Why a Minor Motorcycle Crash Can Cause Major Long-Term Injuries

Imagine you’re riding your motorcycle in Houston, following all traffic laws, and traveling well within the speed limit. As you stop at a light, the driver of the vehicle behind you is looking down at their phone and rear-ends you hard enough to knock you off the bike. You might assume that this would cause minor motorcycle crash injuries, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, even seemingly insignificant accidents can result in serious harm that could require extensive care.

To address these losses, one of the options you have in Texas is to file a claim against the person who caused the accident. In this rear-end accident example, that would be the driver of the vehicle behind you. To have a chance to recover fair compensation, it’s always a good idea to speak with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer.

At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, our team of Houston personal injury lawyers has been helping people throughout Houston and beyond since 1985. Here’s what you need to know about long-term injuries associated with motorcycle crashes — and how we can help you seek compensation for your losses.

Don’t face the aftermath of a motorcycle accident alone. Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for a free and confidential consultation. 

The Dangers of Motorcycle Accidents

Why Minor Accidents Can Result in Long-Term Motorcycle Crash Injuries

Motorcycle accidents are less frequent in Houston than car accidents, but they often result in worse injuries for the biker. One of the problems that these vehicles have is their lack of protective features. Cars have enclosed cabins and crumple zones that can absorb a lot of the impact in a collision and airbags that can prevent drivers from hitting their heads against the steering wheel or dashboard. Motorcycles offer none of these features.

Motorcycles don’t have seat belts or any other kinds of restraints, either. This allows even a minor crash like a rear-end accident to send the rider off the bike and onto the road.

There are also balance and stability problems to worry about. It’s necessary to maintain precise balance to fully control the bike. If another vehicle so much as taps your motorcycle, you can end up on the ground. This instability can be worse in certain weather conditions.

For instance, it’s much easier for bikers to lose control of their motorcycles if the road is icy or wet. In those circumstances, it wouldn’t take much more than a tap from another vehicle to topple the bike.

Motorcycles are also harder for other vehicles to see. Cars and trucks have blind spots into which a bike can disappear, making accidents more likely to happen, as well as potentially increasing their severity. A driver who maneuvers into another lane because they assume there’s no other vehicle there will typically do so with significant force.

At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we have helped clients recover more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts. 

Minor Accidents That Could Turn Deadly for Bikers

All accidents involving a motorcycle can result in serious injuries. Sideswipe accidents are common issues for motorcycle riders, especially in busy cities like Houston. Drivers may attempt to switch traffic lanes without looking carefully enough for bikes, and the maneuver can hit the motorcycle’s side, easily unbalancing it. Depending on the speed at which the car was traveling, the crash can unseat the biker, too.

In some instances, the force can be enough to push the bike onto guardrails or other roadside obstacles. This can lead to further injuries. It’s not uncommon for sideswipe accidents to result in broken bones, including compound fractures that can leave bikers with a long recovery ahead of them.

A simple rear-end collision, which might not even leave a mark on a bumper if it occurred to a car, can result in injuries for a biker. The destabilization of the bike that happens when it’s struck could cause the biker to fall off. That puts them at risk not only of hitting their head against the pavement but also of being struck by other vehicles.

Injuries With Potential Long-Term Consequences

Injuries such as bruises and cuts may not result in long-term issues, but many of the wounds bikers suffer have the potential to affect them for life.

Broken Bones

Broken bones not only mean serious medical expenses, but they can also take months to heal. When dealing with compound breaks or other difficult fractures, there may be instances when the bones don’t heal perfectly. If you suffer what is called a non-union, you could be left with chronic discomfort and mobility issues. The bone may end up never fully healing.

Facial Injuries

It’s possible to suffer facial injuries in a motorcycle accident. (Although Texas law requires all riders and passengers under 21 to wear a helmet, some older riders choose not to – even though it may prevent this type of serious injury.) For example, you could break your nose or scrape your skin against the road. All of these wounds have the potential to leave you with scarring and disfigurement. Although the injuries may not be life-threatening, they could be life-altering.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Any damage that occurs to your spinal cord can be catastrophic. You can face paralysis, which may prevent you from working and living your life as you’d like. Even minor accidents can send you flying off your motorcycle onto the road. Landing at the wrong angle could be enough to transform your life.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) range from concussions to diffuse axonal injuries. Although most people think of concussions as minor, they can be debilitating. You could experience cognitive issues for weeks after the accident and might suffer from mood swings. Wearing a helmet can help protect you, but it might not fully prevent you from suffering head trauma.

Experiencing a concussion can mean that you’ll be more susceptible to suffering another one in the future as well. Subsequent concussions can also last longer and be more severe.

Legal Options Available After a Texas Motorcycle Accident

If you have been in a Houston motorcycle accident and suffered injuries, you may be entitled to file a claim against the party that caused the collision. Texas is a fault-based state for traffic accidents, so you must demonstrate that another party was responsible for the crash in order to recover losses. Doing so means showing that the party was negligent.

Negligence refers to a failure to behave with the care that another reasonable person would have shown in the same circumstances. To establish that negligence took place, you’ll have to show that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it.

For example, if the driver who struck your motorcycle was intoxicated, they failed in their responsibility to obey all traffic laws. Once you prove that the other party breached their duty, you have to show that their conduct resulted in injuries for which you can be compensated.

But what if you were partly to blame for the collision? If that’s the case, you may still be able to recover losses as long as you don’t hold the majority of fault.

Filing a Claim for Compensation After a Houston Motorcycle Accident

How Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law Can Help

If you’ve sustained an injury in a motorcycle accident, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. It’s never a good idea, however, to try to go through this process alone. You deserve experienced representation.

At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, our skilled team can offer the personalized support you deserve. We have helped Texas motorcycle crash victims for many years, and we are always here for the local biker community 24/7.

You shouldn’t have to suffer losses because of another party’s conduct. With the help of our law firm, you can take action to protect both your rights and your future.

Don’t wait to pursue the justice you deserve after suffering a motorcycle accident. Call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for a free and confidential motorcycle crash consultation.