Motorcycle Injury Types
Motorcycle Injury Types We Handle in Phoenix
Phoenix's open roads and beautiful desert scenery offer an exhilarating ride for any biker. However, there are also significant risks. According to the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Arizona ranks among the most dangerous states for motorcyclists, with over 232 fatalities in 2022 alone. Motorcyclists comprised 18% of the motor vehicle crash fatalities that year.
Wherever you're riding, whether through downtown traffic or down the edges of the desert, even a small moment of misjudgment from another driver can lead to a serious accident with significant repercussions. Motorcycle injuries can range from road rash to traumatic brain injuries, and they can leave riders with lasting challenges physically and financially.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
After you've suffered a motorcycle accident, you can sustain a variety of injuries. Some of them are minor, like small abrasions. Some of them are more life-threatening and can leave you with life-changing effects. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Road Rash and Burns: If you were thrown from your motorcycle, you've probably been skidding across the road. This friction can cause severe skin abrasions called road rash. Sometimes, these are mild and can heal quickly. Other times, depending on the speed and force with which you were thrown, these can lead to injuries that require skin grafts and lead to permanent scarring.
- Broken Bones: The impact of a motorcycle accident can cause broken bones. Usually, these bones include arms, legs, and ribs, but are not strictly limited to these. Injuries like this can require surgeries and long-term rehabilitation and can lead to chronic pain and disability.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Another common injury resulting from motorcycle accidents is injuries to your spinal cord. These injuries often have devastating impacts, like partial or complete paralysis. It's critical to seek immediate medical attention after an impact on the spine. Long-term care is also often required after these injuries are sustained. Whether a full recovery is made or not, a spinal cord injury usually leads to significant adverse effects on your quality of life.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Whether or not you use a helmet, you are not impervious to a TBI. These injuries affect the brain in significant and often permanent ways, leaving victims with cognitive impairments, memory loss, and even substantial emotional changes.
Injuries of any kind can be hard to deal with, but a motorcycle rider will deal with significantly worse injuries after a car accident than the enclosed vehicle’s occupants. Even with all the proper protective gear, motorcyclists are at a significantly increased risk of permanent harm. These risks and injuries can vary in severity depending on the details of the accident. For instance, a low-speed impact will cause less damage, whereas a high-speed crash is more likely to leave the rider permanently disfigured.
FREE CASE EVALUATION
Insurance Coverage for Motorcycle Accidents
An accident – whether a motorcycle is involved or not – is an accident for a reason. No one ever sets out on their drive or ride expecting it to happen. That's why we have insurance. But insurance can be complicated. Understanding how it works if you are in an accident is critical, especially when you need to get medical attention and financial assistance for lost wages.
- Health Insurance: This insurance covers medical expenses, such as hospital stays, surgeries, and rehabilitation. However, coverage depends on your policy, and sometimes, treatments are not fully covered.
- Motorcycle Insurance: Depending upon whether you opted for uninsured motorist coverage, your motorcycle insurance policy can help you if the other driver does not have insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage pays for medical care for bodily injuries you sustained in the accident if the other driver had no insurance.
- The Other Driver's Insurance: If you were not at fault, the other driver's insurance company would be responsible for paying for your medical expenses for your injuries and for your property damage.
Insurance companies are NOT on your side after an accident.
Insurance companies want to pay you out as little as possible, whether it's your own insurer or the at-fault driver's insurance company because it saves them money. You need proper legal representation from a personal injury lawyer who can fight for your rights and fair compensation. Our national association of local motorcycle accident law firms consists of experienced trial lawyers, meaning they know what it takes to defend your case in court. They are aggressive and won’t shy away from pressing and fighting hard against insurance companies that are looking to get out of paying you what they should. Call a 1-800-LAWTIGERS before you talk to any insurer.
Contact a Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
The period after a motorcycle accident can be fraught with stress and anxiety, on top of the challenges associated with medical treatment and the healing process. Let Law Tigers make the process more straightforward by handling every detail of your claim. Contact a Phoenix motorcycle accident attorney today to share your story and learn about your legal rights and options.