Motorcycle accidents can often be deadly. If you are lucky enough to survive a Nevada motorcycle crash, you were wearing protective gear and still ended up with serious physical and mental injuries. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) finds the use of helmets by victims of motorcycle accidents reduced the risk of death by 37%. Likewise, the use of protective headgear reduced the risk of head injury by nearly 70%.
Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
There are several different injuries that may result from a Nevada motorcycle accident. Since a motorcycle balances on two wheels, a collision often causes the bike to fall over, resulting in serious injuries. The most common motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Broken legs, arms, and or wrists;
- Internal bleeding;
- Spinal cord damage;
- Paralysis;
- Facial disfigurement;
- Road rash;
- Coma; and
- Death.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Motorcycle Accidents
One common injury resulting from a Nevada motorcycle accident is a traumatic brain injury. Typically referred to as a TBI, these injuries are often the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents. Under Nevada law, motorcyclists and their passengers must wear protective gear including helmets. A TBI is an injury to the brain that is often difficult to diagnose because it can present in a broad range of symptoms and disabilities. Another reason why TBIs are complicated diagnoses to make is that it is not uncommon for a victim’s debilitating symptoms to appear days, weeks, or even months after the initial injury has occurred. Someone who has suffered a TBI often experiences physical and cognitive changes, which affect all aspects of daily life.
TBIs are typically classified by three categories – mild, moderate, and severe. While the severity of the symptoms may differ and therefore place the victim in one of the three TBI classifications, they generally include:
- Memory loss;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Loss of balance or dizziness;
- Fatigue and headaches;
- Confusion;
- Delayed processing speed;
- Reading and writing difficulties;
- Slurred speech;
- Vision, tasting, and hearing impairments; and
- Seizures.
Seeking Monetary Compensation
When the other driver is at fault for the Nevada motorcycle accident due to negligence or irresponsible behavior, the victim may be able to seek legal recourse in the form of monetary compensation for harm suffered. Filing a personal injury lawsuit may help victims recover medical costs, lost wages, physical therapy expenses, occupational rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and counseling service fees for emotional distress, among others.
While Nevada law mandates at least $15,000.00 in personal injury insurance coverage for a single motorcyclist (going up to $25,000 in 2018), many people drive on the roads who are underinsured or not insured at all. Unfortunately, because this amount is often eclipsed by actual harm suffered by a motorcycle accident victim, a Nevada personal injury victim can be left without a way to pay for medical costs and associated expenses.
Nevada Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Nevada motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Learn how the Nevada personal injury attorneys at H & P can assist in your fight. Click here today to speak with one of our experienced lawyers.
