Motorcyclists are particularly at risk of serious injury during car accidents. Wearing a good helmet and protective gear can add an extra layer of protection. However, you are still a lot more exposed than you would be if you were in a car. If you were the victim of a motorcycle accident, here are the injuries you can seek compensation for.
Physical Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
Many motorcycle accidents lead to physical injuries. While a helmet might protect your head to some degree, you may still suffer a concussion. In addition, even if you wear an armored jacket or boots, you can still suffer injuries. We reviewed the website of Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer motorcycle accident attorneys and found out what the most common injuries they deal with are.
The following are common motorcycle accident injuries they have seen in their practice:
- Broken or fractured bones
- Road rash
- A sprained ankle
- Broken teeth
- Shattered glass from your glasses or motorcycle visor getting into your eyes
- Spinal injuries
- Traumatic brain damage
- Bruises and lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Whiplash
Many of these injuries might not be apparent immediately. For example, internal bleeding isn’t always evident at first, so going for a checkup after an accident is critical, even if you think you’re fine.
It’s also important to keep records of your hospital visits, medical bills, and receipts.
According to researchers, as you get older, your risk of injury from a motorcycle accident increases. Older riders are more likely to die from less severe injuries and spend more time in an intensive care unit. While older riders may be more experienced, their bodies are also less capable of handling injuries.
As a precaution, it’s essential to wear a DOT-certified helmet. A full-face helmet will offer more protection than an open-face helmet. You should also keep your visor down, especially if you have glasses that can shatter.
Furthermore, consider wearing a high-quality motorcycle jacket with built-in back protection, shoulder pads, and elbow pads. The same goes for your jeans. Wear reinforced jeans with built-in knee pads to protect against road rash.
Pain and Suffering after Motorcycle Accidents
In addition to physical injuries, you may be eligible for compensation for physical pain and emotional damage. Pain and suffering are a lot harder to quantify than physical injuries.
Pain and suffering refer to the physical and emotional pain that reduces your quality of life. For example, going up the stairs to your apartment daily might become difficult and painful.
There is also emotional damage, such as trauma, PTSD, anguish, and depression. Everyone responds to traumatic events differently; for many, the effects can be lifelong.
For example, if you suffered significant scarring from the accident, it could damage your self-esteem and affect your dating life.
Injuries That Prevent You From Working
The accident may have also put you out of commission, preventing you from working and earning wages. The negligent party may be responsible for covering your lost wages. For example, if you had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks, they may have to pay your salary for those weeks.
Lost wages can be more significant, however. If the injury crippled you, you might be unable to continue your current line of work forever. Perhaps you can only work part-time for the rest of your life instead of full-time.
Your lawyer will typically hire an economist for future, long-term lost earnings because it can be hard to calculate how much those lost wages will be worth in the future.
If the other party was grossly negligent, you might also be able to seek punitive damages. Punitive damages punish the defendant for their actions and serve as an example to others not to do the same.
Final Thoughts
If you were a victim of a motorcycle accident, you can seek compensation for your medical bills, physical pain, emotional suffering, and injuries that prevent you from working and earning your normal wage.Make sure to gather evidence by taking pictures at the scene of the accident and collecting witness information to prove your case.
