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Get the resources and advocacy of a Pensacola, FL motorcycle accident lawyer skilled in leg injuries. Speak now with the team at Stevenson Klotz Injury Lawyers to get help recovering damages.
How Do Motorcycle Leg Injuries Happen?
The legs are exposed for a motorcycle rider putting them at greater risk of being seriously hurt in an accident. They don’t have the protection of drivers and passengers inside traditional vehicles with seatbelts, airbags, and the exterior to minimize the impact.
Motorcycle leg injuries are extremely common and may affect the upper or lower leg, the knees, or the foot.
One early study from the NHTSA found that lower extremity injuries were some of the most common sustained by motorcyclists who were treated in hospitals around the country. In order of highest likelihood, those injuries affected the leg, pelvis, knee, thigh, and ankle.
These injuries range in severity and can take anywhere from several weeks to several months for recovery. Some motorcyclists are so seriously injured that they may never fully recover to the level of physical health they experienced prior to the accident.
However, they may reach a point at which their doctor classifies them as at maximum medical improvement or the level at which they’re unlikely to make any further recovery. This should all be accounted for in your motorcycle accident case handled by a qualified and experienced attorney.
Types of Motorcycle Leg Fractures
The vast majority of motorcycle leg fractures affect the tibia and fibula, the two bones in the lower leg. They are weaker bones than the nearby femur and often experience greater force in a motorcycle accident. Total bone replacement may be required for the most serious of tibia or fibula fractures. Someone with a moderate fracture will need to wear a cast while the injury heals.
There are several different types of fractures.
The first of these is known as an open fracture, which happens when the bone emerges through the victim’s skin and causes open wounds. A closed fracture is often classified as a simple fracture because it does not cause soft tissue injuries. These are very common in motorcycle injury cases, and treatment involves setting the bone fragments to allow the bone to heal naturally.
A complete fracture refers to the complete separation of the victim’s bone during the break, whereas an incomplete fracture happens when parts of the bones stay connected. A spiral fracture is a type of fracture from the forces that cause the bone to twist until it breaks, which causes more substantial injuries to the bone.
Implants, surgical repair, and skin grafts may all be required, and a comminuted fracture or shattered bone refers to multiple breaks along the bone in numerous places, which is very common in foot injuries. An impacted fracture refers to two bones being forced into one another.
Other Types of Leg Injuries
Crush injuries
A crush injury is used to describe the fact that the lower extremity is crushed that it likely needs to be amputated. While these injuries are rarer than fractures and broken bones, they are extremely painful and expensive to treat.
They happen most often when another car runs over a motorcyclist who has been thrown into the roadway or when a motorcyclist’s bike ends up on top of them after a crash.
Burn injuries
Burns may also occur in a motorcycle accident due to the hot parts of the bike that may come in contact with the rider’s skin. Burns may be classified as first, second, or third degree burns depending on the severity. These may be treated with skin grafts but can still leave permanent scars.
Lacerations, also known as “road rash,” frequently happen in motorcycle accidents. Even when a rider is wearing protective gear like appropriate clothing and a helmet, they can easily be thrown from their bike into the road, other cars, or stationary objects. Being dragged along the asphalt can tear through the rider’s gear and leave open wounds like lacerations.
Treatment and Costs of Motorcycle Leg Injuries
The cost of treating motorcycle leg injuries can be extremely high. The NHTSA study identified that the average medical bill for a motorcyclist with only one leg injury was over $20,000, but that value doubled for multiple injuries to both legs or the same leg. This does not account for lost wages or future financial support.
A motorcyclist’s best avenue for full recovery of compensation associated with their injury is filing a personal injury lawsuit with the help of a motorcycle accident leg injury lawyer in Pensacola.
When Do I Need to File a Pensacola Motorcycle Accident Case?
Drivers in Florida are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to pay for their initial medical bills after an accident. Once you’ve been hurt, you need to report the crash to your insurance carrier as soon as possible. If you have already exceeded the limits of your PIP protection, you need a qualified motorcycle leg injury lawyer immediately.
Your only chance to recover the compensation you need to move on with your life may be with a motorcycle injury lawyer.
Why Hire a Motorcycle Lawyer?
Often in motorcycle accidents, the passenger vehicle driver is typically responsible for causing the crash. It is usually the motorcyclist, however, who grapples with significant and excruciating pain, primarily affecting their leg.
All drivers owe a duty of care to others they share the road with, but unfortunately, not every driver pays attention to motorcyclists or understands how to drive defensively around them. Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents include drunk driving, distracted driving, and illegal lane changes.
Most motorcycle accident victims are severely injured in a crash, making it hard to keep up with paperwork and communication. Dealing with injuries from motorcycle accidents can be overwhelming and stressful on your own. Handing things off to your lawyer ensures that your focus remains on recovering from your injury.
Let the paperwork, strategy, and communication in your claim be managed by a team of legal professionals.
File Your Claim for a Motorcycle Leg Injury in Florida
Time is of the essence to fight for justice in your claim. Find a Pensacola motorcycle injury attorney as soon as you can to discuss your options in a legal case. Stevenson Klotz Injury Lawyers are here to discuss your claim in an initial consultation call. Contact us today.