Motorcycle Accident Injuries in St. Louis
Motorcycles are exciting vehicles to ride and are especially great during the wonderful weather that we can get in St. Louis in the warmer months. However, for all of their benefits, motorcycles can be extremely dangerous, and the fatality rate in motorcycle accidents is significantly higher than the rate in motor vehicle accidents not involving motorcycles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, otherwise known as the NHTSA: “Per mile traveled in 2006, a motorcyclist is approximately 37 times more likely to die in a crash than someone riding in a passenger car.”
Given the fact that motorcycles are both common and dangerous, it is important for everyone who either drivers a motorcycle or is a passenger on one to understand the rights that they have in the event of an accident. The team at Hipskind & McAninch is available as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation about your accident so that we can discuss your options in greater detail, but if you have been in a crash that someone else is at fault for (either partially or completely), then you have a right to seek compensation.
Read more below to learn about a few of the most common injuries from motorcycle accidents, and contact our St.Louis motorcycle accident lawyer now to request your free initial consultation.
Common Accidents in St. Louis Motorcycle Accidents
No two motorcycle accidents are alike, meaning that the injuries that a rider may sustain will be equally unique. However, the following injuries are a few of the more common injuries that we represent during injury claims. The severity of your injuries, the impact that they have on your daily life, and the impacts on your earning capacity will all contribute to our calculations about the amount of compensation that you deserve as a result of these injuries, so contact us now to get started.
Road Rash
Road rash is a colloquial term for the severe abrasions that can happen when someone on a motorcycle hits the pavement, especially without appropriate protective gear, known as “motorcycle body armor,” such as a riding jacket, gloves, boots, and pants. Depending on the speed of the impact, the type of surface that the rider hits, and much more, these injuries can range from relatively minor to requiring skin grafts and causing permanent scarring.
Fractures
As with road rash, a motorcycle accident commonly results in fractured bones when a rider hits the ground, or from the initial impact between the rider and the other vehicle. A bone fracture (otherwise known as a broken bone) happens when a bone encounters a force that is greater than its own strength, and the bone separates. Fractures can range from hairline fractures that simply require an air cast or simple splint to compound fractures that require emergency surgery and extensive recovery times.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are extremely common in impact accidents of all sorts, including motorcycle accidents. A good motorcycle helmet is the most important line of defense against this type of injury, that can happen at even extremely low speeds when a rider’s head hits the ground or another object. These injuries can range from minor concussions that simply require rest for a recovery to the possibility of permanent brain damage, loss of cognitive abilities, or brain death. If you suspect that you or a loved one has experienced any degree of a TBI, contact a doctor immediately.
Spine and Neck Injuries
In any instance where someone is thrown to the ground, regardless of speed, there is a possibility that their spine or neck is twisted or impacted in a way that causes serious damage to the soft tissues of the neck or spine, or causes damage to the spinal cord itself. Minor neck injuries include things like whiplash and general soreness, but serious personal injuries to the neck or spine in St.Louis can result in permanent disabilities such as paralysis and serious impacts on the victim’s physical range of motion.
Contact Hipskind & McAninch Today To Find a Motorcycle Attorney to Fight For You
The sooner we begin our work together, the sooner we will be able to provide you with comprehensive legal support through this difficult time in your life. Our goal is to give you the mental and emotional space that you need to focus on your recovery while we build an aggressive case for you and work with the insurance company on your behalf. Stress is shown to have a significant impact on physical wound recovery, so the more confidence you have in your legal representation, the better you will be able to recover from these catastrophic injuries.