Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Serving Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and surrounding areas
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die and eight times more likely to be injured in an accident than are occupants of passenger cars. A little over half of all fatal motorcycle accidents involve hitting another vehicle, while a quarter of fatal accidents are the result of the motorcycle hitting a fixed object. These are startling numbers for a vehicle that only comprises three percent of all vehicles on the road.
There are several reasons why motorcyclists are more likely to be injured or killed in accidents than are those riding in cars. First, the obvious reason is the lack of protection that surrounds motorcyclists. There is nothing to cushion the body like there is with a car or truck. Safety features, like seatbelts, are also not part of motorcycles. However, one safety feature that motorcyclists have to protect them is the helmet, which is mandatory for anyone under 18-years-old in Oklahoma. However, it is optional after that age. Serious head injuries are common in those who are not wearing a helmet at the time of their accident.
Because riders are thrown from the motorcycle during an accident most of the time, injuries sustained run the gamut, but are often very serious. Common injuries include:
- Abrasions
- Soft tissue injuries
- Fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputation
The type of injury sustained by the rider can depend on speed, road conditions, number of vehicles involved, crashworthiness of the motorcycle, as well as what type of safety gear was worn at the time of the crash.
Even if you are not badly injured in a motorcycle accident, you should still seek medical care. The reason is that injuries like those associated with head, neck and back injuries may take weeks or even months to surface. If you are injured, your recovery time may cause you to lose out on valuable personal time, as well as cost you economically. It is for these reasons that you need to also seek out legal consultation during this time.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in the Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or McAlester, Oklahoma area, please contact Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Belote, Maxcey & Thetford for an initial consultation.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you should contact us immediately. Motorcycle accident cases are historically difficult to win - unless you have the expertise of Stipe & Belote on your side.
We will help ensure that you are treated fairly in the court of law and receive the compensation you deserve.
Although medical professionals are required by law to exercise the utmost care, skill and diligence when treating their patients, it is estimated that over 90,000 people every year are either injured or killed due to physician or nurse error. 
When workers are injured, employers and their workers compensation insurance carrier are responsible for providing those employees with the medical care they need as quickly as possible. 
If you are disabled, and can no longer work, the federal government offers disability payments to individuals who qualify under the Social Security Disability Insurance plan. 
