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If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle wreck, a Washington, DC motorcycle accident lawyer from Regan Zambri Long can help you understand your legal rights and options. Professional legal support can help you secure fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life. After a devastating accident, you deserve justice. Contact our firm today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
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The rider’s exposed body leaves room for them to suffer catastrophic injuries. According to the National Library of Medicine, three variables affect the areas of injury: the type of motorcycle accident, the victim’s age, and helmet usage.
The most common injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash are:
According to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Unhelmeted motorcyclists are 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury than those wearing helmets. This can cause the following:
The highest risks come from overturn accidents or collisions with fixed objects. After such an accident, a motorcyclist may experience a loss of consciousness, severe headaches, confusion, memory issues, and vision problems. It is essential to seek emergency treatment immediately after such a crash. Even with medical treatment, many motorcycle accident victims suffer permanent cognitive challenges and disabilities following the accident.
Spinal cord injuries are serious and can cause loss of use of all four limbs. In some cases, lifelong ventilator support is needed. Severe trauma to the mid or lower back can result in paraplegia, which means losing the use of your legs. Doctors classify these injuries as complete (no function remains below the injury) or incomplete (some sensation remains) paralysis.
Paralysis from a spinal injury happens immediately. Emergency responders must stabilize the spine before moving an injured motorcyclist to the hospital. Even with rehabilitation, many people remain permanently disabled. This often requires wheelchairs, home modifications, and sometimes full-time care.
Chest and internal injuries can be deadly because they often can’t be seen from the outside. A broken rib can puncture a lung or other internal organ. A collapsed lung happens when air escapes the chest cavity, making it hard to breathe normally. The most dangerous chest injury is a torn aorta. This is the largest artery in your body, and if it ruptures, it causes massive internal bleeding.
Internal bleeding and damage to the liver, spleen, or kidneys may not be found until the person goes into shock from blood loss. Injuries like liver lacerations and ruptured spleens require emergency surgery. Without treatment, these injuries can be fatal within hours.
Upper body injuries can cause severe pain, loss of movement, and long recovery times. These injuries often occur when riders instinctively extend their arms to break a fall. Torn rotator cuffs are a common cause of severe pain and limited mobility. They usually require surgery.
Shoulder dislocations occur when impact forces the arm bone out of its socket, damaging surrounding ligaments. Broken arms, wrists, and hands range from simple fractures to complex breaks that need surgical pins and plates.
Elbow fractures can be particularly challenging to recover from due to the complexity of the joint. Even minor finger injuries can affect grip strength. Treatment typically involves surgery, immobilization, and physical therapy. Recovery can take months or even years to complete. Some injuries never fully heal and leave lasting limitations.
Lower extremity wounds are the most common type of motorcycle accident injury. Your legs, knees, hips, and feet absorb tremendous force during a crash from direct impact or friction as you skid across pavement. These injuries are often serious and complicated.
Leg fractures may require surgery. Torn ligaments and other knee injuries can permanently limit your mobility. Damage to weight-bearing joints like your hips can lead to chronic pain and could eventually lead to a hip replacement.
Lower leg injuries often involve multiple problems at once. Broken bones frequently come with serious abrasions and soft tissue damage. Treatment typically requires emergency surgery, extended casting, and months of physical therapy to rebuild strength and mobility. During recovery, many people need crutches, wheelchairs, or other mobility devices. Some riders never fully regain their previous function.
Facial injuries include facial fractures, broken nose, broken jaw bone, and broken teeth. Interestingly, younger riders with helmets have fewer facial and head injuries, whereas older riders with helmets have more.
Injured motorcyclists can suffer soft tissue and nerve damage to their neck – tendons, ligaments, and muscles are at high risk of being severely injured. Whiplash, which is when a rider’s neck whips back and forth in the impact of the crash, can leave him with chronic pain for years to come. If a rider breaks his or her neck on impact, it can cause a spinal cord injury that leads to paralysis.
Serious motorcycle injuries can affect your life for years. Many accident survivors deal with chronic pain that doesn’t go away. Some injuries need ongoing treatment from doctors, physical therapists, and prescription medication. These expenses can put a serious strain on a family’s finances.
The emotional impact is equally serious. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among crash survivors. People with PTSD often experience flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety. Some develop a fear of riding again. Losing your independence, ability to work, or simply the joy of riding can lead to depression and feelings of lost identity.
Medical costs from a catastrophic motorcycle accident create enormous financial pressure. These expenses often exceed $100,000. Home renovations for wheelchair accessibility add thousands more. Lost wages during recovery compound these costs, and catastrophic injuries may end your ability to work permanently. Families can exhaust their savings quickly.
When you’re dealing with motorcycle accident injuries, the last thing on your mind is a lawsuit. However, filing a claim against the negligent parties that caused your accident can help you recover the financial compensation you’ll need to pay the medical bills and property damage from your accident.
Our motorcycle accident attorneys have helped hundreds of people just like you recover maximum compensation for the following damages:
Work with leading motorcycle injury lawyers who have recovered millions for our clients, including a $1.6 million settlement for a motorcycle driver struck by another vehicle. Our DC motorcycle accident attorneys have over 200 years of combined experience and are experts in local motorcycle laws, insurance policies, and court systems.
Don’t wait after a motorcycle crash in DC. Contact Regan Zambri Long today to speak with our personal injury attorneys. The consultation is free, and you do not pay a fee unless we win your case.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.