One of the most significant advantages of riding a motorcycle in Atlanta is the ease of mobility it offers. While many motorcyclists in the area enjoy the feel of the open road, others choose to ride for the ease of maneuvering on our busy interstates. But whether it’s on I-85 or at the junction of I-285 and GA-400, many motorcyclists find themselves involved in accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, understanding how your injuries affect any damages you may receive is critical. This article serves as a guide to common motorcycle accidents and how they may impact any compensation you may receive.
Why Motorcycle Accidents Cause More Severe Injuries
Unlike motorists who travel in enclosed vehicles, motorcyclists are vulnerable to external conditions. Atlanta is well known for its congested corridors, and I-285, I-85, and GA-400 are among the state’s highest-risk areas for motorcycle accidents.
The Georgia motorcycle accident fatality rate is approximately 30 times higher per mile traveled than that of passenger vehicles. With the lack of a seatbelt, airbag, or steel frame protecting them, many motorcycle riders suffer severe or catastrophic injuries.
The average motorcycle weighs between 400 and 700 lbs. Far less than a passenger vehicle that weighs between 3,000 and 4,000 lbs. The disproportionate force between the two can have devastating effects on the smaller motorcycle and rider.
Contact with the road surface is commonly cited as one of the leading causes of serious motorcycle accident injuries. Coming into contact with asphalt, road debris, and guardrails during a slide, even when wearing protective gear, can leave riders critically injured.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Spinal Cord Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and spinal cord injuries are the leading cause of death in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Although Georgia does not require adult riders to wear helmets, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-315 does mandate that riders under 18 wear one.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Even for adults who choose to wear a helmet, a TBI can occur due to the force of impact, especially when traveling at excessive speeds. Some common TBIs linked to motorcycle accidents include:
- Concussions
- Contusions
- Diffuse axonal injuries
- Skull fractures
Some of the long-term effects from TBIs include memory loss, cognitive impairment, personality changes, chronic headaches, and seizures.
Due to the severity and need for lifelong care, TBI cases frequently result in substantial settlements.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Motorcycle collisions are also a leading cause of spinal cord injuries. The force of the impact of a rider thrown from a motorcycle can dislocate or fracture vertebrae, compressing or severing the spinal cord. Motorcycle accident victims who suffer severe spinal cord injuries often require lifetime care. The cost of lifelong skilled medical care can easily exceed 5 million dollars for accident victims and their families.
The most common types of motorcycle accident-related spinal cord injuries include:
- Complete vs. incomplete injuries
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
Road Rash, Broken Bones, and Internal Organ Injuries
Motorcyclists suffer road rash when their skin contacts the road surface at high speeds. Road rash severity levels include:
- First-degree: Minor scraping
- Second-degree: Exposed muscle tissue
- Third-degree: Down to the bone
Severe cases of road rash can cause chronic pain and often require skin grafts, which can result in permanent scarring. Even though protective gear, such as leather or Kevlar, is designed to reduce road rash, it does not eliminate risk. Infections are a common complication of road rash. Road rash wounds can easily become infected from asphalt, debris, and dirt.
Many riders also suffer fractures to legs, arms, and collarbones. Compound (open) fractures, in which the bone breaks through the skin, carry a high risk of infection and require surgical repair. Pelvic, wrist, and hand fractures are also commonly reported in Atlanta motorcycle accidents. Wrist and hand fractures are typically the result of the rider’s instinctive reaction to brace for impact.
Blunt force trauma to the torso frequently causes damage to internal organs without manifesting visible external injuries. Internal bleeding can be life-threatening and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately by performing emergency surgery. Recovery times can significantly vary from weeks to heal simple fractures to months for compound fractures requiring surgical hardware.
Amputations, Burns, and Emotional Injuries
One of the most traumatic injuries that result from motorcycle accidents is amputation. Amputations can be necessary when a limb is caught between the motorcycle and another vehicle or object. Painful crush injuries are caused by being pinned against a guardrail or under a vehicle. Lower extremities, such as legs and feet, are the most common areas that are affected in motorcycle accidents.
No matter what area of the body is affected, amputations typically result in significant economic damages. Home modifications, rehabilitation, and prosthetics can be costly for families.
Severe burns from motorcycle engine and exhaust pipes, and from fuel, increase the risk of burns in crashes. Chemical, friction, and other severe burns require specialized medical treatment in burn centers. Even with treatment, many severe burns result in permanent scarring and disfigurement.
Many motorcycle accident victims are left to deal with PTSD and suffer from extreme anxiety when driving in traffic or even being a passenger. Georgia personal injury law recognizes emotional distress as a recoverable form of damages.
How Motorcycle Accident Injuries Affect Compensation in Georgia
The severity of a motorcycle accident injury is the driving factor in a settlement or verdict. Georgia does not cap non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in most personal injury cases. Depending on the circumstances, punitive damages may apply if the at-fault driver was reckless, distracted, or driving under the influence.
Under Georgia’s comparative negligence laws (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33), your compensation is reduced by your assigned percentage of fault. While adults are not legally required to wear a helmet, not wearing one can be used as evidence that you are partially responsible for your injuries.
If you have suffered a severe injury, it is in your best interest to seek immediate legal representation. Contact Durham Law Group today at 404-845-3434 or 813-333-6250 for a free consultation to discuss your motorcycle accident case.
