Motorcycle Accident Injuries

The injuries that are sustained in motorcycle accidents are often severe. Even a “minor” motorcycle crash can leave the victim with serious injuries that require months of medical treatment, rehab, and recovery, resulting in a significant amount of lost wages. Frequent injuries suffered by motorcycle accident victims include:

• Brain and head injuries
• Fractures
• Internal injuries and bleeding
• Lower-extremity injuries
• Road rash
• Spinal cord injuries

One of the most common – and most devastating injuries that a motorcycle accident victim can sustain is a head injury. The best way to minimize the risk of a head injury is to wear a motorcycle helmet. Multiple studies have shown that wearing a DOT-certified motorcycle helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 70 percent and decrease the risk of death by 40 percent.

Despite these statistics, many riders still fail to wear helmets if the state they are in doesn’t require wearing one. In states without all-rider helmet laws, the number of victims not wearing helmets killed each year averages 10 times higher than in states that do.

Each state makes its own laws regarding the required wearing of helmets. Nineteen states have universal helmet laws, meaning all riders are required to wear helmets. Twenty-eight states have some kind of law in place that requires some riders – usually those under 18 – to wear helmets. Three states have no helmet requirements. In Virginia, both the operator and the passenger are required to wear helmets.

It is recommended that regardless of what the state law is where you are riding, protect yourself from a potential brain injury and wear a helmet. When choosing a helmet, make sure it does have the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approval certification. All certified helmets will have the DOT stamp on the back of the helmet. If your helmet is not certified, it does not provide the protection you need to avoid a tragic injury. Ideally, choose a helmet that also has a face shield. If your helmet does not have a shield, then make sure you wear safety goggles when riding.

Riders should also wear other safety gear in order to protect them in the event they are in an accident. No matter how warm the weather is, all riders should wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts. Leather jackets, pants or chaps, boots, and gloves should also be worn for protection. Most motorcycle accident victims experience some kind of sliding on pavement in accidents and the leather can help minimize the damage done as skin scrapes across the pavement.

Call a Seasoned Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the losses your injuries have caused. These losses include medical expenses, loss of income and benefits, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, permanent disability, scarring, disfigurement, and more.

Motorcycle accident claims and lawsuits can be complex since many insurance companies try to blame the motorcyclist for the crash. A skilled Virginia Beach motorcycle accident attorney from Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp can make sure you get the compensation you deserve.

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• Motorcycle Laws in Virginia
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