Riding a motorcycle around Henderson and Las Vegas can be an economical form of transportation and can give you a sense of freedom that you cannot experience when traveling in a car or truck. However, riding a motorcycle can also be very dangerous. Victims of motorcycle accidents can suffer catastrophic injuries that require expensive medical treatments and months or longer off work while they recover—if they can recover.
If you or a family member was injured in a motorcycle crash caused by a negligent driver, it might not be easy to obtain the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries. Let our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers fight the at-fault driver’s insurance company so that you receive justice and the damages you deserve to help you put back the pieces of your life. We represent out-of-town motorcycle crash victims as well as those who live in the Las Vegas area.
Why Dangerous Motorcycle Accidents Happen in Henderson
Many people have misconceptions about motorcycle riders and wrongfully assume that they are the primary causes of motorcycle collisions. While this is true in some cases, often, it is the driver of the car or truck who causes the crash. Leading ways motorists cause these catastrophic accidents include the following:
Speeding
A driver who is speeding can lose control of the vehicle or be unable to slow down or stop if the motorcyclist must do so suddenly. If the vehicle hits the motorcycle or pushes it into oncoming traffic, the rider is likely to suffer serious injuries due to the force of the impact.
Distracted Driving
Motorcycles are much smaller and less visible than cars and trucks. If a driver is eating or drinking, looking at a GPS, texting, or talking on a cellphone, his eyes and mind are not on driving. This can make it much more likely that he will not see a motorcyclist until it is too late.
Intoxication
If a driver is intoxicated, key driving skills needed to avoid a motorcycle wreck—such as vision, reaction time, and judgment—will be impaired.
Fatigue
Many people in Henderson and Las Vegas drive when they are too tired to operate a vehicle safely. Unfortunately, drowsy driving reduces driving abilities in ways that are similar to drunk driving.
Left Turns
One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is when a driver is making a left turn and fails to yield to a motorcycle rider who is going straight through the intersection or attempting to pass the car.
Open Doors
A motorcycle rider can be hurled into oncoming traffic if a driver or passenger opens a car door—without first checking for traffic —when the vehicle is parked along the side of the road.
Serious Injuries Caused in Motorcycle Crashes
Motorcyclists have only their helmets and riding gear to protect them in an accident with a much larger and heavier automobile or pick-up truck. As a result, riders are more likely to suffer long-term injuries or death. Common injuries they suffer include:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
While helmet use decreases the risk and severity of a head injury, a TBI is still a very common motorcycle accident injury. A TBI can cause dramatic, long-term changes to vision, mobility, concentration, memory, reasoning, and more.
Spinal Injuries
A rider can suffer a spinal cord injury that causes chronic pain and mobility limitations and requires many months of physical therapy, medication, and other medical treatment. In the most serious cases, a biker could end up with full or partial paralysis as a result of a motorcycle accident.
Broken Bones
Pelvic fractures, broken hips, back and neck fractures, and compound fractures to the arms or legs are serious injuries that often occur in a motorcycle accident.
Road Rash
Road rash is a serious skin abrasion that occurs when a motorcycle rider’s exposed skin is scraped against the surface of the road in a collision. Dirt and other debris can become ground into the wound and lead to dangerous infections.
Burns
The exhaust pipe and engine of a motorcycle are very hot. If the rider’s skin comes in contact with them as the result of an accident, he can suffer severe burns that can cause disfigurement, scarring, and other complications.
Internal Organ Damage
Motorcycle riders can suffer life-threatening internal bleeding and organ damage, which can require multiple surgeries and long recoveries.
Death
Unfortunately, motorcycle riders are much more likely to suffer fatal injuries than victims of car accidents.
Five Immediate Steps to Take After Your Motorcycle Crash
The actions you take right after your collision can have a direct impact on the strength of your claim for compensation for your injuries. Here are important steps you should take:
- Obtain immediate medical care if you are hurt. Even if you don’t believe you were injured, you should be examined by a physician within a day or two of your accident. Your symptoms may be masked at the accident scene by adrenaline that floods the body when it is exposed to trauma, but signs of a serious injury may develop later.
- Call the police at the crash scene and obtain a copy of the police report.
- Obtain contact information for the other driver, his insurance company, and any witnesses.
- Take pictures with your cell phone of damage to the vehicles, the collision scene, weather conditions, skid marks, your injuries, and anything else you believe would be helpful.
- Retain a lawyer as soon as possible after you have obtained the immediate medical care you need. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can collect the evidence needed to prove the other driver’s negligence, determine the value of your claim, and negotiate your settlement so that you receive all the compensation you should under Nevada law.
Have You Been Injured In A Henderson Or Las Vegas Area Motorcycle Accident?
If you've been injured in a motorcycle accident you need to speak with an experienced motorcycle accident injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free consultation with our truck accident attorneys.
