Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Louisville Attorney Aaron Whaley Explains the Severe Impact of Crashes
With so many modern safety features built into cars and trucks, drivers and passengers involved in motorcycle accidents often walk away without a scratch. The same cannot be said for motorcycle riders and passengers involved in a crash. Riders on motorcycles often face significant and potentially life-threatening injuries in accidents due to the lack of crash protection. Even when wearing helmets and other protective gear, little can be done to protect a motorcyclist from an impact with a larger, heavier vehicle.
Motorcycle accident injuries are rarely minor. At the Whaley Law Firm, we work tirelessly to recover compensation for injury victims to help manage the life-long impact of an injury. Ambulance fees and emergency room bills add up fast. Long-term medical bills can quickly skyrocket. You may be unable to return to work or enjoy activities you once enjoyed. The potential list of common motorcycle accident injuries is long and distressing, including:
- Neck, Back and Shoulder Injuries
- Knee and Leg Injuries
- Road Rash
- Brain Damage and Other Serious Head Injuries
It's important to take action fast if you've been injured in a motorcycle crash due to somebody else's negligent behavior. In cases involving a loss of a loved one, you may have grounds for a wrongful death claim. The Whaley Law Firm is ready to stand up for your rights. Contact us today. Call 866-703-7575 for a free case consultation with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Louisville.
Neck, Back and Shoulder Injuries
A serious motorcycle wreck can result in serious neck, back and shoulder injuries to riders and passengers. These types of injuries can lead to significant long-term physical, emotional and financial consequences and compromise the quality of your life or a loved one's life.
With years of experience, attorney Aaron Whaley how serious a neck, back or shoulder injury can be for victims. In severe cases, a back or neck injury victim may suffer partial or full paralysis after an accident. A less extreme injury – such as a bone break in the back or shoulders – may lead to long-term mobility issues.
Back, neck and shoulder injuries typically fall into the following categories:
- Broken backs
- Broken bones
- Dislocated shoulders
- Paralysis
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Slipped discs
- Ruptured discs
- Spinal cord injuries
Severe neck, back and shoulder injuries can in turn result in nerve damage and internal injuries. The force of impact during a motorcycle accident can cause nerve compression, leading to pain, numbness and even the loss of function in the affected areas. The impact can also cause internal injuries such as organ damage and internal bleeding, requiring immediate medical attention.
If you're coping with a back, neck or shoulder injury in Kentucky, it's important to choose an experienced law firm that knows how to stand up to the insurance companies. At the Whaley Law Firm, we have the knowledge and resources necessary to take on insurance companies and hold them accountable. We understand, and we're ready to fight for you.
A knee or leg injury can have debilitating consequences and could result in a permanent loss of mobility. Motorcycle accident victims who sustain injuries to their legs or knees sometimes are unable to return to work and often face steep medical bills as a result of their injuries.
Leg injuries can range in severity. In less serious cases, a rider or passenger may only sustain bruises, cuts and scrapes resulting in nothing more than temporary pain and swelling. Often leg and knee injuries are more severe. An accident victim might have to cope with a broken femur (upper leg), tibia and fibula (lower leg) or patella (knee). Riders involved in serious accidents may even have to have a limb amputated, resulting in permanent changes to that accident victim's life.
The Whaley Law Firm is prepared to show the full impact of your leg or knee injury after an accident. You or a loved one may be unable to walk or move normally again. We have the skills and resources necessary to fight for the compensation you deserve. We can aggressively negotiate with insurance companies or present your case in front of a judge to prove fault in your accident and prove the extent of your injuries.
Road rash is a painful and common motorcycle accident injury that can result in lengthy rehabilitation periods and permanent scarring. Road rash occurs when a motorcyclist's exposed skin makes contact with the pavement during a crash. The friction between the pavement and the body can generate heat, which is why road rashes are often referred to as friction burns. Road rash is characterized by an injury to skin and muscle, with motorcycle riders and passengers often suffering additional injuries such as leg, arm and head injuries in an accident.
In a minor motorcycle accident, a rider or passenger may walk away with nothing more than cuts or bruises. Road rash, however, can be severe. The force of impact between a rider's exposed skin and the road below can lead to severe complications and infection if dirt or gravel enters deep into a wound and may lead to long-term complications that include permanent scarring and disfigurement.
Our dedicated, passionate Kentucky motorcycle accident attorneys may be able to help you pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages from missing work, reconstructive surgery, physical rehabilitation and other damages associated with the accident. In severe cases, injury victims require skin grafting and other medical procedures to recover. The Whaley Law Firm can help victims pursue maximum compensation for their injuries.
Brain Damage and Other Serious Head Injuries
Kentucky law requires motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets, but serious head injuries are possible in motorcycle wrecks even when head protection is worn. That's because when a motorcycle is struck by a larger car or truck, little can be done to prevent riders from sustaining serious injuries in an accident. In 2013, 25 of the 84 motorcyclists who died that year in accidents were wearing helmets, according to the Kentucky State Police. Head injuries can be severe and debilitating and result in permanent disabilities that affect an accident victim's life in a number of ways.
Head injuries are common in riders involved in motorcycle dooring accidents. In these types of accidents, a rider collides with an open car door unexpectedly. The rider’s head can forcefully strike the door, or the rider may be thrown to the ground and land on their head.
Injuries to the head rarely are minor. Victims often face extensive hospital care and rehabilitation resulting in steep medical bills. Lost wages from missing work can add up fast. Even worse, life may never be the same for you or a loved one after a serious head injury in a motorcycle wreck. The following is a small sample of head injuries a motorcycle rider or passenger may sustain in an accident:
- Concussion
- Dizziness
- Chronic headaches
- Short-term memory loss
- Long-term memory loss
- Fractured skill
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
The Whaley Law Firm knows how difficult life can become in the aftermath of a motorcycle crash. In head injury cases, we often consult with neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists and other medical experts to determine the extent of the injuries and the long-term financial impact. Depending on the severity of your injuries, we may also retain experts to project the future cost of medical care and loss of future earnings.