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How Motorcycle Riders Get Hurt

Breit, Drescher and Imprevento is a Virginia injury firm that is based in Norfolk, Virginia. We have helped those in the Virginia Beach and Tidewater area receive fair compensation for their injuries, and one particularly important part of our practice is helping those who have been injured in motorcycle accidents. Partner Mike Imprevento is an avid motorcyclist, so he understands the dangers of other drivers and the sometimes heartless tactics of insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident anywhere in Virginia Beach or Tidewater, contact the law offices of Breit, Drescher and Imprevento for a free legal consultation today.

The average automobile has any number of safety features that are there to protect the life of the driver and his or her passengers. There are seatbelts, airbags in the front and side, steering wheels that collapse upon impact, shatter proof glass that prevents passengers and drivers from getting cut, crumple zones that lessen the violence of impact, and even GPS devices that automatically notify emergency services in the event of an accident. The odds of survival in a car crash have gone up exponentially over the past few decades.

The motorcycle, however, has not become even marginally safer. In fact, thanks to increases in speed and aerodynamics, they have become even more dangerous. There is no real way to protect the driver of a motorcycle in the event of an accident. The driver is essentially on top of a frame that is on top of an engine. If the motorcycle suddenly stops, there is nothing keeping the driver attached to that frame. Nor is there anything to protect the driver from whatever he hits.

As a result of this obvious vulnerability, motorcycle riders drive defensively as a rule. They obey the speed limit, they obey posted traffic signs, they check their mirrors, they make sure that their signals are working, and they wear helmets even in states where they are not required to do so.

The problem is that drivers of cars don’t exercise the same amount of caution.

Motorcycle accidents have serious consequences, much more so than car accidents. And motorcycle accidents lead to very common serious injuries.

Here are a few.

Concussion and Brain Damage: This obviously occurs when the head slams into the concrete or some other unforgiving surface at a high rate of speed. The best way to avoid or at least minimize the odds of serious accidents is to wear a close fitting and properly manufactured helmet.

Breaking Bones: The obvious would be breaking arms and legs, but also joints such as elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and wrists. The spine and the neck also have a tendency to be severely damaged in the course of a motorcycle accident.

Skin and Soft Tissue Damage: This is better known as “Road Rash,” which is what happens when the body skids along a concrete or paved surface at a high rate of speed. If the rider takes the precaution of wearing protective clothing, the damage can be lessened. This means wearing a leather jacket or reinforced denim.

Arm Damage: One very common injury that happens to motorcycle riders is nerve damage to the arm and shoulder. This is not surprising considering that so many bikers fall sideways off their bikes. The end result of this injury (known as “bikers arm”) is difficulty or inability to properly move the damaged arm.

Facial Injury or Disfigurement: Many bikers choose to wear helmets that offer no facial protection, and considering that a great deal of crashes show major impact to the facial area, it is no surprise that many accidents result in facial disfigurement.

According to the Hurt Report, which is a seminal NHTSA study on motorcycle accidents, their causes, and their effects:

The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents - 98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

These are very poor odds.

Insurance companies know this, which is why so many motorcyclists pay very high insurance premiums. But when serious injuries occur, insurance companies are notorious for denying claims, refusing to pay many of the medical bills and tests, or offering a settlement that is not nearly enough to cover the amount of money that the medical bills will cost.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in Virginia Beach or the Tidewater area, contact the law offices of Breit, Drescher and Imprevento for a free legal consultation today.

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