Motorcyclists are at a high risk for brain injury when they are involved in an accident.
Motorcycle accident brain injury lawyer Lee D. Gaber, Esquire is a leader among Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorneys handling brain injury accidents and will bring considerable knowledge to your case if you or someone you love has had an injury as a result of a motorcycle accident.
When a motorcycle rider has sustained a brain injury, they are in need of an motorcycle attorney who has experience with serious brain injuries. It is imperative that you receive the best care possible in order to recover from your injuries.
Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer Lee D. Gaber, Esquire, is available at 888-292-5352 (888-CYCLE-LAW) for a free consultation.
A concussion is more than just a bump on the head
A head injury sustained in a motorcycle accident is often much more serious than it appears at first.
Because many of the symptoms are ambiguous, or do not present immediately, it is not uncommon for victims to sustain a fairly serious concussion without realizing it – especially if they were wearing a helmet.
As a result some sufferers do not even seek medical treatment, much less the services of a qualified motorcycle personal injury claim lawyer.
As a Pennsylvania personal injury attorney who is also an enthusiastic rider, it is more than just my job to help you fight for justice regarding the medical bills, lost wages and other expenses to which you are entitled – it is my passion.
Motorcycle personal injury claim lawyers will help you fight for concussion compensation
Make no mistake about it, a concussion is more than just a bump on the head; it is a brain injury, and as such can have serious impacts on your life, your family, your finances, and your career.
Some of the signs and symptoms of concussion include:
- Confusion and difficulty concentrating
- Amnesia and memory problems
- Headache and dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
- Ringing in the ears (may lead to chronic tinnitus)
- Light or noise sensitivity
- Problems sleeping
- Behavioral issues, such as irritability and depression
Even when clients understand that they have sustained a concussion, most do not understand the range of potential long-term effects, which can include continued difficulty focusing, clinical depression, dementia, and early onset Alzheimer’s.
The treatment for a concussion includes bed rest, pain medication and fluids. A patient with a concussion should also obtain follow-up care to be monitored for the long-term effects of a head injury.
Establishing the cause and severity of your head injury
Many concussion symptoms seem either ambiguous as to their cause, or only present much later, and many victims seem fine at first. So it is imperative that you seek the services of an experienced motorcycle personal injury claim lawyer as soon as is feasible in order to establish causality.
Some steps qualified motorcycle personal injury claim lawyers may take to determine the cause and severity of your symptoms include:
- Before and after interviews with friends and family members of the victim to demonstrate the effects of the injury
- Expert medical testimony
Prevention of concussions and head injuries
Because the head is located at the end of the body, a whip-like action occurs when the body is violently jarred or thrown. The head is at the end of “the whip” and is prone to strike the road, a vehicle, or another obstacle at high speed.
The Role of a Helmet
Wearing a helmet is the primary method you can employ to prevent or lessen the severity of a brain injury. A helmet will, to some degree, cushion a striking blow against the head.
As of the writing of this article, helmets only provide protection against linear blows, although new designs are currently being developed that help to mitigate rotational forces on the brain.
Limitations of Helmets and the Woodpecker
Brain injury researchers wondered why woodpeckers don’t have brain trauma as a result of banging their heads against wood all day long. What they found is that woodpecker’s brains, and human brains as well, are remarkably resilient to linear blows.
If the strike comes straight at the head and only pushes the brain in one direction against the skull, the tissue between the brain and the skull will lessen the shock to the brain itself. It is rotational forces that cause the most damage to the brain.
When the brain is turning within the skull, helmets do not provide protection against this type of force and unfortunately that is when severe Brain injuries occur.
It will come as no surprise that the single most effective strategy for preventing a catastrophic head injury on your bike is to wear a helmet. While they are not 100% effective at preventing concussion, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that wearing a helmet reduces your risk of head injury by almost 70%.
If you believe you have sustained a concussion due to negligence on the part of another driver, poorly designed or implemented signage, or inadequately maintained pavement, Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorney Lee D. Gaber can help. Call 1-888-292-5352 (1-888-cycle-law) today to schedule free consultation.