What Types of Injuries Can Affect Motorcycle Accident Victims?

 Posted on May 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

While motor vehicle collisions of all types can be serious, motorcycle accidents are especially likely to result in severe injuries. Motorcyclists have little in the way of protection, and they can suffer severe bodily harm if they are struck by a car or truck, thrown from their motorcycle, or make contact with the ground or other obstacles. Most motorcyclists recognize this danger, and they make every effort to protect themselves, including by wearing the proper protective gear, obeying traffic laws, and being vigilant for unexpected movements made by other vehicles. 

Unfortunately, it is impossible to prepare for every eventuality, and there are many situations where drivers act negligently, fail to share the road safely with motorcycles, and cause serious accidents. Motorcyclists who have been injured because of these actions may be able to take legal action and pursue compensation from negligent drivers who caused them any harm or injuries.

Common Injuries That Occur in Motorcycle Crashes

Motorcyclists can suffer multiple types of severe injuries when they collide with other vehicles or are involved in other types of accidents. These include:

• Traumatic brain injuries - A person may strike their head on the ground after being thrown from a motorcycle in a collision. Head-leading collisions can also occur in which a person is thrown forward over their handlebars and strikes their head on a vehicle, such as when a car makes an illegal turn in front of a motorcycle. Since Wisconsin does not require motorcyclists over the age of 18 to wear a helmet, a person may be more likely to suffer severe or fatal head injuries, as a result. However, failure to wear a helmet does not mean that a motorcyclist is at fault for their own personal injuries. The driver who caused the accident should be held responsible for causing a motorcyclist to suffer any harm or injuries.

• Spinal cord injuries - An impact with another vehicle or with the ground is likely to cause a person’s torso to suffer extreme jolts, and this may cause injuries to the back and spine. Broken vertebrae in the spine or herniated discs may damage the spinal cord. This may cause partial paralysis in the areas of the body below the injury. In the most serious cases, the spinal cord may be severed, resulting in complete paralysis, including paraplegia or quadriplegia.

• Broken bones - Fractures can result to multiple parts of the body. Fractures to the feet, ankles, and legs often result when a motorcycle turns over or lands on top of a person. If a motorcyclist is thrown from their motorcycle, they may also sustain fractures to the arms, shoulders, collarbone, pelvis, or ribs. These types of fractures can also result when colliding with the ground, another vehicle, or an object such as a lamppost. Depending on the speed at which the collision occurred, fractures may be severe, and bones may be crushed or shattered, requiring extensive surgery and long-term physical rehabilitation.

Contact Our Milwaukee, WI Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Motorcyclists can struggle to recover after a collision, and as they pursue compensation for injuries, they often face the negative perception that they are unsafe risk-takers rather than responsible motorists. At Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP, LLP, we work to protect the rights of accident victims and help injured motorcyclists demonstrate that other drivers were at fault for their injuries, ensuring that they will be able to receive the financial compensation they deserve. Contact our Milwaukee motorcycle crash attorneys at 414-271-1440 to get legal help with your case.

Sources:

https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/dmv/motorcycles/mc-safety/gear.aspx

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813112

https://eor.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/eor/5/9/2058-5241.5.190090.xml