Delaware Injury Attorneys Discuss Traumatic Brain Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

Experienced personal injury attorneys fighting for the rights of injured workers in Wilmington, Seaford and Newark, DE

Motorcycle riders are completely vulnerable to injury when they get into a crash. Their injuries are compounded when they do not wear a helmet when riding. Traumatic brain injury is one of the common injuries that can occur in a motorcycle crash, and they can occur in riders who do not wear helmets, and in riders who do wear helmets. At the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we go above and beyond to make sure that our clients in Newark, Wilmington, Seaford, and throughout Delaware, who have sustained traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident get the best compensation possible from the negligent party responsible for their injury. We take on the legal burden so that you can focus on getting better and getting back to your life.

Symptoms of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a bump, jolt or blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain’s normal functions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.7 million people sustain a TBI each year. Of those 52,000 people die, 275,000 are hospitalized and 1.365 million (nearly 80 percent) are treated in the emergency room and then released.

TBIs can range from mild to severe. The symptoms of traumatic brain injury will vary depending on the nature and severity of the injury, but some of the more prevalent signs of a TBI include:

• Loss of consciousness (for a few seconds or for several minutes)
• Appearing dazed, confused, or disoriented
• Loss of balance, dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting
• Tired feeling
• Severe headache, neck pain
• Blurry vision
• Odd changes in mood
• Memory problems
• Sleeping more or less than usual

The role of helmets in motorcycle safety

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports is a study about motorcycle helmet use and rider injuries that helmeted riders were less likely to receive facial and head injuries when compared to un-helmeted riders. Helmeted motorcycle riders were much less likely to experience TBI. The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,630 motorcyclists in 2013, and if every motorcyclist wore helmets, it would have saved an additional 715 lives. According to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), the overall rate of helmet use in the U.S. was about 60 percent in 2013, and about 41 percent of the 4,668 motorcycle riders who were killed in traffic crashes were not wearing helmets.

A study conducted by Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma reports that the relative risk of nonlethal head injury was significantly lower for riders who were wearing helmets than for un-helmeted riders. States with universal motorcycle helmet laws have fewer fatalities, and fewer severe head injuries from motorcycle accidents when compared with states without universal helmet laws.

In our own home state, riders over 19 must have a helmet in their possession, but there is no law requiring that they wear it. The legislation debates the law every few years (most recently in April of 2015), but it is always defeated or allowed to expire.

The impact of TBI on a person’s life

TBI is one of those injuries that will look different in different people’s lives because the effects of the injury depend largely on how severe the injury was, and how long the patient was unconscious following the injury. The prognosis of a traumatic brain injury will vary for every single case. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that about half of severely injured TBI patients will require surgery, some will be left with disabilities ranging from problems with cognition (thinking, memory and reasoning), sensory processing (vision, hearing, taste and smell), communication, behavior and mental health. A person with traumatic brain injury could end up with long-term effects ranging from severe headaches, changes in mood and personality to being in a coma or in a persistent vegetative state.

A person who sustains a TBI in a motorcycle crash might require ongoing medical attention for the rest of their lives. They may not be able to work, and they may be unable to relate to their loved ones and friends as they once did.

Enlisting the services of a Delaware motorcycle accident attorney

Because Delaware will not require riders of all ages to wear helmets, our firm has seen its fair share of TBI victims through the years in our Newark, Seaford, and Wilmington law office locations. We know what kind of uphill struggle they are facing, and we do whatever is in our power to help them obtain the type of compensation they need after an accident in order to protect themselves and their families.

Severe traumatic brain injuries can be complex, and the effects of the injury can be long-lasting. You need a strong advocate on your side who will stand up for your interests and make sure that you get the compensation you deserve when you are dealing with injuries caused by the negligence for another person. You will enjoy the benefits of more than 100 years of combined legal experience from a team of professionals at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, who have dedicated their lives to getting justice for those who have been injured. We take injury clients on contingency, which means that you do not pay any attorney fees until we have successfully won compensation for you.

Contact our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys to schedule a consultation today

When you or a loved one has sustained a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident, you have many questions and concerns about your future. The compassionate legal team at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman has the answers you are looking for along with a commitment to seek the maximum compensation possible for you. You are welcome to fill out our contact form, or call us at 302-888-2900 to explore your legal options. We offer competent legal representation to our clients from our offices in Wilmington, Seaford and Newark, DE.