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Traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries resulting in tetraplegia and paraplegia are all too frequent outcomes of motorcycle crashes.
Traumatic brain injury, TBI, may result from a fracture or a penetration of the skull.
Damage to the brain may occur at the instant the head impacts a hard surface, and it may also occur later, as swelling or bleeding within the brain puts pressure on brain structures.
TBI can also result from a closed-head injury in which the skull is not penetrated.
A closed head injury often occurs when there is a rapid acceleration or deceleration of the head, as occurs in motorcycle crashes, when a rider is thrown from the motorcycle and lands with great force against the pavement or some other object.
After a motorcycle crash resulting in traumatic brain injury, significant improvement will continue for 16-22 months following the accident.
At 18 to 24 months post trauma, a person will often have stabilized; whatever recovery the person has achieved at that time is very likely all that will be achieved.
A person who has suffered a TBI and those responsible for his/her care will have to work with the limitations of that recovery for the rest of the person's life.
It is critical that the victim's injuries and deficits be carefully evaluated, so that a plan for rehabilitation and care can be developed, including a realistic appraisal of lifetime expenses.
An attorney experienced in motorcycle accidents can assist with that planning.
Being thrown from a motorcycle at high speed can also result in a spinal cord injury.
An injury in the lower spine can result in paraplegia, the loss of use of the legs, imposing severe restrictions in a person's life.
If the paraplegia is permanent, a person must plan their entire life around the restrictions that come with the loss of use of their legs, including permanent use of wheelchairs.
An experienced motorcycle injury attorney understands the realities of wheelchair use, and the need to redesign and rebuild a home so that a person can use their kitchen, their bathroom and can navigate other spaces.
Injuries higher up the spinal cord can result in tetraplegia, a loss of use of both arms and legs.
An individual with tetraplegia may need mechanical assistance to breathe, and 24- hour around the clock assistive care to survive.
An experienced motorcycle injury attorney knows what this diagnosis can mean to a person and their family and can help them think through their needs.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, or if a loved one has died in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing serious changes in your health, your lifestyle, your earning power, and your expectations for you and your children's future.
In the case of a serious injury, your primary focus must be on obtaining the best medical and rehabilitative care, and the best possible resolution of your injuries.
During this process, as you or your loved one face the changes ahead, you will likely begin to think about how you will deal with the financial consequences.
You may wish to read the companion article, "After a Serious Motorcycle Accident-Should You Consider Legal Action?"
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