Steven A. Bagen | August 26, 2024 | Personal Injury
You have heard it since childhood, “Safety first!” Well, that adage applies in adulthood, too. Wearing a helmet is an important safety measure when traveling. Whether you are riding a bicycle or a motorcycle, it is important to wear your helmet. Serious injuries can happen if you do not wear a helmet.
Wearing a helmet can help protect your brain from severe and permanent injury. Impact with pavement can cause traumatic brain injury, concussions, and other head injuries. These injuries can cause long-lasting harm. Some accident victims even die from their injuries. Wearing a helmet can help avoid the severe fallout of a head injury. Continue reading to learn more about how wearing a helmet helps protect your brain.
Having a Gainesville personal injury lawyer after an accident is the best way to protect your legal right to pursue financial compensation after a crash. If you have suffered an injury, contact an experienced lawyer today.
Bike Accident Facts
According to the National Safety Council, fatal and non-fatal bike accidents are common nationwide. The number of bicycle accident deaths increased by ten percent in 2022. However, the number of non-fatal injury-causing bike accidents decreased by 32 percent. The number of injury-causing accidents in 2013 reached 493,884, totaling 337,738 in 2022.
Motorcycle Accident Facts
There are fewer motorcycles on the road than any other type of vehicle, but motorcyclists are overrepresented in accident statistics nationwide. According to the Insurance Information Institute, motorcyclists are far less visible than other travelers. In 2022, only 67 percent of motorcyclists reported that they wore a helmet while riding, an increase from 65 percent in 2021. In 2021, 5,932 motorcyclists died in an accident across the country. Also, in 2021, there were 82,686 injury-causing motorcycle accidents.
Whether riding a bicycle or motorcycle, wearing a helmet on the road is best. If you have suffered an injury in an accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer to learn your legal rights and options for compensation after a traffic accident.
How Wearing a Helmet Helps Protect Your Brain
Wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle or bicycle in traffic can help protect your brain in the following ways.
Enhanced Visibility And Safety
In addition to the protection from the impact that helmets provide, reflective materials or bright colors can enhance your visibility to others and reduce the likelihood of an accident in the first place.
Impact Absorption
Helmets help absorb the impact of a crash. The design of a typical helmet helps promote safety by decreasing the impact of the crash. Helmets usually have a hard outer shell and an inner layer made out of either padding or foam that helps absorb the impact of the crash. The helmet’s design distributes the impact force, reducing the crash’s effects. Impact absorption also decreases the odds of a much more severe head injury.
Reduced Skull Fractures
Accidents can lead to skull fractures. A helmet protects your brain by creating a barrier between your head and the street or other hard surfaces after an accident. This layer of protection, therefore, helps reduce the risk of severe head injuries, including skull fractures.
Prevention of Penetration Injuries
Helmets create a physical barrier between your head and the pavement, ground, or the elements. They protect against objects penetrating your skull and causing direct trauma to the brain. Whether you are biking or riding a motorcycle, it is important to wear a helmet. If you are involved in an accident, a helmet can help decrease the odds of suffering a brain injury if your head hits the ground or other objects after a crash.
Wearing a helmet is the best way to protect yourself after an accident. You should ensure that you use a properly fitted helmet that is appropriate for the activity and meets safety requirements to maximize the protection of your brain.
How To Properly Fit a Helmet
Wearing a helmet is important, but getting a properly fitted helmet is just as important. Here are the best ways to ensure that you have a properly fitted helmet.
- When the chin strap is buckled, there should only be enough room for one finger to slide between the buckle and your chin.
- A buckled chin strap should fit snugly and comfortably. You should be unable to move the helmet while wearing it.
- A helmet should fit snugly to your head.
- The helmet should sit level on your head and rest low on your forehead.
Does Not Wearing a Helmet Make Me Responsible For My Injuries?
No, not wearing a helmet does not release another driver from liability for the accident. Some defendants or insurance companies might try to argue that you caused or contributed to your injuries because you did not wear a helmet. However, you still might be entitled to recover compensation. The liable party (i.e., the person who caused the accident) is responsible for paying for your injuries and losses.
Contact a Gainesville personal injury lawyer if you have suffered an injury in an accident. Discuss the facts of your case with an attorney to learn about your rights and how to protect yourself from blame-shifting from other drivers and the insurance company.
Types of Brain Injuries
Wearing a helmet can help prevent many types of brain injuries. Any type of brain injury is severe and should be prevented if possible. Some of the most common types of brain injuries include the following.
Subdural Hematoma
A subdural hematoma is a type of brain injury that causes bleeding to occur between the brain and its outer protective layer. This is a severe brain injury and can be caused by significant impact to the skull.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
A diffuse axonal injury is nerve damage in the victim’s brain. The nerve cells in the victim’s brain suffered an injury after rapid acceleration or deceleration, like what happens in a high-impact traffic collision.
Penetrating Brain Injury
A penetrating brain injury happens when an object penetrates the victim’s brain. In accident cases, the victim might be exposed to falling debris, especially if not wearing a helmet. Penetrating brain injuries damage the victim’s brain tissue.
Contusion
A contusion is a bruise on the brain. The bruise is typically caused by direct impact to the head, like what happens in a traffic accident. A contusion can lead to brain bleeds and swelling.
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head. Concussions are common after traffic accidents. After the impact of a crash, the victim’s brain shakes, which causes the injury.
Symptoms of Brain Injuries
A brain injury can happen after any impact to the head. If you suspect that you have suffered from a brain injury after a traffic accident, speak to a doctor immediately. Some of the most common symptoms of a brain injury can include the following.
Cognitive Symptoms
Cognitive symptoms of brain injuries include impaired judgment, memory problems, trouble concentrating, and confusion.
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms of brain injuries include headaches, vomiting, nausea, trouble seeing, and sensitivity to light.
Behavioral Symptoms
Some of the behavioral symptoms caused by brain injuries include trouble with impulse control, aggression, and changes in sleep patterns.
Emotional Symptoms
Some of the most common emotional symptoms of brain injuries include irritability, mood swings, depression, personality changes, and anxiety.
What Damages Can I Recover After An Accident?
You can collect various types of damage, and they typically fall into one of three categories. Accident victims can recover economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are physical losses that are usually easily identifiable. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help identify your economic losses after a case evaluation. Examples of economic damage can include the following.
- Current and future medical expenses
- Current and future lost earnings
- The cost of rehabilitative care and physical therapy
- Property damage
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damage can be considered invisible losses. These types of losses are usually intangible and can be hard to prove. Examples of non-economic losses can include lost enjoyment of life, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not compensable damages. Punitive damages are awarded to accident plaintiffs when the defendant’s behavior is extremely outrageous. Punitive damages are not available in every state. Contact a motorcycle accident attorney to discuss the availability of punitive damages in your case.
Speak to an attorney to determine damages and create a case strategy for full and fair compensation.
How Can An Attorney Help Me After An Accident?
Getting an attorney after an accident is the best way to protect your legal rights after an accident. Here are some of the most important ways an accident attorney can help you with your claim.
Answer Your Legal Questions
Your attorney will help by answering your legal questions. The laws surrounding accident cases are complex and can frustrate an inexperienced person. An attorney will answer your questions and give you the peace of mind that comes from getting answers from a solid source.
Gather and Present Evidence
Having a legal team can make getting certain types of evidence easier. For example, getting traffic camera footage after an accident can be difficult for an individual. Accident reconstruction can be a valuable piece of evidence for an accident victim, but finding a professional to assist with that can be challenging. Your attorney can help collect pertinent evidence.
Your attorney will also help present evidence to insurance adjusters, a judge, or a jury, depending on the stage of your case. Persuasive evidence presentation can make all the difference as you fight for the compensation you deserve after an accident.
Communicate With The Insurance Company
Your attorney will communicate with the insurance company on your behalf. Speaking to insurance adjusters can be intimidating. Having an attorney removes the stress of advocating for yourself and allows you to focus on your physical and emotional recovery.
Identify And Calculate Damages
An attorney will use their experience to identify each of your losses and help estimate the total value of your claim. It can be difficult for an accident victim to identify their losses. Still, your attorney can help understand your right to collect on losses, including emotional trauma and reduced quality of life.
File An Insurance Claim or File a Lawsuit
Your Gainesville personal injury lawyer will help file an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. You will likely start the recovery process by filing an insurance claim, but if you cannot reach a settlement, your attorney may file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. Each of these options comes with its own set of challenges, so having an attorney assist throughout the process is valuable.
Protect Your Rights And Interests
An attorney’s job is to protect their client’s legal rights and interests. They will help avoid mistakes that can harm your case’s health, like missing important deadlines. They will also help create a legal strategy tailored to your claim to help maximize your odds of a successful outcome.
A Gainesville personal injury lawyer can help collect full and fair compensation after an accident. A personal injury lawyer will also help navigate the legal process and protect yourself from the insurance company’s bad-faith tactics. If you have suffered an injury in an accident, contact a lawyer immediately.
Contact An Attorney Today!
Getting an attorney is one of the first things you should do after a traffic accident. Your injuries can be severe and life-threatening leaving you overwhelmed. As you heal, you need an advocate in your corner to work for you so you can focus on your recovery.
A Gainesville personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal process and ensure that your rights are protected. They will work tirelessly to gather evidence, consult with medical experts, and build a strong case on your behalf. With their knowledge, they can negotiate with insurance companies and fight for the compensation you deserve. Reach out to a traffic accident attorney near you to learn more about your options to pursue compensation and how to protect your legal rights after a crash.