While riding your motorcycle on Boylston Street in Boston, MA, you’re enjoying the afternoon breeze and the warmth of the sunset. In a second, you’re on the ground wondering why that car abruptly made a left turn in front of you. Even more so, after feeling pains in your body, you’re wondering how this accident may have just changed your life. This is just one of several scenarios that you, as a motorcyclist, may face.
If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident, there’s no time to lose in filing a personal injury claim. Better Phone Stone® at 800-577-5188. We offer free initial consultations to everyone and can easily arrange a session over the phone, by video conference, or in-person at a location convenient for you.
Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents Injuries
The federal government estimated that per mile traveled in 2018, the number of motorcyclist fatalities was nearly 27 times the number for that of car occupants. In fact, in Massachusetts alone, in that same year, there were 59 motorcyclist fatalities.
Road rash
When a motorcyclist is thrown from the bike and his or her skin scrapes the asphalt or pavement, road rash is the likely result. This is a very common type of motorcycle accident injuries. There are three degrees of road rash injury.
“First-degree” refers to minor superficial scrapes, bleeding, and bruises that are only on the surface of the skin. Second-degree road rash occurs when the injury reaches below the surface of the skin but has not affected deep tissue. Third-degree road rash is the most serious. This is when the skin completely comes off, exposing tissue. Treatment for severe road rash usually requires reconstructive surgery.
Burns
As many are already aware, the classification of road rash is similar to that of burns. However, rather than being thrown across the surface of the pavement after a crash, a motorcyclist may experience a thermal burn instead.
A thermal motorcycle accident burn can result when the skin comes into contact with motorcycle parts that have become excessively heated. Or perhaps the bike itself has caught fire as a result of the impact.
Another type of burn commonly experienced by motorcyclists may be chemical in nature. Since a rider is not enclosed as drivers in automobiles are when an accident occurs, he or she can come in contact with dangerous liquids, such as gasoline or battery acid, and come away with a chemical burn.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
There are various types of traumatic brain injuries that pose risk to any motorcycle rider in the event of a collision. If the rider is ejected, there is the possibility of his or her head hitting the pavement. Or the driver’s head strikes the other car upon impact. In either situation, the brains may be violently shaken, resulting in serious injury.
Some types of brain injuries occur within the skull, while others are external, in which the skull has broken open. These include concussion and hemorrhage, which both require immediate medical attention since they are potentially life-threatening conditions.
Loss of limbs
Sadly, it is not uncommon for a motorcycle rider to lose one or more limbs in an accident. Due to the force of the impact, limbs can get trapped, crushed, or shattered, perhaps leading to amputation. Or, a motorcyclist’s limb may be traumatically severed in the crash itself.
The loss of a limb is definitely a devastating, life-changing event. Some injuries may heal with time, but losing a limb is permanent. The injured rider has to learn how to live the rest of his or her life using a prosthetic or managing with fewer extremities, which can be excruciatingly difficult. The entire healing process after the surgery, and before and after receiving a prosthetic, is understandably very traumatic.
Spinal cord injury (SCI)
Since the spinal cord is how the brain sends messages to control various functions of the body, any degree of SCI is cause for concern. The spinal cord may be injured when one or more of a motorcyclist’s vertebrae receives a blow and is fractured or crushed.
You are to be commended for taking every precaution when riding, as protective gear can help to minimize the risk. However, depending on the size of the other vehicle and the force of the impact, such protection may prove to be minimal.
Injuries to the spinal cord can be life-altering, ranging from mild to severe. In cases of motorcycle accidents especially, they tend to be severe. A weakening of the muscles, loss of motion, and even paralysis can result. In some cases, some healing may occur, but with others, the paralysis is irreversible.
Internal injuries
After a motorcycle accident, a rider may initially seek treatment for his or her external injuries. However, upon being examined, it is soon discovered that serious internal injuries are present. Another potentially dangerous scenario is when a motorcyclist may walk away from an accident with the thought of being okay, and symptoms of internal injuries begin to manifest themselves weeks or months later, when it may be too late.
Always make sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a motorcycle collision.
Damage to organs such as the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, and lungs, can also occur in a motorcycle accident. Internal bones could be broken from the impact and puncture a vital organ. Internal bleeding can be occurring in various parts of the body, which can be life-threatening.
While it is true that motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles on the road like cars and trucks, you, as a motorcyclist, still have the same rights as the driver of that car or truck. So if a driver has been negligent and caused you to suffer a personal injury, he or she should be held responsible.
Call Jason Stone Injury Lawyers today if you suffered due to motorcycle accident injuries. Our team can use our 70+ years of combined experience to help you get the maximum compensation for everything that was taken from you.
Get Your Case in Good Hands Before Time Runs Out
Having experienced an unexpected motorcycle incident in the City of Boston or the surrounding area, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the change in your circumstances. Mounting medical bills, the inability to return to work, isolation, depression and increased physical pain may be causing you great distress.
Don’t suffer alone. With the Jason Stone Injury Lawyers team by your side, you will have the right attorneys helping you with your case. Our Boston, MA, legal team knows how to protect your rights. Call us, or chat with us online. No Obligation, Just Information®. We can even visit you at your home if you wish.
When you are hurt due to someone else’s carelessness and end up suffering from motorcycle accident injuries, it only makes sense that his or her insurance should pay for your recovery. However, the insurance adjuster is likely to resist paying you the maximum amount. That’s why you need our help!
Take action and get free legal advice from one of our lawyers. There are no hidden fees, even if you hire us. And part of our Stone Cold Guarantee® is that we only get paid when we get money for you. Reach a Boston motorcycle accident lawyer at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers serving Boston, MA, today at (800) 577-5188 to discuss your accident in a free consultation session.