Motorcycle enthusiasts across Maryland are known for their love of the open road, but at the same time, they must always balance the significant risks of cycling. When the unthinkable happens, and a collision or other accident results in serious head trauma, it is important to know what injury victims might expect, both now and in the future.
Common causes of motorcycle crashes
Just as with all types of vehicular accidents, motorcycle crashes can transpire in a number of different ways. Driver inattention or error, impaired driving, unsafe road conditions or defective equipment all have the potential to produce devastating events and life-changing personal injuries, particularly those affecting the head.
As varied as the events leading up to motorcycle crashes tend to be, the types and degrees of harm sustained by those involved as similarly diverse. Some of the most frequently suffered head traumas experienced by riders include:
- Concussion
- Hemorrhage
- Laceration
- Contusion
- Crush injury
Long-term impacts of motorcycle head trauma
While some bikers unlucky enough to experience a crash will emerge relatively unscathed, the consequences for others can be truly life-altering in their severity. Head injuries stemming from motorcycle crashes routinely leave victims with lingering effects such as:
- Paralysis
- Diminished cognitive function
- Impaired vision
- Depression
- Seizures
Given the potentially catastrophic outcomes of accidental head injuries, it is incumbent upon all motorcyclists to observe all safety rules and regulations at all times. However, that does not absolve all other motorists with whom they share the road of their own set of duties and responsibilities. Maintaining a keen awareness of the very real dangers motorcyclists face goes a long way toward avoiding painful, costly and sometimes permanently debilitating outcomes.