Motorcycle Collision and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Whenever motorcycle riders and their passengers get onto their bike for a ride, they are automatically vulnerable to the high risk of suffering head injuries in either a single or multiple vehicle motorcycle collision. It is well known that motorcycles offer very little protection as compared to passenger vehicles.

When collisions involving motorcycles do occur, they can result in the biker receiving head injuries, including brain trauma that can require extensive treatment, hospitalization and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the brain injury may lead to paralysis, other debilitation or even death.  Head injuries often leave lasting effects when the motorcyclist survives the collision.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycle riders are sixteen (16) times more likely than passengers in an automobile to suffer fatal injuries in a traffic collision. Motorcyclists are also four hundred percent (400%) more likely to suffer injuries in a crash. The leading cause of disability or fatality in a motorcycle crash is a head injury.  This is why it is so important that motorcycle riders and their passengers wear a helmet each and every time they ride.

CONSEQUENCES OF A MOTORCYCLE CRASH HEAD INJURY

When a motorcycle crash causes the rider to strike his or her head on the pavement or other surface, the result is commonly a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  TBIs range from minor injuries like concussions to more severe injuries that can be life-changing, some of which require the injured person to have long-term care.

There are three degrees of traumatic brain injury suffered by victims of motorcycle crashes.  These three degrees are mild, moderate and severe.  A mild TBI usually results in a concussion.  A concussion may or may not result in loss of consciousness.

When a moderate traumatic brain injury occurs, the motorcycle crash victim is knocked unconscious for a period of time that can range from only minutes to several hours.  Moderate traumatic brain injury is also marked by confusion, disorientation and impairments to cognition, physical abilities and behavior.  These impairments can be permanent.  The motorcycle crash victim may also slip into a coma that can last days, weeks or much longer.

Traumatic brain injury can change the motorcycle crash victim’s life forever.  The victim may struggle with loss of basic functioning, some of which can lead to depression.  Mental impairments of multiple types are possible after brain injury and there is even a higher suicide risk among victims of this kind of injury.  This is why it is critical that both physical and psychological treatments are gained after a motorcycle collision with injuries.

HEAD INJURY TREATMENT AFTER A MOTORCYCLE CRASH

Post-crash treatment will depend upon injury severity.  Any rider or passenger who is in a motorcycle crash should be evaluated by a doctor right away to ensure minor injuries do not worsen and that there are no major injuries that are not yet realized.  When a minor head injury occurs, the doctor may simply order rest and medication.  But when brain injury is severe, the injured motorcyclist may need hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation and physical therapy.

Therapy after a motorcycle crash head injury can last for months or even years.  When years of rehabilitation and therapy are needed, a crash victim may still never be able to regain their pre-crash health and could need nursing care throughout the rest of their life.

All medical treatment for a brain injury or other head trauma is expensive.  This is one of the primary reason riders who suffer traumatic brain injury need professional legal assistance for gaining compensation after the collision.  These are some of the most expensive injuries anyone can suffer.  Care can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Some head injury cases cost in the millions for treatment, especially when the rider is young when the injuries occur.

PREVENTION OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IN MOTORCYCLE CRASHES



Wearing a helmet is the best means of protecting yourself against a motorcycle crash head injury.   Riders who wear helmets are more likely to survive their crash and they also suffer less severe injuries than those not wearing a helmet. It is also important to ride safely.  This is an important safeguard against being in a motorcycle crash, particularly one causing severe head injury.  Unfortunately, even the safest riders are vulnerable to the actions of other unsafe drivers on the roadway.

If you or your loved one have been injured in a motorcycle crash and have suffered traumatic brain injury, other physical or mental health injuries or was killed in a crash of this type, you need legal representation by an experienced motorcycle crash lawyer. Our legal team at Sapien Law LLC is available to represent you and your family. Contact us at 505.842.5979 or visit www.sapienlaw.com to complete an intake form and schedule a free consultation.