Drivers of motorcycles are inherently more vulnerable to crashes than those in closed vehicles. It has been estimated that motorcyclists are as many as 27 times more likely to die in a crash than other vehicles. Furthermore, motorcycle crashes have a higher likelihood of causing catastrophic injuries compared to regular car crashes.
We can label an injury as ‘catastrophic’ if it poses a long-standing impact on the victim’s ability to work or go about their day-to-day tasks. Here are a few catastrophic injuries commonly caused by motorcycle crashes.
Motorcycle crashes can be far more devastating than passenger vehicle crashes. Here are the consequences of motorcycle crashes.
Spinal Cord Injuries
When it comes to motorcycle crashes, the risk of ejection is far greater than with an ordinary passenger vehicle. You cannot overstate the importance of the spinal cord to proper motor function. Remember: the central nervous system begins in your brain, but runs down the entirety of your spinal cord. It follows that spinal cord injuries can be exceptionally debilitating.
They can manifest in any of the following ways:
- Loss of sensation anywhere in your body
- Increased difficulty of breathing
- Decreased control over bladder or bowels
- Inexplicable pain or spasms in extremities
If you have noticed any of the above, you likely sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of your accident.
Burns
It may come as a surprise that burns are one of the most commonly occurring injuries as a result of motorcycle accidents. Most commonly, these take the form of friction burns. You may have heard them referred to as “road rash.” At its most severe, burns from a motorcycle accident can cause disfigurement.
Disfigurement has the potential to cause significant psychological pain for the sufferer. The cost of reconstructive surgery can be daunting, but a lawsuit could help.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you’re a motorcyclist, you may feel as though you are protected from brain injury by a helmet. It is undeniable that helmets provide an excellent layer of defense between your brain and trauma. But the possibility of sustaining a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, from an accident continues to loom.
A helmet does not prevent your brain from colliding with your skull, which tends to happen as a result of traumatic blows. There also remains the risk of ejection, and if you land on your head, you will likely sustain serious injuries regardless of whether or not you have a helmet on. A TBI stands as a textbook example of a catastrophic injury, because it can lead to long-standing pain and impairment of cognition.
Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
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