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Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Great weather, endless winding roads, and the freedom and versatility of bikes come together to create an exhilarating motorcycle ride in Georgia. However, the danger of motorcycle accident injuries in the Peach State is still very real.
In addition to having little in the way of physical protection, motorcycles are also less stable than cars and less visible to other motorists on the road. When motorcycle accidents occur, there’s not much between riders and the external environment, exposing riders to the possibility of catastrophic injuries or even death.
In 2021, an estimated 82,686 motorcyclists were injured in motorcycle crashes, with, regrettably, 5,932 motorcyclists losing their lives. Whether it’s a single-vehicle crash, a sideswipe accident, or a rear-end collision with another vehicle, a motorcycle crash is almost always devastating for the riders and their passengers. These accidents often cause life-altering injuries, impacting a victim’s quality of life, relationships, and ability to work.
At Fry | Goehring, we’ve seen how a motorcycle accident can transform a motorcyclist’s life from ordinary to a painful one with months and sometimes years of recovery. Whatever your needs, our skilled and compassionate Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers can assist you on your path to recovery. We are committed to helping victims and their families navigate the aftermath of motorcycle accidents. Let us handle your motorcycle accident insurance claim or lawsuit while you focus on regaining your strength, mobility, and quality of life.
Call us today at 404-969-1284 to find out if you have a case.
What Are Some Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Because of the lack of structural protection, the size of motorcycles, and other drivers’ seeming inability to “see” or respect riders, motorcycle accidents — even at low speeds — present a serious risk of injury. Tragically, injuries are prevalent in motorcycle-related crashes in Georgia. In fact, according to statewide police crash reports, in 2021, there were 848 suspected serious injuries among motorcycle riders.
While each accident is different, here are some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries sustained by bikers and their passengers in Georgia:
Road Rash
When a biker is struck and they’re thrown off their bike, causing them to slide across the tarmac, they often suffer road rash injuries, including cuts, compression injuries, and avulsion injuries.
Road rash injuries are skin abrasions and scrapes that occur when a motorcyclist slides bare skin across a rough surface, usually asphalt or concrete. A road rash injury could result in losing inches of skin and other soft tissues. Severe cases may require skin grafts, which are extremely painful and can be disfiguring.
When you fail to wear proper safety gear, the risk of road rash significantly increases. Concrete may tear through jeans in a matter of seconds, reach your skin, and strip it off down to the soft tissues, causing nerve damage that can cause ongoing pain for years. Proper motorcycle pants, jackets, and boots can reduce the effects of road rash injuries.
Head Injuries
If a rider is involved in a crash and gets ejected from the bike, causing them to hit the ground or an object with their face or head, they can suffer head injuries.
While wearing a helmet provides some level of protection from the worst injuries, it can only cushion the impact so much. At the milder end of the spectrum, head injuries may include facial lacerations, concussions, and mild brain injuries. At the higher end, injuries may include skull fractures, bleeding of the brain, and seizures.
Below are some symptoms of a concussion and mild brain damage to watch out for after a motorcycle accident:
- Headache
- Confusion, problems concentrating, and memory loss
- Sensitivity to light
- Vomiting
- Dizziness and difficulty balancing
- Ringing ears
- Slurred speech and blurred vision
- Irritability
- Loss of consciousness
- Epilepsy
- Problems sleeping
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Due to the lack of a protective shield, motorcyclists are at an increased risk of sustaining traumatic brain injuries. You could be flung from the motorcycle and hit your head on the ground or a nearby object. You can suffer a TBI after a forceful jolt, bump, or blow to the head or body, after which skull fragments secondarily damage brain tissues and neurons. If the accident involves another car, you could hit your head on the metal frame of the other vehicle.
TBI symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe. Some symptoms may manifest right after the motorcycle accident, while others may manifest weeks or months later, and they include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Persistent headache
- Seizures or convulsions
- Repeated vomiting
- Dilated pupils
- Numbness or weakness in the legs and arms
- Slurred speech
- Loss of coordination
- Profound confusion, agitation, or restlessness
- Coma
Bone Fractures
The ground can be quite unforgiving when your body is ejected from the motorcycle. Even if you’re not sent flying off your bike, injuries can still occur if the motorcycle falls on one of your arms, legs, or other body parts, potentially causing a bone(s) to break. After a motorcycle crash, bones may crush, fracture, or break due to blunt-force trauma or being run over by another vehicle.
Broken bones often take a long time to heal and often require surgery to install pins and screws to set the bones. In cases involving severe breaks, such as broken ribs, the bones may shatter into multiple pieces or even pierce through the skin, requiring intensive medical attention, and you can be left dealing with significant pain and suffering.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Motorcyclists face a higher risk of experiencing spinal cord injuries (SCIs) compared to those in cars. Picture this: in the unfortunate event of a collision with a car, there’s a possibility of being thrown off your bike and crashing into the pavement or another passing vehicle, potentially resulting in a spinal cord injury.
Injuries to the spine typically lead to extended and painful recovery periods. Additionally, individuals involved in motorcycle accidents who sustain SCIs may experience total or partial paralysis. The specific spine location where the injury occurred frequently determines the degree of paralysis.
Some common types of SCIs include:
- Tetraplegia: Also called quadriplegia, these injuries result from harm to the cervical spinal cord. It is the most severe type of paralysis, as it impacts all four limbs. You won’t have mobility below the location of the injury and may experience complications with respiration, bowel and bladder control, and other routine functions. This catastrophic injury needs round-the-clock care from friends and family or healthcare providers.
- Paraplegia: Lower back or middle injuries (lumbar and thoracic regions) usually result in a type of paraplegia. This paralysis eliminates sensation and movement in your lower extremities.
- Triplegia: This paralysis eliminates sensation and movement in both legs and one arm and is usually the result of an incomplete spinal cord injury.
Biker’s Arm
When a biker falls on their side or instinctively puts their arms up to shield themselves, injuries to the arms can occur. This can result in broken collar bones, but another common injury that a biker may face is nerve damage in the upper arm. This can lead to persistent or permanent pain, tingling, numbness, and a lack of sensation in the arm, commonly referred to as rider’s or biker’s arm.
The implications of a rider’s arm injury could mean a temporary or permanent loss of function and/or sensation, significantly affecting your daily life, including your ability to ride again and your ability to work.
Amputations
Because motorcycle riders lack the protective enclosure of a vehicle, the powerful force of impact and contact with objects can lead to severed limbs or medically necessary amputations. Such outcomes profoundly affect the rider’s quality of life and may even alter their entire way of living.
Mental Injuries
In the aftermath of a motorcycle accident, it’s important to recognize that the potential impact goes beyond just physical injuries. Riders may also grapple with psychological injuries arising from the traumatic nature of the accident, the challenges of recovering from physical harm, or a combination of both factors.
In Georgia, mental anguish damages may be recovered after a motorcycle accident. If you find yourself contending with issues like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or other psychiatric difficulties following a motorcycle accident, our seasoned motorcycle accident attorneys are here to support you in pursuing these damages. We understand the emotional toll motorcycle crash experiences can take, and we’re dedicated to helping you navigate the legal process with empathy and powerful representation.
Sound Legal Help for Motorcycle Accident Victims in Georgia
Motorcycle accidents are among the leading causes of severe injuries and fatalities in auto accidents. These accidents usually result in significant physical and financial hardships for the victim and their family. At Fry | Goehring, we know all too well how things happen fast following a motorcycle crash. You have to figure out how to cover your medical bills, the extent of your injuries, how to replace or repair your bike, and how to deal with time off work after the crash.
If you or somebody close to you has suffered a motorcycle injury caused by somebody else, help is available. At Fry | Goehring, our compassionate and dedicated personal injury attorneys have assisted many Atlanta motorcycle accident victims recover fair compensation for their damages. We can help you navigate the complicated insurance claims process as we protect your rights and interests.
Our Atlanta personal injury law firm handles motorcycle accident cases on a contingency-fee plan and offers no-cost initial case reviews. Contact us today at 404-969-1284 to schedule a free case review.
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