Bicycle accidents occur more often than you think. Many people think that more cyclists using our roadways causes a rise in bicycle accidents. Unfortunately, bicycle crashes can cause serious and, in some cases, permanently disabling injuries that may significantly lower your quality of life. Contact a Newport Beach bicycle accident lawyer if you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a bicycle accident.
What types of serious accidents can result from bicycle collisions?
While biking is generally a pleasant and healthy form of exercise, there are a few common injuries to be aware of and suitable precautions to take. These injuries include:
-
Head injuries
Bicyclists are more likely to suffer brain damage from banging their heads when they are involved in severe accidents. Head injuries cause most long-term disabilities resulting from bicycle accidents, and brain injuries cause 60% of fatalities. Brain damage may result from trauma, including head scrapes and skull fractures.
-
Concussions
The most frequent head injury sustained by cyclists is a concussion. After a head injury, knowing what to look for can speed up diagnosis and recovery. A high-speed bicycle collision can result in severe head injuries.
The following symptoms could result from a concussion:
- Impaired speech
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears
- Memory loss
- Temporarily impaired brain function
Head injuries can have a harmful impact on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as the lives of their family and loved ones after the accident.
-
Traumatic brain injury
One of the most severe bicycle injuries is a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A cyclist might suffer from a brain injury without showing any obvious symptoms of a severe head injury, like a concussion. Signs of traumatic brain damage are memory loss, physiological function impairment, mood fluctuations, and long-term mental and emotional issues.
-
Spinal injuries
Due to the lack of physical protection provided by the bicycle, injuries to your neck, back, or spine vertebrae can be readily caused in a cycling accident. The following are the spine injuries caused by bicycle accidents that are most typical:
- Sliding discs
- Fractures, slipping discs
- Spinal cord harm
- Serious effects, such as paralysis and difficulty moving, can result from spine injuries.
-
Fractured or broken collarbone
Another common injury cyclists suffer a broken or fractured collarbone because of how the cyclist receives an impact from the ground. Because the collarbone is fragile, it is not covered when riders fall off their bicycles. The “forward” motion of a bicycle fall causes this injury. For fractures, treatment choices can range from straightforward rest to surgery and bone plating.
