Some patients may permanently lose the ability to do certain tasks, resulting in a permanent disability.
Every injury is different, but some possible long-term effects of TBI include:
- Short-term or long-term memory difficulties – you may lose established memories or have difficulty forming new ones.
- Challenges with emotional or behavioral regulation, including becoming more impulsive or aggressive.
- Speech or communication difficulties.
- Problems with senses including hearing, vision, smell, taste, or touch.
- Issues with movement, including unsteady gait or reduced range of motion.
- Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
- Epilepsy or seizure disorder.
- Infection if you had an open-head injury.
- Blood clots or stroke, either from the initial injury or secondary to the patient being immobilized for a long time while recovering.
- You may have difficulty doing everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, driving a car, or balancing a checkbook in severe cases.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Like head injuries, back and spinal cord injuries can range from minor to very serious. Some people develop chronic pain from a back injury, which may be difficult to treat, making it hard for you to return to work if you do a very physical job. Some people need to see multiple doctors, including a pain specialist, before finding a treatment plan that helps.
Any damage to the spinal cord may result in permanent paralysis from the waist or neck down, depending on the location of the injury. Once this damage has occurred, it’s not reversible with any current treatment. Doctors may do surgery to remove bone fragments and prevent further injury. After that, occupational and physical therapists will work with the patient to help them adjust to using a wheelchair or other mobility aids and learn different ways of doing everyday activities. The goal is to help the patient return to as normal of a life as possible, but depending on their profession, they may never be able to work again.
If you’ve injured your back in a motorcycle accident, it’s best not to move around too much until the paramedics arrive, as this can sometimes worsen an injury. Having a bluetooth headset inside your helmet or a smartwatch that allows you to call 911 for help if you can’t reach your phone is ideal in these situations.
Internal Injuries from a Bike Accident
A blow to your torso from striking the ground or another vehicle is hard on the back and can cause internal injuries, such as internal bleeding or damage to vital organs. Some patients may need emergency surgery to repair the damage or stop bleeding. In severe cases, they may need an organ transplant. Depending on the internal injury, it could take a few days to several weeks to heal.
Wearing heavy, padded clothing designed for motorcycle riding can offer some protection to cushion the blow. Many motorcycle shops carry a variety of reinforced jackets, shirts, pants, and other garments to keep you safer when on your bike. It’s worth investing in quality riding gear to lower your risk of injuries while riding.
Broken Bones
We often see broken arms and legs, but some people may also suffer a broken clavicle, shoulder, rib, skull, hand, or foot. Although these injuries might sound simple, some can be serious, especially if the bone snaps and punctures a lung or other organ. Even less severe breaks may be very painful, and you could be unable to work for months until you’ve recovered. Physical therapy is often expensive, and your health insurance may not cover all the necessary sessions. Some people may take six months to a year before they can walk or perform their usual activities again.
Protective clothing and sturdy motorcycle boots can also help reduce the risk of broken bones in a motorcycle crash.
Road Rash
Road rash occurs when exposed skin hits the pavement and is very common in bike accidents. It can range from mild, such as a few scrapes, to several layers of skin torn off and gravel or other debris embedded in the skin or flesh. When you go to the hospital, healthcare professionals will likely need to clean the wounds and remove debris. Despite appropriate treatment, wounds may become infected in some cases, leading to complications. More severe cases of road rash may result in significant scarring.
Again, protective clothing and gear covering as much skin as possible is the best way to reduce your risk of road rash. It can be tempting to ride in shorts and a t-shirt on a hot day, but this puts you at a higher risk of road rash in an accident (not to mention broken bones and internal injuries). If you search for “all seasons” or “summer” protective clothing, you can find a variety of styles with air vents and other features to keep you cool and protected while you ride.
Preventing Motorcycle Accident Injuries
The above are the most common injuries but many different ways to get hurt in a bike wreck. To reduce your risk of accidents, here are some tips:
- Think about how to be more visible. You can’t control the weather or prevent a cloudy or foggy day, but you can ride with your headlight, add reflective devices to your bike, or buy bright-colored gear. You can also flash your brake light several times when slowing down to get the attention of anyone who has missed you so far.
- Take a motorcycle safety course, even if you’re an experienced rider. It never hurts to refresh what you know or learn defensive driving techniques that may help you avoid an accident.
- Stick with the speed limit. Going slower can help you avoid some accidents; if not, you’re less likely to be hurt at slower speeds.
- Keep an eye out for other vehicles that may not see you. Yes, car drivers should also look more carefully to avoid hitting motorcycles. But one of the most common reasons vehicle drivers give for hitting motorcyclists is, “I just didn’t see the bike.” And while car drivers are encouraged to “Look twice and save a life,” it’s a good idea to keep an eye on nearby vehicles, especially when approaching intersections. This enables you to notice if a car doesn’t appear to be slowing down or respecting your right of way.
- Be especially vigilant in rush hour or other heavy traffic. The Insurance Information Institute reports that motorcycle crashes are most likely from 3 to 6 PM on weekdays and from 6 to 9 PM on weekends. In addition to watching out for other vehicles, never split lanes – this practice may save a little time in a traffic jam, but it increases the risk of an accident by making it harder for other drivers to know you’re there.
- Be aware of other vehicles’ blind spots, and do your best to avoid them.
- Try to keep as much space as possible around you. This gives you room to maneuver and affords other drivers a better chance of avoiding a collision.
Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm
If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, you may be dealing with heavy medical bills, lost wages from being out of work, physical and mental pain, and other damages. You don’t have to deal with these difficulties alone. Please contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm to learn about your options for pursuing compensation so that you can get back on the road again.