When it comes to motorcycle accidents, there are quite a few more common injuries you can sustain. They include broken bones, head injuries, and road rash. These injuries might require you to have surgery to help mend them properly. Let’s take a look at what injuries you might come to expect after a motorcycle accident.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are very common in motorcycle accidents and can occur whether you have a helmet on or not. The injury could occur when you hit the ground, hit another object, or hit with so much force that your brain is shaken within your skull.
You could even be left with permanent mental or physical disabilities due to your injuries in the wreck that include:
- Loss of your motor skills and/or coordination
- Recurring seizures or a permanent paralysis
- Loss of your memory
- Persisting depression, anxiety, anger, or mood swings
You should always get checked for a head injury after being in a motorcycle accident.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are another incredibly common result of motorcycle accidents. When you’re riding and come to a sudden halt, your body is still in motion. Because of this, you can be easily thrown from your bike and projected onto the ground several feet away.
The force from being thrown onto the road can cause quite a few broken bones. There are several bones that bikers are particularly vulnerable to receiving and they include:
- Spinal cord
- Forearm
- Shin bones
- Pelvis
- Skull
- Thigh bones
Road Rash
The skin is the largest organ in our body and can be impacted by a motorcycle accident if we don’t protect it correctly. Road rash occurs when our skin makes contact with asphalt and is torn away as the skin is dragged along the surface of the asphalt. Not every instance of road rash is the same and it can vary in its severity with each case.
- First degree typically happens when only the first layer of skin is torn away, leaving the area of impact visibly red.
- Second degree occurs when the first layer of skin breaks and is deeper than just the surface level of our skin.
- Third degree occurs when the skin is torn away down to the fat and our internal tissue. This leaves the area exposed to bacteria and infections.
Is Surgery Required?
Some of the injuries you might obtain from a motorcycle accident are severe enough to require surgery. These surgeries will often involve mending broken bones or fixing the internal injuries you sustained from the accident. Then there are the surgeries that need to be done to mend the road rash.
Motorcyclists who sustain road rash deeper than first degree will need skin grafts to mend the injury and prevent infection. You may even need to have reconstructive surgery to mend the road rash if it gets down to third degree.
Remember to always be aware of your surroundings while on your motorcycle. You should always get checked out by a medical professional after a motorcycle accident, even if you don’t believe your injuries are “that bad.”
Greenville and Washington, NC Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
I’m Brian Ricci, a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer serving Greenville, NC and the surrounding areas. If you have suffered a personal injury due to a motorcycle crash, please call me anytime at (252) 777-2222 or (800) 387-6406 for free, friendly advice. The call is free and there is no obligation to you.
I am a longtime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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