Motorcycle Accident Injuries NYC
Driving a motorcycle is economical, exciting, and can make it a lot easier to navigate traffic — and these are only three of the many reasons why so many people choose to ride. But as motorcycle riders in NYC well know, sharing the road with larger vehicles can be dangerous. Car and truck drivers often don’t see motorcyclists, or they fail to properly judge the speed and distance of an oncoming bike, which can lead to devastating accidents.
To further complicate things, motorcycle riders are at a significantly greater risk of serious injuries since they have much less protection than occupants of larger vehicles.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, it’s important to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. The experienced motorcycle accident lawyers at our Hempstead, NYC firm can help you navigate the complicated legal process and fight to make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Take a look at some of the most common injuries from motorcycle accidents below, and contact Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation.
Common Injuries From Motorcycle Crashes
The following are just a few common injuries a motorcycle rider could suffer in an accident.
Whether or not you see your injury type(s) mentioned below, keep in mind that no two injuries are alike, no matter how similar they may appear. Each victim will have a different experience with pain, recovery, and the impact that the injury has on their life, so working directly with an attorney is one of the best ways to ensure that the unique aspects of your personal injuries are clearly conveyed to the insurer as you seek to recover fair compensation for your injuries.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are some of the most common and serious injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents. Riders who don’t wear helmets are at a much greater risk of suffering catastrophic head injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), but anyone who has suffered an impact to their head, whether or not they are wearing protection, is at risk.
TBIs can range from mild concussions to serious issues that can result in long-term or permanent brain damage, changes in personality, ongoing Post-Concussion Syndrome, and more. If you suspect that you or someone else has suffered a blow to the head, it is absolutely essential to get medical attention as soon as possible.
Neck Injuries
Whiplash is a type of neck injury that commonly occurs in motorcycle collisions, and it can cause severe pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries typically don’t present themselves at the scene of the crash, and it is usually the next morning when a victim wakes up that they first realize how serious this injury is.
The delayed onset of a whiplash injury is the perfect example of why a victim should never make a statement about their condition at the scene of the accident. EMTs who examine victims can make objective reports, but there is no need for you to provide information about your own subjective experience because it could come back to haunt you during the claims process.
Broken Bones
Because they don’t have the same level of protection as occupants of larger vehicles, motorcyclists are more likely to suffer broken bones in an accident. Even at low speeds, a rider may have their leg pinned between the motorcycle and colliding vehicle, between the motorcycle and the ground, or against another object.
Since motorcycles do not have a stabilizing third or fourth wheel, the vehicle often tips over on top of the rider, causing them to suffer a crushing injury that can break bones, damage nerves, or cause serious lacerations.
Internal Injuries
Riders who are involved in high-speed accidents or who are hit by larger vehicles are at risk of suffering internal injuries. Damage to the organs or other internal structures is dangerous and can be life-threatening. Internal bleeding is one of the most dangerous types of injuries that a victim can suffer, and it often goes undetected until it is too late to provide treatment.
If you are experiencing pressure or discomfort in your abdomen after an accident, it is essential to get medical attention right away.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are all examples of soft tissue, and these structures can be easily damaged in a motorcycle accident. While some soft tissue injuries heal on their own, others may require physical therapy or surgery to recover.
Even soft tissue injuries that can heal on their own require rest, which will interfere with a victim’s life, and will be painful throughout the recovery process. Be sure to document the pain, suffering, and interferences that these injuries have on your life so your attorney can include this information in your injury claim.
Emotional Injuries
The physical injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident can be extremely traumatic, and many victims also suffer from emotional injuries, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can have a major impact on your quality of life and often require professional treatment for recovery.
Emotional injuries can be more complicated to prove and then quantify during an insurance claims process since there are no x-rays, MRIs, or CT scans that can show the nature of the injury. Experienced lawyers have a number of methods at their disposal that can help them reach a fair and accurate dollar amount for these types of non-economic damages (damages that do not have set or measurable dollar values), but insurance companies are quick to push back on these types of damages in the hopes of reaching a quick and cheap settlement.
Death
The unfortunate reality is that mortality in motorcycle crashes is far higher than in comparable passenger vehicle collisions due to the lack of protective equipment and vehicle structure that protects car passengers.
How an Attorney Calculates Damages For Motorcycle Accident Injuries
For the sake of simplicity, let’s imagine that a motorcycle accident caused a single injury: a broken bone. There are a few different ways that this broken bone will impact the victim, and each of these factors must be accounted for in a personal injury claim. The following are just a few of the most common factors that a lawyer will consider in their calculations:
Medical Costs
A broken bone must be set by a doctor, and the resulting medical bill will include things like an emergency hospital visit, pain medication, scans, a cast, and more. Collecting these types of damages from the insurance company is as simple as submitting all of your medical invoices.
Lost Wages
After breaking a bone, it is likely that the victim is not able to work to their full capacity — if at all. Most often, a broken bone will no longer interfere with the victim’s work once it has healed, but there are instances where the disruptions to their earnings will continue into the future.
Your lawyer will need to gather your historical income statements to verify the income you’ve missed during recovery. They might need to extrapolate this information into the future to account for future losses if the injury takes an extended period of time to recover completely. Injuries that are unlikely to fully heal require even more calculation.
Pain and Suffering
A broken bone is painful, and while there is no easy way to apply a dollar value to something so subjective, there are a number of methods that a lawyer will use to do just that. Insurance companies will focus on denying these non-economic damages because of how difficult they are to prove. Still, a diligent attorney will be able to counter these denials during negotiations as they fight to get you the full amount of money you are entitled to as a result of someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior.
Contact Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP To Request a Free Consultation Today
No matter what type of injuries you have suffered, it’s important to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. The team at Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP is available for a free consultation. Contact us right away.