Common Injuries After a Houston Motorcycle Accident
Riding a motorcycle is much riskier than driving a car in Houston, TX. Based on the miles traveled, motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to die in a crash than motorists in passenger vehicles. They are also four times more likely to get injured in a crash than automobile occupants.
Many factors contribute to this discrepancy. Motorcycles require more skill to operate, so even experienced riders can get into an accident if something knocks them off balance. Motorcycles are inherently unstable, so unskilled motorcyclists are more likely to get into an accident than unskilled drivers. And in a crash, motorcycles provide little protection to riders.
All these factors make motorcyclists vulnerable to motorcycle crash injuries. You can learn about some common injuries after a motorcycle accident in Houston below.
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How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Houston
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers focuses its practice on injury cases. The firm’s Houston motorcycle accident lawyers have over 45 years of combined experience representing accident victims, including motorcyclists. Over their careers, the attorneys have helped their clients recover tens of millions of dollars in injury compensation.
Some certifications and awards earned by the firm’s lawyers include:
- Board certification in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- 10.0 Superb rating from Avvo
- Membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The legal team with Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers can help with your case by:
- Collecting evidence and investigating your case to help strengthen your claim
- Handling all negotiations and communications on your behalf
- Filing a lawsuit and bringing your case to court if necessary
To discuss your motorcycle accident and the injury compensation you can seek in Houston, Texas, contact us today at (713) 500-5000 to schedule a free consultation.
How Common Are Injuries After a Houston Motorcycle Accident?
According to Texas’s Crash Records Information System, Houston had 733 motorcycle accidents in 2021. A total of 27 of the crash records stated that the motorcyclist’s injury status was unknown.
But among the crash records that included an injury status, 81.2% of Houston’s motorcycle accidents resulted in an injury. Another 5.1% of Houston motorcycle crashes killed the motorcyclist. This means only 13.7% of motorcyclists involved in a motorcycle crash in Houston escaped unscathed in 2021.
For comparison, car accidents have a casualty rate of about 20%. In other words, approximately 80% of vehicle occupants will walk away from a car accident uninjured.
Overview of Common Injuries After a Houston Motorcycle Accident
The top three injuries among motorcyclists are to the lower extremities, upper extremities, and head. Motorcyclists also suffer injuries to the spine, chest, and abdomen, but at a much lower rate.
Liability for motorcycle accident injuries depends on the cause of the crash. If a driver causes an accident due to negligence, the driver could bear liability for the motorcyclist’s injuries.
Lower Extremity Injuries
Lower extremity injuries are the most common injuries suffered by motorcyclists in crashes. These injuries often happen when the motorcycle tips over after a collision. The motorcycle can fall on the motorcyclist, injuring the rider’s foot, leg, or hip. The weight of the motorcycle can fracture bones and tear muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage in the leg.
The motorcycle can also trap the motorcyclist’s lower extremities as it slides. This can lead to injuries like road rash and burns from the motorcycle’s exhaust system.
A motorcyclist can also injure their lower extremities in a side-impact collision. The vehicle can hit the motorcyclist, crushing the rider’s leg between the vehicle and the motorcycle.
Upper Extremity Injuries
Upper extremity injuries are the second-most common type of motorcycle crash injuries. Upper extremity injuries happen for many of the same reasons as lower extremity injuries.
You can fall onto your hands, arms, or shoulders when your motorcycle tips over. Your arms can also suffer lacerations, abrasions, or burns as you slide across the road after a collision.
If you get ejected from your motorcycle during a collision, you might instinctively try to use your hands and arms to catch yourself. Unfortunately, landing on your hands or arms would likely cause additional injuries.
Head, Face, and Neck Injuries
The rate of head injuries depends on whether the rider wore a helmet. According to the CDC, helmet use can reduce your chances of suffering a head injury by as much as 69%.
Helmeted motorcyclists suffer head injuries about 24% of the time, while unhelmeted riders suffer head injuries about 38% of the time. Helmeted motorcyclists only suffer injuries to the face and neck about 17% of the time. Unhelmeted motorcyclists, by contrast, suffer face and neck injuries about 36% of the time — more than twice as often as helmeted riders.
Head injuries can have devastating effects. You could fracture your skull, facial bones, or teeth. You might suffer disfigurement or even the loss of your senses of sight, hearing, taste, or smell if you injure your face.
The most severe consequence of head trauma is a brain injury. If you damage your brain, you might suffer physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms, including pain, paralysis, confusion, memory loss, and personality changes. When an accident damages the parts of the brain that control consciousness, breathing, or heartbeat, the consequences could be fatal.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Motorcycle injuries can cause significant financial losses and reduce your quality of life. If your injuries resulted from someone else’s negligence, you can seek compensation for your losses. Contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Houston motorcycle accident attorney to discuss your motorcycle accident and the injuries you suffered.
