Many factors will affect how long it takes for you to recuperate from a motorcycle accident. The extent and severity of your injuries are some of the essential issues that control how long it will take for you to heal. If you experience complications or side effects, your healing process could take longer than expected.
Your underlying health and lifestyle can affect the time it takes to heal from a motorcycle accident as well. Also, sometimes a wound does not heal as well as expected, so you might need surgery to restore full function of the damaged body part. Lengthy physical therapy can add to the healing timeline.
The Severity of Injuries from a Motorcycle Accident
While some people are lucky enough to walk away from a motorcycle accident with only cuts and bruises, motorcycle riders tend to experience severe injuries at much higher rates than people riding in cars. The CDC reports that your odds of dying from your injuries in a crash are 28 times higher if you are on a motorcycle as opposed to riding in a passenger car. It is not surprising that motorcyclists frequently suffer devastating injuries in collisions.
Common Types of Non-Fatal Injuries to Motorcyclists
Since the type of injury that a person experiences plays a vital role in how long the recuperation will take, it is helpful to know the kinds of injuries that motorcyclists suffer. Age is also a factor in healing. Here are the most common types of motorcyclist accident injuries that required hospital admission:
- Nearly 60 percent of riders age 40 and below (young riders) and about 55 percent of older riders (older than 40 years) sustained injury to the lower extremities (legs). Many of these injuries result in amputation.
- The second most frequent injury was that of the upper extremities (arms). A little more than half of young riders and just under 50 percent of older riders suffer arm injuries severe enough to need hospitalization.
- Non-fatal head injuries come in third, with about one-fourth of young riders and almost 30 percent of older riders suffering.
- Thorax injuries, which include broken ribs, are also common. More than 20 percent of young riders who needed hospitalization had thorax injuries, compared to nearly 30 percent of older riders.
The next three categories of common motorcycle injuries that require inpatient care are:
- Face or neck – around 20 percent of young riders and 25 percent of older riders.
- Abdomen – just under 20 percent each for both younger and older riders.
- Spine – about 15 percent for younger riders and 10 percent for older riders.
Many of the fatal injuries to motorcycle riders are from head trauma and spinal cord damage, which is why the percentage of head and spine injuries among non-fatal harm is not higher. The data above does not include minor injuries that did not require admission to the hospital or fatalities.
The Costs of Lengthy Recuperation Periods
If you sustain injuries severe enough to require hospitalization, you can experience significant financial losses from your medical expenses and lost income. Also, you can suffer non-financial damages.
- Medical expenses can include things like the ambulance, life flight, emergency room, hospital, lab work, imaging studies like x-rays and MRIs, surgery, doctors, prescription drugs, and physical therapy.
- You might need specialized care at an extended-stay facility for devastating injuries like head trauma.
- Long-term care can be necessary if, because of catastrophic injuries like spinal cord damage, you need ongoing daily assistance with medical treatments and personal care.
- You might need medical equipment like a wheelchair, adapted vehicle, prosthetic device, and home modifications.
- If you did not get paid while you were unable to work during the recuperation time, you can include lost income in your compensation claim. Lost wages, salary, self-employment, and other forms of income fit into this category of damages.
- Diminished earning capacity refers to situations in which you cannot make as much money as before because of your injuries.
- If you cannot work at all to support yourself, you might have a claim for disability.
- Pain and suffering damages are for the physical discomfort and emotional distress you experienced.
- Other non-financial losses for which a motorcycle accident lawyer can seek compensation are things like disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and a spouse’s claim for loss of consortium.
Pursuing Compensation for Your Motorcycle Accident
At S. Burke Law, we are sympathetic to the time and money it takes to heal from a motorcycle accident. We will fight tirelessly to get you all the money damages you deserve for your injuries and the impact those injuries have had on your life. We treat our clients like family. When we handle your injury case, you can focus your attention and energy on getting better.
You will not have to pay upfront legal fees for us to help you. We take these cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that our legal fees come out of the settlement or award at the end of the matter.
Call us today at (404) 842-7838 for a free consultation.