Sevierville Attorneys Seek Compensation for Your Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Helping injury victims in Pigeon Forge, Seymour, and Gatlinburg
All traffic accident injuries are serious, but motorcyclists face added dangers when navigating the streets. With more than 8.4 million motorcycles on the roadways each year, passenger vehicle operators should exercise reasonable precautions to promote their own safety, as well as the safety of the motorcycle riders around them. When they fail to meet this duty and injuries result, an experienced Sevierville personal injury attorney at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC can advocate on your behalf in Pigeon Forge, Seymour, or Gatlinburg, and in any of the surrounding areas.
Why are motorcycle accidents so dangerous?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), in 2014, more than 4,500 people died in motorcycle crashes. In addition, more than 92,000 riders were injured. When compared to occupants of passenger vehicles, motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to die and five times more likely to be injured in traffic accidents.
The major cause of motorcycle injuries is the openness of the bike. Without the protection that a passenger vehicle offers, the rider is at increased risk of being thrown into the air during a vehicle crash. The impact of the landing often leads to multiple injuries. In addition, passenger vehicle drivers often act in a manner that places motorcyclists at increased risk.
Common types of motorcycle accident injuries
Motorcycle accidents result in a variety of serious injuries. Some of the most common include:
- Lower extremity injuries. These injuries are the most common, affecting the legs and feet of the rider. Many of them occur because motorcycles cannot stand on their own. During an accident, they often fall to the side, trapping the rider underneath. The weight of the bike can crush the extremities, causing fractured or broken bones. Another common cause of lower extremity injury is the impact of a vehicle striking against the bike and its rider. While these injuries are not always life threatening, they sometimes lead to long-term medical complications and require treatment, or lead to more severe consequences such as paralysis.
- Head injuries. These common injuries range in severity from headaches to prolonged periods of unconsciousness. The hard exterior of a helmet is meant to prevent the intrusion of any foreign object into the head. The interior of the helmet is designed to keep the head from moving around inside. However, not even the best helmet can stop every head injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur when an impact causes the brain to move around and bump into the skull. The most severe cases may lead to a loss of cognitive functions.
- Upper extremity injuries. Injuries to the arms and hands may also prove extremely serious in a motorcycle accident. When thrown from a bike, the natural tendency is to extend the hands in an attempt to break the fall. This often leads to broken and fractured bones in hands and arms. In addition, the impact of landing on the ground often causes the rider to slide across the pavement. This causes a common condition called road rash. The mildest cases of road rash culminate in redness and scraping of the skin. The most severe cases result in the removal of the skin, exposing the flesh underneath and bone.
An experienced Sevierville motorcycle accident lawyer understands the implications of a motorcycle accident injury. These cases are challenging to present in court, requiring adequate evidence of the responsible party’s actions, along with proof that the actions proximately caused your injuries.
Contact an experienced Sevierville motorcycle accident attorney today
The Sevierville personal injury attorneys at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC have spent more than 20 years handling motorcycle accident cases for clients in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Seymour, and Gatlinburg. Call us today at 865-428-8780 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation with a knowledgeable lawyer.
