Motorcycle Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries
It’s almost impossible to walk away from a motorcycle accident without an injury of some kind. There’s simply no protection for the motorcycle rider. No seatbelt, no airbags, no glass, no support structure. Two wheels, not four, which virtually guarantees that the bike and its rider will end up lying on the ground, possibly after hitting something.
The injuries can range from minor to severe. Anything from a bruise or a scrape to broken bones, torn ligaments, and severe lacerations. It’s crucial to immediately seek medical treatment for bad injuries to ensure that you receive the necessary medical treatment to properly heal.
Let’s discuss the various types of injuries that can result from a motorcycle crash:
Road Rash
Riders are often thrown from their motorcycles or dragged with them along the ground during a crash. Any exposed areas of skin may be scraped along the ground until the rider comes to a stop. The damage that causes is commonly referred to as “road rash.” Road rash literally refers to the skin peeling away from the body. Just like burns, medical professionals recognize three degrees of road rash:
First-degree road rash is minor. The rider will usually experience nothing more than redness, bruising, and some scrapes.
Second-degree road rash is more serious. At this point the top layer of skin has been scraped from the surface. Bleeding, intense pain, and even exposed tendons are common with second degree road rash.
Third-degree road rash is the most serious. All of the skin has been removed. Fatty tissue and even bone will be visible.
Even first-degree road rash should not be ignored. Medical treatment should be sought because of the risk of infection caused by the removal of a surface layer of skin. Second-degree and third-degree road rash can lead to not only infections, but also nerve damage and much more severe pain.
Broken Bones
Motorcycle accidents frequently cause broken bones. Bone fractures can range in severity. Some broken bones can only be repaired surgically. Unfortunately, regardless of medical treatment many victims of fractured bones will never make a full recovery. Common fractures from motorcycle accidents include:
Open Fracture: when the bone pierces through the skin
Complete Fracture: the bone is broken into two pieces
Comminuted Fracture: the bone shatters in several places
Greenstick Fracture: the bone cracks or bends
Torn Ligaments
Motorcycle crashes can cause more than road rash and broken bones. Torn ligaments are also common. They often occur when a part of a rider’s body has the weight of the rider and the motorcycle come down on it. Ankle, knee, and shoulder ligament tears are certainly possible because of a motorcycle crash.
Anyone familiar with sports knows that torn ligaments can require lengthy medical treatment. Braces, crutches and other assistive devices, physical therapy, painkillers, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and even surgery are common treatments for torn ligaments. Unfortunately, even with the best medical treatment it’s likely that someone who suffers a ligament tear because of a motorcycle accident will never fully recover given the daily stress put on ankles, knees, and shoulders.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
There’s a range of severity for brain injuries range. They often have a permanent impact on a person’s ability to live a normal life and function. A tremendous amount of cognitive and physical therapy can be necessary to restore traumatic brain injury victim to even a partial level of mental and physical functionality.