Motorcycle accidents are terrifying. In many cases, victims are thrown from their bikes and suffer extremely serious injuries. It is not uncommon for riders to end up with life-changing injuries, including broken bones, serious soft tissue injuries, and even brain or spinal cord injuries. Many Illinois motorcycle accidents are fatal. Thankfully, in many cases, victims or surviving families can often recover compensation by retaining a Lake County motorcycle lawyer.

Recovering compensation after a motorcycle accident can be a complicated matter. Below, we discuss three mistakes to avoid in the aftermath of a crash. For more information, contact us today to speak with a motorcycle accident attorney in Waukegan.

Failing to Seek Medical Attention

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident is failing to seek adequate medical attention. Importantly, you should seek additional care even if the emergency medical personnel clear you to go home. Seeing a doctor will ensure that your injuries are identified and that you have an official medical record that you can use as evidence.

Motorcycle helmets are a critical piece of safety equipment designed to protect riders from head injuries. However, questions may arise regarding the effectiveness of helmets in preventing head injuries, especially traumatic brain injuries. Unfortunately, motorcycle helmets do not always prevent head injuries. If you experienced an injury riding a motorcycle, contact a lawyer right away, as you may be entitled to damages.

The Benefits of Motorcycle Helmets 

Motorcycle helmets are specifically designed to protect the head and brain during accidents. Essentially, the helmet provides a barrier between the skull and the external forces that can cause head trauma. Helmets are usually constructed with a hard outer shell, an impact-absorbing liner, and a comfort padding. These layers work together to absorb and distribute the impact force, minimizing the likelihood of a head injury. 

Reducing the Risk of Head Injuries

Studies consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of motorcycle accidents in reducing the risk of head injuries. Helmets are estimated to be about 37 percent effective in preventing fatal head injuries among motorcycle riders. Helmets have also been demonstrated to reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury and skull fractures.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating and life-changing events. They can cause severe injuries, medical expenses, and emotional trauma. Illinois, like most states, establishes various requirements for individuals involved in any motorcycle accident. A lot of these steps are quite simple and basic. Nevertheless, notifying legal authorities and other technical requirements are slightly more complex. 

Here are the steps you must take after a motorcycle accident in Illinois:

1. Stay at the Scene of the Accident 

Make sure you stay at the accident scene after a motorcycle accident. Failing to stop is considered a “hit-and-run accident” and a criminal misdemeanor. Nevertheless, in case of death or serious injury, a hit-and-run can be considered a criminal felony. 

Being involved in any type of collision, no matter how minor, can put a motorcyclist at extreme risk of harm. Motorcycle accidents can result in injuries severe enough to alter the course of a person’s life. While the risk of a traumatic brain injury can be somewhat mitigated with the proper use of a motorcycle helmet, the risk of neck and spinal cord injuries generally cannot. Neck and back injuries can cause paralysis, or long-lasting pain and disability. Wrongful death cases related to fatal motorcycle accidents must all too often be brought by the victim’s surviving family members. While motorcyclists encounter many sources of danger on the roads, careless drivers are perhaps the single greatest threat. Drivers often fail to use reasonable caution in sharing the road with motorcyclists, who have little protection in the event of an impact. If you were injured by a careless driver while riding a motorcycle, an attorney may be able to help you recover compensation.

Motorcycle Accidents Caused by Careless Drivers

In collisions between cars and motorcycles, the motorcyclist is far more likely to suffer a severe injury, yet the driver is likely to be at fault. The forms that these accidents often take include:

• Sideswipe - Sideswipe collisions often occur when the driver of a car fails to appropriately check their blind spot before changing lanes. Without checking their blind spot, a driver can very easily miss seeing someone riding a motorcycle. The motorcyclist can be pushed off the road completely, or into another lane, creating substantial risk of a secondary collision.
• Near-miss - A driver can do severe harm to a motorcyclist without physically hitting them at all. Inattentive drivers often set themselves on a course where they are inevitably going to strike a motorcyclist if the motorcyclist does not immediately take evasive action. Steering away from the car may prevent a very serious accident, but the motorcyclist may instead collide with a stationary object or lose control of their bike.
• Rear-end - Careless drivers may simply not be devoting the attention required to spot a motorcyclist ahead of them to the road. Inattentiveness can cause drivers to not become aware of a motorcyclist slowing down or stopping ahead of them in time to prevent a rear-end collision.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation.

As temperatures are warming up and spring is coming into full bloom, more people are taking their motorcycles out of their garages, out from under their tarps, and out onto the open road. Riding a motorcycle can be a refreshing activity on a brisk spring day in Northern Illinois, but it can also be dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 84,000 motorcyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes across the United States in 2019. Car accidents happen all of the time for a variety of reasons, but when accidents happen because of the negligence of another person, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to claim compensation for your injuries.

Common Motorcycle Injuries

Motorcyclists are extremely exposed to the elements when they ride, which is why safety advocates highly recommend wearing safety clothing along with a DOT-approved helmet. Even still, accidents involving a motorcyclist and an actual vehicle typically result in the majority of the injuries being sustained by the motorcyclist. Some of the most common injuries include:

• Head Injuries: In many accidents involving motorcyclists, head or neck injuries are of concern. Riders who wear helmets are much less likely to sustain a head injury, but they are still at risk of suffering from a concussion, which can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, and potentially even a coma or other loss of consciousness.
• Road Rash: Road rash is a type of skin abrasion that occurs when a person’s skin makes contact with the pavement and is essentially scraped off. Not only is it painful, but it comes in varying degrees, can cause scarring, and has the potential to also cause infection.
• Broken or Crushed Bones: Broken bones can occur simply from the sheer impact of a person making contact with other things at a high rate of speed. It is not uncommon for motorcyclists to walk away from an accident with a broken limb or rib.
• Burns: In some cases, motorcycle accidents can cause burns from hot engines or other machine parts that come into contact with the skin. If this happens, permanent scarring or disfigurement and extreme pain could occur.

Discuss Your Case With Our Lake County Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorney

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you should speak with a Waukegan, IL motorcycle accident injury lawyer as soon as possible. At Salvi & Maher, LLC, we understand how difficult it can be to balance typical living expenses when you are suddenly faced with lost income and extravagant medical bills. Let us help you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. Call our office today at 847-662-3303 to discuss your options.