Most Common Types of Injuries Caused by Motorcycle Accidents in Massachusetts

Motorcycle riding is a pastime enjoyed by many Americans. Enjoying beautiful scenery on America’s highways is a fun way to relax. However, a pleasant afternoon motorcycle ride can quickly turn into a disaster when a motorcycle accident occurs. According to our Massachusetts paralysis injury lawyer, motorcycle accidents usually happen in a matter of seconds, and they can result in catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death accident. Motorcyclists do not enjoy all of the protection that drivers of passenger vehicles enjoy.

When a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle collide, the motorcyclist is more likely to suffer severe injuries. Read more from Boston motorcycle accident attorney John J. Sheehan about the most common types of motorcycle accident injuries in Massachusetts. Our Boston Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Spinal Cord Injuries can help to file the case. 

Four Common Injuries to Motorcyclists in Massachusetts

Sadly, motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in collisions than passenger vehicle occupants. While wearing a helmet and protective gear can reduce a motorcyclist’s risk of injury, even safe motorcyclists can suffer the following catastrophic injuries on the road. Keep reading from our Cambridge motorcycle accident lawyers about how to sue for these injuries.

Brain Damage

Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of brain injury and death for motorcyclists. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 1,600 motorcyclists are saved every year by wearing a safety helmet. Unfortunately, even motorcyclists who wear proper helmets can suffer a significant brain injury in motorcycle accidents. it is common for the motorcyclist to be thrown off the motorcycle due to the accident’s force in a motorcycle accident. When this happens, the motorcyclist may hit his head against the pavement hard, causing a concussion or a brain hemorrhage. Brain injuries can range from lacerations on the head to concussions to traumatic brain injuries.

Additionally, brain injuries are notoriously difficult to diagnose because the symptoms do not always show up right away. Many people are in shock after a serious motorcycle accident of weren’t wearing a helmet, and they may not notice all of their concussion symptoms. that is why it is crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident so the doctor can conduct diagnostic tests and make sure there is no brain injury. Brain hemorrhages can cause brain damage and even death when left untreated. Those who suffered traumatic brain injury often have to cope with challenging symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, pain, the need for significant rehabilitation, and a loss of ability to engage in daily activities. a Massachusetts traumatic brain injury attorney can help.

Spinal Cord Damage

Like the brain, the spinal cord is highly susceptible to injury in motorcycle accidents. Protective gear cannot protect our spinal cords from a harsh blow from landing on the pavement. Spinal cord injuries can occur when the spinal cord becomes fractured or severed in a motorcycle accident. The severity of the injury will depend on the location of the spinal cord damage. Typically, the higher up on the spine that the damage happens, the greater the limb function loss. For example, if a person’s spinal cord is fractured in the neck area, he or she will likely suffer limited movement from the neck down. When the lower spinal cord becomes injured, a person may only have paralysis of the legs. Our Boston paralysis injury attorneys can help.

Not only are spinal cord injuries severely painful, but they can also impact a person’s ability to work and enjoy the activities he or she used to engage in before the accident. Spinal cord injuries can cause paraplegia or quadriplegia that requires long-term care, which can be expensive, especially over a person’s lifetime. Spinal injuries can cause significant financial burdens when a person can no longer return to work and needs to pay caretakers. The cost of caring for paraplegia or quadriplegia can quickly add up to 2 million dollars over a person’s lifetime. it can be difficult for families to pay for long-term care. Bringing a personal injury lawsuit with the help of a Massachusetts spinal cord injury lawyer and Wakefield paralysis injury lawyer is one way to recover enough compensation to pay for your or your loved one’s care.

Severe Burns and Road Rash

When a motorcyclist is thrown off of his or her motorcycle in an accident, the friction of the pavement against his or her skin can cause severe road rash. Additionally, if there is a fire at the accident scene, a motorcyclist might experience severe burns. Burn injuries are notoriously painful, and second or third-degree burns put a patient at risk of infection and long-term complications. Severe burns in road rash may require extensive treatment, including skin grafts, which can leave someone in the hospital for months on end.  Severe road rash cases cause all or most of a person’s skin to be scraped off, and debris from the accident and roadside can enter a person’s body, putting them at risk of infection. Again, even motorcyclists to wear all of the required safety gear are still at risk of road rash and severe burns; If you suffered burns in a motorcycle accident, contact Massachusetts burn injury lawyer John J. Sheehan for a free consultation about your options.

Leg Injuries

According to our Massachusetts catastrophic injury lawyer, motorcyclists are more likely to injure their feet and legs than any other part of their body. Motorcyclists’ legs are the closest part of their body to the ground, and they are typically the first part of their body to contact the pavement in a motorcycle accident. When a motorcycle slides out from underneath a rider or rolls over, the heavy bike will often fall on the motorcyclist’s legs and crush them. Common injuries include fractures of the tibia and fibula. These fractures are rarely clean fractures, and motorcycle drivers suffer nerve and ligament damage due to their legs bending out of natural positions. They can also suffer from lacerations where their bones become broken, putting them at risk for infection.

Contact Our Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today

If you or your loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need an experienced Somerville motorcycle accident lawyer on your side. at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, Our legal team has a proven track record of obtaining compensation for our clients who have been injured in motorcycle accidents. Whether you are seeking compensation from an insurance company claim or through a personal injury lawsuit, we will advocate for your rights throughout the entire process. Our clients rest easier, knowing that we will advocate for them to focus on healing from their injuries. Contact our Massachusetts motorcycle accident lawyers today at (617) 925-6407 to schedule your initial consultation.