Consistent Success
for Over 25 Years
for Over 25 Years
Brain Trauma Caused by Motorcycle Accidents
Brain trauma caused by motorcycle accidents is one of the most serious types of injuries a biker can sustain. Motorcycle riders experience some of the most gruesome injuries when they get involved in accidents. They have such a thin level of protection that most of them die. Nearly 5,000 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2013, and 88,000 sustained injuries. The most common injuries in a motorcycle accident are brain and head injuries. Sadly, such injuries occur many times because drivers choose to get on motorcycles without helmets. Even with the helmet laws in place, riders still decide to be sometimes daring. The head trauma from the incidents usually involve severe concussions and brain damage.
How the Injuries Occur
One or several things usually happen to a motorcyclist on the point of impact. One thing that sometimes happens is that the rider gets ejected from the motorcycle immediately and lands on his or her head. The pull of gravity, the hardness of the concrete, and the person’s weight create a devastating impact. Another thing that sometimes happens is that the rider gets tossed off the motorcycle and into something like a vehicle’s windshield or a brick wall. Some people’s heads do not have direct contact with concrete or any other object, but they still receive brain injuries because of the massive head jog that occurs when the person stops moving.
All About Concussions
Concussions are some of the most overlooked injuries that occur when motorcyclists get into accidents. Medical experts miss them because they sometimes look for them in the wrong place. For example, a hospital may conduct an MRI or a CT Scan on a patient then clear that person because there is no evidence of a concussion. A concussion will never show up on either of those scans even if a person has one. A concussed patient could end up in a coma if he or she leaves a care center with a missed diagnosis. A medical practitioner should physically examine the victim and look for the following signs of a concussion in the patient:
- Slow reaction times
- Irritability
- Headache
- Nausea
- Slow reaction times
- Cloudy or foggy functioning
- Light sensitivity
The Importance of Wearing a Helmet
Getting on a motorcycle without a helmet is like playing with fire. The whole purpose for the helmet laws was to combat all the deaths and injuries that occurred in motorcycle drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 80 percent of people who get into accidents on their motorcycles die. The percentage is too high for light protection. That is why some states require all motorcycle operators to wear a helmet. A DOT-approved helmet can provide enough protection to an accident victim to prevent or downgrade a head injury.
Who Is at Fault?
The fault is an important concept in an automobile accident. The fault can belong to several people in a motorcycle accident. It could belong to the motorcycle manufacturer if the accident occurred because of a defect. The fault could belong to a vehicle driver in the matter, as well. A distracted, drunk or careless driver can be at fault for a motorcyclist’s injuries. Rarely is the motorcyclist at fault, but it is possible. The percentage of that person’s fault determines whether he or she is eligible to receive compensation.
The Right to Compensation
Auto accident survivors have a myriad of expenses for their medical care and bike repairs. In most cases, the victim or the victim’s survivors can file a personal injury lawsuit and receive compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are funds that compensate for all the expenses involved in getting one’s life back together. Punitive damages are additional monies that pay for pain and suffering in an extremely neglectful case.
Contact a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Survivors do not have to live lives of despair because closed-head injuries are incidents that the law covers. They can contact a reliable motorcycle accident attorney and make an appointment for a contact us. During the contact us, the attorney will tell the person if the case has potential. The lawyer can then start an aggressive campaign for the injured party’s compensation.