Compared to people inside motor vehicles, bicyclists are far more likely to end up getting seriously hurt in traffic collisions, even if they are wearing appropriate protective gear and following all the rules of the road that apply to them. Even worse, those bicyclists may find that the process of seeking civil compensation for losses stemming from a bike wreck can be trickier than they expect, especially if they try to pursue their lawsuit or settlement demand alone.
Knowing what kinds of situations can potentially justify a personal injury lawsuit in the first place can be important to effectively enforce your rights after someone else harms you through reckless or careless misconduct. Here are some common injuries from bicycle accidents in Philadelphia that a skilled bike crash attorney may be able to help you build a strong civil claim around.
Traumatic brain damage and other types of head trauma are by far the most common cause of fatal injuries from Philadelphia bicycle crashes, which should emphasize just how important it is for riders of all ages and experience levels to wear properly sized and fitted safety helmets while riding. Even with a helmet on, bike wrecks can still cause facial damage that can be expensive to treat and difficult to physically recover from, especially if it involves structural damage to the teeth.
Another potentially catastrophic effect that bicycle accidents can sometimes have is trauma to the spinal cord, often stemming from a direct impact to the back from an oncoming car or from a bicyclist impacting the ground after they have been thrown off their bike. Injuries to the lower half of the spinal cord could cause paraplegia, or paralysis of the lower limbs and torso, while injuries near the neck could lead to quadriplegia in all four limbs and the entire torso.
Bone fractures usually are not as life-altering as brain or spine injuries, but they are still common injuries for people involved in Philadelphia bicycle accidents to find themselves dealing with afterward. On top of being painful and debilitating in the short term, broken bones could also be deceptively difficult and complicated to treat, especially if fractures occur in multiple areas of the body or multiple places in a single bone at once.
Even purely short-term bike crash injuries like ligament tears, muscle strains, and deep cuts can still potentially justify a lawsuit if they stem directly from another person’s negligence and are severe enough to require some type of professional medical care. Lacerations, in particular, can also sometimes justify recovery for various long-term losses related to permanent disfigurement if they affect the face or other visible parts of the body.
No matter what type of physical trauma you have suffered, you have a right to seek compensation for the losses that trauma will cause you from anyone who contributed to causing it. That said, knowing you have the right to file this kind of lawsuit is one thing, and getting a favorable outcome from that lawsuit is another entirely.
If you want to give yourself the best chance of getting the best possible case result, you should make contacting a skilled lawyer your number-one priority. Call today for help recovering for common injuries from bicycle accidents in Philadelphia.
