What are common motorcycle injuries?
Our lawyers help injured motorcyclists with their accident claim
Many motorcycle accidents result in very serious injuries. If you or a loved one was injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver, it’s critical that you take strong legal action to protect your rights. Otherwise, you might not get the money you deserve for your injury claim.
Our dedicated team of trial lawyers at Glaser & Ebbs fights for the rights of injured motorcyclists in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and throughout Indiana. We have more than 100 years of combined legal experience. As a result, we won’t waste a second once we start working on your case.
When you have our legal team working for you, you can take an aggressive approach after your accident. Instead of insurance companies dictating what happens, you’re in charge. Our attorneys can negotiate on your behalf and make sure your best interests get the attention you deserve.
What are common motorcycle accident injuries?
Injuries sustained by motorcyclists in accidents caused by other drivers are often very serious. Some of the most common injuries we regularly deal with when we represent injured motorcyclists include:
- Head injuries – Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions, are common in motorcycle crashes. Even though all motorcyclists are required to wear helmets in Indiana, many bikers still sustain serious injuries to the head in crashes caused by other drivers, including skull fractures and other head trauma.
- Spinal cord injuries – Because motorcyclists do not have protection around them, they often sustain injuries to the back or spine in crashes involving other drivers. Sometimes, back injuries are minor, but serious spinal cord injuries often occur, sometimes resulting in paralysis due to thoracic spine injuries.
- Internal injuries – Injuries to the liver, spleen and other organs often occur as a result of a motorcycle accident. Internal bleeding can also occur and needs to treated right away. Otherwise, the injured motorcyclist can experience serious or potentially fatal consequences due to life-threatening injuries.
- Road rash – When motorcyclists get thrown from their bike or slide on the ground after a crash, many suffer from road rash, a medical term used to describe serious skin burns caused by abrasion to the skin being scrapped along the ground at high speed. If not treated properly, road rash injuries can become infected or result in other serious medical complications.
- Arm and hand injuries – When a vehicle hits a motorcycle, the rider sometimes tries to break their fall with their arms or hands after they’re ejected from the motorcycle. Because the motorcyclist is often traveling at such a high rate of speed, they often break bones in their arms, hands or fingers. Other times, a motorcyclist’s arms or hands get crushed or burned during an accident.
- Leg and foot injuries – Motorcyclists often sustain injuries to their legs and feet in crashes involving other drivers. Sometimes, their legs or feet get crushed by the car. Other times, injuries occur due to being thrown from the motorcycle or sliding on the road after the collision.
- Broken bones – Broken ribs, shoulder bones and other bones in the body are often fractured as a result of a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle.
Whatever type of injury you or a loved one sustained in a motorcycle accident, make sure you receive immediate medical care. Go to the nearest hospital emergency room if necessary. Then talk to a lawyer at our firm. We can take care of everything while you focus on what matters most – recovering from your crash.
Who determines who’s at fault?
Your insurance company and the driver’s insurance company often determine who was at fault in your accident. They often base their determination on several factors, often starting with the official Indiana accident report compiled by the investigating police officer. The insurance companies then often conduct their own independent investigation to determine who’s to blame.
This is an important step because Indiana has a fault-based insurance system. That means the at-fault party’s insurance company is responsible for financially compensating everyone who was injured in the accident.
It’s also important to understand that your insurance company only cares about determining who was at fault, not whether you’re fairly compensated for your injury claim. That’s your lawyer’s job. That’s why it’s critical that you have an experienced attorney working for you.
How can a lawyer help?
Your lawyer does more than just demand the money you deserve for your injury-related expenses. Your attorney looks out for your best interests at every step in the process of your injury claim. Such steps may include:
- Conduct an independent investigation into your motorcycle accident to make sure all the facts related to your case are accurate.
- Consult with accident-reconstruction experts on your behalf.
- Negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company on your behalf.
- File a lawsuit on your behalf if necessary, particularly if the at-fault driver’s insurance company refuses to negotiate a settlement claim or denies your injury claim altogether.
Insurance companies for the at-fault driver often try to play games in cases involving injured motorcyclists. These companies often try to blame motorcyclists for causing the collision, even when it was the driver who clearly caused the crash.
Insurance companies don’t intimidate us. We know how to deal with them effectively and how to hold them accountable for their client’s actions. We take such cases very seriously. As your lawyer, we won’t back down from a fight with insurance companies or anyone else who stands in our way for justice. And we’re determined to win.
Get the law firm that gets results. Contact us.
The clock is ticking after your motorcycle accident. In Indiana, you only have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit or take other legal action to demand the money you deserve for you injury claim.
Make the most of your opportunity for justice. Get the law firm that gets results. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with a lawyer who knows how to handle motorcycle accidents. We can meet with you in our Fort Wayne or Indianapolis office or one of our other Indiana locations. We can also meet in your hospital room, your home or wherever’s convenient for you.