Motorcycle accidents cause serious injuries and take many lives in Colorado each year. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, motorcycle fatalities reached the highest number on record for the state in 2022, with 149 motorcyclists killed. The Denver motorcycle accident lawyers at Manning Law have experience handling accident cases and know that if a motorcyclist survives an accident, he or she may have a long road to recovery due to severe or life-changing injuries.
Soft-Tissue Injuries
The soft tissues of the body, including the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and other tissues that surround the bones and joints, cannot withstand the pressure exerted upon them in a motorcycle accident. When a motorcyclist’s limbs strike the asphalt, for example, he or she may suffer elbow, knee and other joint injuries. Examples include sprains, strains, tears, contusions, bruising and tendinitis.
Road Rash
Road rash refers to skin abrasions or friction burns caused by contact between a motorcyclist’s skin and an abrasive surface, such as asphalt, dirt or rocks. The cuts and scrapes caused by road rash can cause significant pain and suffering as well as permanent scars. In some cases, road rash results in traumatic tattooing, where debris becomes embedded in the skin from the accident to create a permanent mark, skin discoloration or textural changes.
Bone Fractures
Our car accident lawyers in Denver have seen many motorcyclists suffer broken bones in accidents from contact with a motor vehicle or the roadway. If a motorcyclist sticks out his or her arm to catch the fall, for example, bones in the arm or hand could fracture. Lower extremity fractures are also common due to the lower half of the motorcyclist’s body getting caught beneath the bike or the tires of a motor vehicle. Other examples are fractures to the skull, clavicle, ribs, pelvis and spine.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Motorcyclists are at high risk of head and brain injuries in motorcycle accidents – especially if they ride without helmets. The rider’s head may strike one or more objects in an accident, leading to blunt-force trauma that injures the brain. While helmets are not legally required for motorcyclists over the age of 18 in Colorado, wearing one can significantly reduce a rider’s risk of a fatal brain injury. Our Denver brain injury lawyers recommend always wearing a helmet which can also help prevent injuries to the face, eyes and teeth.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
A motorcyclist’s back and neck are vulnerable to injury in a collision. A rider may suffer whiplash, other soft-tissue damage in the neck, spinal cord fractures, herniated or slipped discs, nerve damage, crush injuries, overextension, or spinal concussions. The most common part of the spinal cord injured in motorcycle accidents is the thoracic spine, or the lower spine. Our experienced spinal cord injury lawyers in Denver have seen cases in which severe spinal cord trauma results in permanent paralysis, or loss of feeling and function below the point of injury, as well as death.
Abdominal Injuries and Organ Damage
Fractures or crush injuries to a motorcyclist’s midsection could cause abdominal harm, such as organ damage, internal bleeding or a punctured lung. Vascular injuries and heart lacerations could also occur. In addition, the force of the motorcycle accident could cause impact-related injuries to the liver, spleen, kidneys and other internal organs. Internal injuries put a victim at risk of delayed diagnosis, infections, sepsis and hemorrhage (uncontrollable bleeding).
If you suffer any type of injury in a motorcycle accident in Denver, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact a Denver personal injury lawyer at Manning Law to learn more during a free case consultation.
