For many people hopping onto bikes and floating freely on the streets is one of the most fun activities. But this excitement also brings several dangers to one’s life. There have been several cases where bike riders have suffered terrible accidents, which have sometimes turned out to be deadly.
No matter how well-covered you are during the ride, the chances you might get hurt if not careful is quite high. Most riders usually suffer a head injury while in a motorcycle accident. With a head injury, it is necessary to seek immediate treatment. In case the injury is quite serious, hospitalization may be required.
Let’s understand more about the head injuries caused due to motorcycle crashes and how dangerous they can be.
What happens to the brain in a motorcycle crash?
The severity of an accident decides what can happen to the brain. The brain injury can be both minor and severe, depending on the intensity of the accident. But one should never take even the minutest of injury lightly. You might assume that you are all fine and could ride on further, but the force at which any motorcycle accident occurs can give you some serious internal brain injury.
In a motorcycle accident, head injury is the first thing that the rider should be checked for. Usually, in such accidents, the brain inside of the skull gets pushed. As a result, either the brain hits up the sides or the top of the skull. This can cause bleeding, bruising, or tearing in the brain, directly leading to long-term complications.
A few cases in which the accident has even resulted in brain swelling. Due to this, the skull that is inside the brain can press against the rigid bone and create more complications. If left untreated, it can also lead to the rider’s death.
What are the three most common head injuries?
A head/brain injury, also called traumatic brain injury (TBI), occurs when the normal functions of a brain are suddenly disrupted due to some blow, jolt on the head, or bump. A TBI can be either mild or severe, according to how fatal the accident was.
Motorcyclists who avoid wearing helmets are at a high risk of suffering from a severe head injury. The most common types of head injuries that a motorcyclist can suffer from are:
Contusion:Â During a motorcycle accident, the bikers who suffer from a direct impact on their head are at risk of facing a contusion. To simplify it, a contusion is a bruise that signals bleeding in the brain. So make sure not to take it lightly and get it checked as soon as possible.
Concussion:Â The most common type of motorcycle accident head injury a rider can suffer from is a concussion. On a milder level, the concussion can be healed in no time, but a serious concussion can leave a victim with difficulties for a lifetime. A concussion occurs when a biker experiences a direct blow over the head during an accident. To ensure no permanent damage, one should seek immediate treatment.
Coup-Contrecoup Injury:Â When discoloration occurs on both sides of the brain, it is known as a coup-contrecoup injury. It happens when at first, your head hits hard enough during the accident, and the impact causes a contusion but your brain slams to the other side of the skull, which causes a second contusion.
What percentage of motorcycle crashes result in head injury?
At least 80% of motorcycle accidents lead to serious injury or death. Furthermore, the fatality rate of motorcyclists is around 26X higher than that of car occupants. Thus, making use of crash helmets is of utmost importance.
Where does most of the trauma occur during motorcycle accidents?
A motorcycle accident causes several types of injuries, but the most traumatizing one is which is caused on the head. Motorcycle accident head injury can lead to a wide range of disabilities. That’s why it is important to keep the head region all secured to ensure less damage is done to the head region.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any brain injury that is caused by a motorcycle accident is quite serious. There are times when the impact of the motorcycle accident is severe on the head, causing a traumatic experience for the victim. Here are a few types of traumatic brain injuries:
- Epidural Hematoma
- Subdural Hematoma
- Diffuse Axonal Injury
- Penetration Injury
Possible Complications of Neurological Damage
There are several neurological irregularities that a victim of a motorcycle accident head injury has to suffer from. Some of the possible complications are:
Seizures – There are chances that right after an accident, the victim might suffer from a seizure. In a few cases, if the seizures are continuous, the victim can go into post-traumatic epilepsy.
Infection – Those who have suffered from a penetrating head injury are prone to several infections. There are chances that bacteria might enter the tissue inside of their skull and develop into an infection.
Blood Stokes and Clot – During brain injuries, the blood vessels get damaged severely, which causes the formation of blood clots. This can cause strokes in the body and complicate the victim’s situation. Other possible complications are:
- Severe Fever
- Memory Loss
- Physical Impairment
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Recognizing a Brain Injury After a Motorcycle Accident
Be it a mild or severe motorcycle accident, there is a strong possibility that you might have suffered from either some bruising or severe injury to the brain. Unfortunately, some brain injuries do not show any symptoms right away. Thus, it’s important to get the injury checked by a specialist right away.
- Possible symptoms that tell whether you are suffering from a brain injury are:
- Trouble in coordination
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Slurring
- Feeling dizzy
- Headache that won’t stop
- Numbness in hands, legs, toes, or fingers
The Financial Impact of a Brain Injury
A brain injury is the most expensive type of injury to handle. All the expenses ranging from medical bills, nursing care to rehabilitation treatments, take a heavy toll on the victim and his family. Apart from that, the victim would have also experienced a financial setback from a career point of view. In addition, there are chances that they might have suffered some amount of lost wages which might have also impacted the family if they were the sole breadwinner.
Speak to an Attorney
If your loved one or you have been a motorcycle accident or head injury victim and are looking for legal advice, contact Coleman Law Group. We have passionate and hard-working motorcycle accident attorneys who will ensure the best possible solution for you.
Call Coleman Law Group Today and get a free case evaluation.
