What Is The Most Common Injury In A Motorcycle Accident?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s transportation safety information, over 180,000 people received treatment in emergency departments for motorcycle accident injuries in 2020. Motorcycle crashes pose a serious risk to riders, even at slower speeds, depending on how they are struck by another vehicle. A bike is no match against the speed, weight and force of a larger vehicle on impact. A biker lacking protection makes any accident scenario far worse.

Injury types fall into two main categories, with some injuries occurring more often in serious crashes. A motorcycle crash can abruptly change how you function in life. Many crashes lead to incapacitating injuries that require lengthy healing time or may present lifelong health problems. Emotional trauma is something that most bikers and passengers must deal with from the awful circumstances of an accident. Mike Morse Law Firm understands these issues because we’ve represented clients for many years in personal injury cases. If a motorcycle accident causes you injury, it is essential to have a caring and experienced personal injury attorney looking out for your welfare.

How Are Motorcycle Injuries Categorized?

Motorcycle injuries fall into two primary categories. Many people suffer a range of injuries involving both of these groups when struck or thrown from a bike.

1. Lower Body Injuries

The lower part of your body undergoes enormous pressure on the bones and soft tissue when a bike collision happens. The leg, hip and pelvic bones act like shock absorbers that were not designed for that role. The legs may strike parts of the bike during a crash, causing broken bones. The impact may cause bones to shift, injuring the lumbar spine.

2. Upper Body Injuries

Most people have witnessed public service ads of crash-test dummies that whip back and forth forcefully inside a car on impact. Imagine that scenario with bikers and cars hitting at the speed limit, and motorcyclists have little external protection except, perhaps, a helmet and clothing.

This situation is why the consequences of body injuries are frequently catastrophic for bikers. The neck, upper spine, organs, connective tissues, and bones are all vulnerable to piercing and crushing damage from extreme force. An attorney who handles motorcycles knows the effects of severe injury and protects your rights when a driver’s negligent actions jeopardize your future.

What Injury Occurs Most Often?

Lower-extremity injury is the most common type of injury in motorcycle accidents. In many crashes, a biker hits another vehicle in a forward-facing position bearing the brunt of a collision on the legs. A bike may also turn over or spin out on the pavement. These impacts cause serious damage in these ways:

• Lacerations
• Road rash
• Fractures (including compound or open fractures to femur, tibia or fibula)
• Crushing injuries
• Knee injuries
• Foot and ankle damage

Individuals with severely injured legs could be in danger of losing their lower limbs.

What Are Other Serious Types of Injuries?

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents cause a wide range of devastating outcomes. These are some other accident injuries that occur all too often in crashes.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries have long been a terrible outcome of motorcycle accident injuries, but in recent years the severity of TBIs is being researched and understood in consequential ways. The chances of debilitating medical problems are significant if you suffer a TBI from a motorcycle crash. These broad areas show the potential effects an individual may suffer:

• Motor deficits (gross and fine motor)
• Language and speech issues
• Sensory and perception effects
• Cognitive losses
• Vision impairment or loss
• Hearing impairment or loss
• Taste and smell diminishment or loss
• Behavioral problems
• Social and emotional changes

A problem that many persons with traumatic brain injury must deal with is personality changes. Family members and co-workers frequently report that the person they once knew is no longer the same. This can complicate relationships and make it difficult, if not impossible, to engage with life in the same way as before an accident. You will most likely need specialists to determine the scope of your injuries and how they could shape your future.

Thoracic Spine Injury

The thoracic spine (or middle spine) runs from the base of your neck to the bottom of your ribcage. This is the longest area of your spinal column and is the part of the spine injured the most in motorcycle accidents. Damage to the thoracic spine is serious because a splintered, fractured or displaced disc can damage the spinal cord and lead to a chronic nerve condition or paralysis.

With a severe but not disabling injury, you may still have ongoing flexibility and mobility problems that impede your ability to work or engage in activities you enjoy. Pain and suffering are important considerations for non-economic damages. Your lawyer observes your recovery process and uses this and other relevant information to determine fair compensatory damages.

Why Should You Hire a Lawyer After a Motorcycle Accident?

One of the most important services an attorney performs for a client is managing the immense amount of details that make up a personal injury case. It is crucial that facts are not lost and that your claim is presented effectively. Our attorneys work with support teams to ensure we cover all the bases. Yet there is more to personal injury cases than causes and fact-finding. There are tangible personal losses to an injured individual that underlie every case we take. We work for you, so you can work to get your life back.

How Long Do You Have To File a Lawsuit in Michigan?

After an accident, the weight of injuries, stress, and life changes can make a traumatized victim want to avoid anything to do with legal matters regarding an accident. Time is of the essence after a crash injures you, and doing nothing and having the pressure build is far worse for your physical and mental health than getting the help you need.

If you must file a lawsuit to make a recovery, an attorney takes care of the paperwork for you and handles all the other critical legal pieces of your case. Michigan’s statute of limitations for a personal injury damage recovery allows plaintiffs three years to file a lawsuit, but you shouldn’t wait until the last minute. It is crucial to collect evidence while it’s available and witness recollections are strong. You may not have to go to court if a defendant settles beforehand. However, a case must first meet the criteria for a personal injury suit, so you can negotiate a settlement or proceed to trial.

Choose the Right Michigan Law Firm

In the U.S., only 3% of all registered vehicles are motorcycles, yet the costs related to these accident injuries are some of the highest with regard to hospitalization and rehabilitation costs. These cases are also complex. You don’t want to manage the legal journey on your own. The stakes are far too high because making a wrong move could prevent you from recovering damages.

At Mike Morse Law Firm, get the representation you deserve from caring attorneys who understand the gravity of your situation. There are no fees unless we win for you. We offer several options to get started. You can call 855-MIKE-WINS, start a live chat, or fill out an evaluation form. The important thing to remember is we’re here to help.