Head Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Chicago: Helping Injured Victims Recover CompensationAccording to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), crashes injured more than 2,600 motorcyclists in 2015. When motorcyclists are involved in accidents, they can sustain many serious injuries, including head injuries—even when they are wearing helmets. This is particularly true in cases where motorcyclists are thrown from their vehicles and hit other objects or the ground head first.Motorcyclists can suffer lifelong consequences when they sustain head injuries in accidents. Even in less serious cases, victims can incur substantial medical expenses, miss significant amounts of work, and experience serious pain and suffering. For this reason, it is critical that all motorcyclists who sustain head injures retain an attorney and ensure that their rights are protected. The Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers of Abels & Annes are available for free consultations for motorcycle accident victims. To schedule yours, call our office today at (312) 924-7575 or send us an email through our online contact form.Traumatic Brain Injuries and Motorcycle AccidentsOne of the most serious potential consequences of head trauma in a motorcycle accident is a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. These are injuries that cause a disruption in the way that the brain normally functions. The most common form of mild traumatic brain injury is a concussion, which is itself a serious matter that requires immediate medical attention. TBIs can also be severe and potentially result in significant disabilities that keep victims from ever returning to work and could even necessitate around-the-clock medical care. Common complications of a TBI include:

HeadachesSensitivity to light and soundDizzinessEmotional problemsSleep disturbances

Difficulty concentratingTrouble with comprehensionBlurry visionSlurred speechVarying degrees of consciousness

The severity of these symptoms is typically in direct proportion to the severity of the initial injury, but even some mild TBIs can leave victims with significant issues for months. Fortunately, prompt diagnoses can help victims take steps to minimize their symptoms and speed up their recoveries. Importantly, TBIs can be difficult to spot, so anyone who hit a head in a motorcycle accident should seek medical attention as soon as possible.Other Motorcycle Accident Head InjuriesWhile TBIs are a serious and common result of motorcycle accidents, keep in mind that many motorcyclists sustain head injuries that do not affect the brain. Non-TBI head injuries are nonetheless often severe and can require significant medical treatments. Head injuries that motorcycle accidents can sustain include facial fractures, skull fractures, eye injuries, dental injuries, fractured jaws, facial lacerations, and broken noses. In many cases, these head injuries can detract from a person’s appearance and require significant and expensive cosmetic surgery. When a victim’s appearance is permanently changed, it can leave significant effects on his emotional well-being and self-esteem, potentially affecting his overall quality of life.Can You Recover Compensation for Your Injuries?When motorcycle accident victims first meet with an attorney, they often want to know whether they can recover compensation for their injuries and other losses. Unfortunately, there is no way to answer this question without conducting a thorough analysis of your accident, and even then, nothing is certain. Under Illinois law, however, people who are injured by the negligent acts of others are generally entitled to compensation. Negligence occurs when a person fails to use the degree of care that a reasonable person in the same or similar circumstances would ordinarily use. Examples of conduct by other motorists that would likely constitute negligence and have the potential to result in serious motorcycle accidents include:

 
• Speeding
 
• Drunk driving
 
• Failure to yield
 
• Distracted driving
 
• Following too closely
 
• Improper turns
 
• Driving on the wrong side of the road
 
• Failing to use headlights when required

Motorcycle accidents can also be caused by the negligence of other parties, including state agencies responsible for road maintenance or vehicle manufacturers. As a result, victims of single vehicle accidents should always have their cases reviewed by an attorney to ensure the protection of their legal rights.Determining the Value of a Chicago Motorcycle Accident CaseMotorcycle accident cases involving head injuries can vary widely in terms of the amount of compensation a victim might expect. If you have a claim, numerous factors will affect how much you may ultimately recover, including:

 
• Your age
 
• Your occupation
 
• Whether you were partially at fault for your accident
 
• The nature and severity of your injuries
 
• Your prognosis

Keep in mind that any settlement you accept should compensate you for all of your losses associated with the accident—not just those that are financial and have already been realized. Unfortunately, these noneconomic losses—such as pain and suffering and speculative losses—are extremely difficult to assess, which means that victims who do not retain legal counsel are at risk of accepting a settlement offer that is far less than they deserve. For this reason, it is highly advisable for anyone hurt in a motorcycle accident to retain an attorney as soon as possible.Abels & Annes, P.C., handle the process of negotiating with insurance adjusters and advise you to reject any lowball offers—instead, let us advocate for a fair settlement. We'll protect you against making written or recorded statements about your claim to insurance companies, because these statements can be used against you and used to reduce your compensation.Call Abels & Annes, P.C., Today to Speak with a Chicago Motorcycle Accident AttorneyIf you have sustained a head injury in a motorcycle accident that you believe may have been caused by the negligence of another person, you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The lawyers of Abels & Annes regularly represent the rights of accident victims and are committed to providing effective and solution-oriented legal representation to injured victims. To schedule a free case evaluation with one of our attorneys, call us today at (312) 923-7575 or send us an email through our online contact form.