Virginia Motorcycle Accidents Cause Severe Lower Extremities Injuries

As an avid motorcycle enthusiast, you know that serious injuries are common for riders due to the vehicle’s design and size compared to cars and trucks on the road. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently published an article that details the specific types of bodily harm that disproportionately affects motorcyclists. The Lower Extremity Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes report reveals that almost half of all accidents cause injuries to the rider’s hips, thighs, shins, ankles, and feet.

Trauma to the lower part of the body can leave a victim disabled, sometimes permanently. You do have options to recover for your extensive losses, so you should trust a Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer for legal help. Some additional statistics on lower extremities injuries from motorcycle collisions and a description of the unique risk factors may also be informative.

 Statistics Reveal the Risks of Lower Extremity Injuries

Data from the NHTSA and other sources demonstrates the potential for serious lower-body injuries in a motorcycle accident. You might be shocked to learn that: 

• Most lower extremity injuries occur when the collision involves front and side-impact on the motorcycle.
• The leg is the section of the lower body that is most likely to sustain trauma in a motorcycle collision, followed by the pelvic area. Within the leg, the knees and thighs are most frequently affected.
• Riders are least likely to suffer hip trauma in a motorcycle crash, at just 4% of all lower-body injuries. However, hip injuries are among the most severe types of injuries, primarily because the hips carry much of the human body’s weight. More than 37% of all lower extremity injuries are dislocations, for which recovery can be extensive.
• Victims who are hospitalized due to lower extremities injuries expend approximately $21,000 for treatment and costs.

Risk Factors Affect Motorcycle Riders

Motorcycle crashes happen for some of the same reasons as other motor vehicle accidents, such as driver error or failure to comply with traffic laws. There are others that are unique to the design, shape, and size of a motorcycle. For instance: 

• Motorcycle riders are not surrounded by a metal barrier like passenger vehicles, so the impact is far more violent.
• Though manufacturers are updating many models, most motorcycles do not come equipped with airbags.
• A two-wheeled vehicle is less balanced, so a motorcycle is not as stable as other vehicles. Riders who encounter wet surfaces, slick roadways, potholes, and curves may lose control.
• A victim is ejected or falls from the vehicle in the vast majority of motorcycle crashes. A secondary impact can be even worse than the initial collision with another car.

 Talk to a Virginia Motorcycle Accident Attorney About Your Options 

Lower body injuries can lead to significant losses for a victim, but you may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and other damages. To learn how a Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer can assist, please call Hampton Injury Law PLC to schedule a case evaluation. Once we review your situation, we can discuss the next steps.