From chronic pain to severe scarring, brain damage, and mental trauma, these are among the gravest long-term impacts of non-fatal motorcycle crash injuries. As they require long-term, ongoing treatment and often affect one's ability to work, they also pose a severe financial burden.
Every rider out there must be aware of these consequences, particularly because of the high prevalence of fatal motorcycle accidents. Per the latest data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), crashes killed 6,335 motorcyclists in the U.S. in 2023. It's 26% more than in 2019.
What Happens to the Human Body in a Motorcycle Accident?
The human body can experience devastating blunt force trauma and friction during a motorcycle accident. Riders face a much higher risk because their vehicles don't have protective barriers, as pointed out by this guide discussing Augusta motorcycle accident lawyers.
Since motorcycles don't have the same metal frame or seatbelts as cars, riders can find themselves thrown, dragged, or crushed in a crash. With no protective barriers other than their helmets and clothing, motorcyclists have a significantly elevated risk of sustaining grave injuries, including fatal ones.
What Is the Most Common Injury in a Motorcycle Crash?
A study published in the National Library of Medicine explains that the most frequent motorcycle accident injuries observed are those affecting the head and the face. It also notes that brain damage is the leading cause of death in motorcyclists.
Examples of typical motorcycle crash injuries include:
- Concussions
- Brain contusions (bruising of the brain tissue)
- Brain hemorrhages (uncontrolled bleeding in the brain)
- Facial and skull fractures
- Severe skin abrasions
- Neck injuries
- Chest and abdomen injuries
- Pelvic injuries
- Limb injuries
Although people in cars can sustain similar injuries, motorcyclists (and their passengers) can have it worse since they don't have any enclosure that can keep them from getting propelled into the air.
What Are the Long-Term Impacts of Motorcycle Crash Injuries That All Riders Must Know?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that in 2024, the likelihood of motorcyclists dying in crashes was 27 times higher than that of passenger car occupants. Even in non-fatal cases, riders were still close to being five times more likely to sustain injuries.
Even in injury-only motorcycle accidents, long-term physical, mental, and even financial pain and suffering can still occur.
Chronic Pain
Individuals who sustain motorcycle crash injuries may experience chronic pain due to the incident damaging delicate nerve pathways in the affected body part.
In other cases, physical trauma may result in painful scar tissue forming in the muscles. There are also people whose brains change, altering how they process pain signals.
Regardless of the exact cause, chronic pain among motorcycle accident victims can interfere with activities of daily living and the ability to work. The constant pain they experience can also reduce overall enjoyment and quality of life.
Severe Scarring
Severe scarring is another long-term impact of motorcycle crash injuries that often result from road rash. Road rash occurs when the skin gets exposed to high-speed friction that grinds away dermal layers.
Scarring from motorcycle crashes may also be due to severe impact burns that damage the skin or deep cuts that cause jagged tissue.
Brain Damage
The forceful, high-speed impact that occurs during a motorcycle crash can cause a person to become like a projectile.
Once the victim hits or lands on a surface, the impact jolts the brain, stretching and tearing its delicate fibers. The skull can also fracture and trap blood, resulting in the formation of dangerous pressure.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that within five years of sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI), around half of people with TBI die or see further decline in their daily lives.
Mental Trauma
People who sustain motorcycle crash injuries can develop long-term mental trauma due to a combination of physical, emotional, and cognitive factors. They include:
- Direct brain damage
- Intense fear and anxiety as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Chronic physical pain
Long-lasting mental trauma can slowly chip away at one's overall health and even pose a safety risk, as it can trigger thoughts of death and suicide.
Financial Difficulty or Ruin
The more severe one's motorcycle crash injuries are, the more treatment is necessary, and the more expensive the recovery can be. From skyrocketing medical bills to prolonged time off work (or loss of one's ability to work), these can all lead to accident victims going through financial difficulty.
The good news is that preventing financial ruin is possible, something that a personal injury attorney specializing in motorcycle crashes can help with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can a Motorcycle Crash Lawyer Help?
A personal injury attorney whose focus is on representing injured motorcyclists can help accident victims by investigating the crash to establish fault. They also determine how meritable the claimant's case is and calculate the maximum possible amount of compensation.
Legal professionals can even assist with the entire process of filing the motorcycle accident injury claim itself. They'll collect all possible evidence (e.g., witness testimonies, police reports, and CCTV/dashcam footage) and build a solid case proving the other party's negligence.
If you or a loved one has been in a motorcycle crash, a motorcycle crash attorney will be your advocate, representing you and negotiating with insurers on your behalf. If any of the involved insurers is disputing liability, your lawyer will deal with it by countering claims and handling litigation.
How Many Motorcycle Crash Injuries Occur in the U.S. Each Year?
The actual number of motorcycle crash injuries that occur in the U.S. varies each year, but it's in the thousands.
The National Safety Council has published a historical table, charting the number to range from 79,000 to 104,000 (2020 vs. 2016, respectively). The latest figure, which is for 2024, shows 86,887 injuries to have occurred that year.
Beware These Long-Term Consequences of Motorcycle Crash Injuries
Motorcycle crash injuries have the potential to cause long-term physical, emotional, cognitive, and financial pain and suffering. Riders must, therefore, always wear proper attire, and drivers should take extra care whenever they're out on the road.
As for motorcyclists who get into an accident, consider reaching out to a lawyer who can assist you in filing a claim.
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This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
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