According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, in 2008 alone, more than 1.1 million motorcycles were sold. Sure, riding a motorcycle may be faster, more fuel efficient, and in many ways “cooler” but it is also more dangerous than riding cars or SUVs.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, motorcycle accident fatalities are 37 times higher than that of a car crash. In 2006, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that as many as 88,000 people were injured in motorcycle accidents but every year, the number increases as more and more people take to the streets riding their motorcycles.
There are many reasons which can cause motorcycle accidents and some of these are:
• Lack of basic riding skills
• Failure of the rider to properly operate the vehicle
• Failure to use defensive driving techniques
• Failure to follow traffic rules and signals
As motorcycles afford very little protection to the rider compared to occupants of a sedan who have the benefits of a seatbelt, airbags, and even the body of the vehicle to cushion the impact of a crash, injuries can be severe and debilitating which can even result to death.
Aside from road rash, bruises, contusions, fractures, head injuries, the impact of the crash can be so strong as to even cause a disability. Head injuries can cause brain damage or leave the victim in a coma. Back injuries, especially if the rider gets thrown from his bike can break his spine which can cause paralysis. If a rider’s limbs get crushed by his bike after falling from it, the affected body part may also get amputated.
These catastrophic injuries can completely change the life of the victim and also his family. Aside from taking away his mobility and most likely his livelihood if he gets disabled or paralyzed, even the most basic functions can be a challenge.
It would be easy for the victim and his family to become bitter and lose hope after a motorcycle accident which resulted to disability. But even if it seems that they have lost financial support or pleasure to enjoy simple pleasures in life, if the accident was caused by the fault of negligence of the other party, they have a means to recover monetary compensation to at least help make ends meet.
It would be important for the victim or his family to immediately consult a motorcycle accident lawyer or personal injury attorney following a crash that severely injured the rider. Having a lawyer with you will help you pursue compensation for the economic and non-economic damages you suffered because of the other party’s negligence and liability. Motorcycle accidents may turn out badly, but it doesn’t mean that you would have to suffer in vain the results of your disability.
