Understanding Why Head Injuries Are Caused By Florida Motorcycle Accidents
In an effort to cut down on fuel costs, many individuals are choosing motorcycles as their main mode of transportation. The problem is that a head injury is the leading cause of death and disability in a Florida motorcycle accident. In fact, 80% of motorcycle accidents result in either serious injury or death.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a statement explaining that operating a motorcycle requires more skill and coordination than that of driving a car. Because motorcycles don’t provide the same protection as a car, they recommend that riders wear considerable amount of protective gear, including a safe helmet. Since wearing a helmet is known to reduce head injuries by over 35%, many states have made wearing a motorcycle helmet mandatory.
Some motorcycle enthusiasts take issue with the mandatory helmet law because it goes against the freedom of independence they enjoy while riding their bikes. Florida’s motorcycle helmet law requires that anyone under the age of 21 wear a helmet. If the motorcycle operator is over 21 and has insurance, he or she is not required to wear a helmet. Whether someone agrees with Florida’s helmet law or not, it is vital to understand the consequences of head injuries that result from motorcycle accidents.
Types of Head Injuries
A head injury is any trauma that injures the scalp, skull, or brain. Head injuries caused by motorcycle accidents can include a minor bump on the skull or a serious brain injury. If the head injury is “closed”, then the hit to the head did not actually break the skull. If the head injury is “open”, then it is considered to be penetrating because the blow broke through the skull and entered the brain.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common type of head injury caused by motorcycle accidents, whereby the brain has been shaken. TBI often causes a concussion, spinal cord injury, and seizures. Skull fractures and scalp wounds are lesser forms of head injuries that often respond well to medical treatment.
Head injuries are serious because they may cause bleeding either within the brain tissue or within the layers that surround the brain, called a hematoma. Individuals who sustain head injury hematomas will likely require surgery or slip into a comatose condition.
Head Injury: Easy to Miss Symptoms
Frequently, motorcyclists who sustain a head trauma don’t realize that they have been injured. That is because many head injuries don’t cause breakage to the skin that causes bleeding. Below is a list of head injury symptoms that many people look over:
- Confusion
- Mood Swings
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Lethargic or Aggression
Get Help!
If you have been in a motorcycle accident in South Florida and sustained a head injury of any type, it is important to talk with an experienced South Florida motorcycle accident attorney. Your attorney can help you prepare your paperwork to get you the compensation you desperately need and deserve.
Contact the Law Offices of David Benenfeld to find out what your legal rights are and how to receive help. Call: 954-677-0155 to meet with a skilled motorcycle accident attorney.
