A motorcycle accident can result in severe, life-changing injuries. Some of the most devastating among these are brain injuries. While protective gear such as helmets and padded suits can lessen injuries in a motorcycle crash, they aren't always able to prevent injuries - even severe injuries — from happening.
Types of Injuries
Depending on the cause of the injury to your brain, there are many different possible head injuries you can sustain. Some types of brain injuries to know are:
Traumatic Brain Injury Traumatic Brain Injury: When an external force, such as the impact of a vehicle, damages your living brain tissue, your scalp, or skull. This is the case in all motorcycle accidents that result in head injuries.
Diffuse Axonal Injury: This can be caused from shaking in a vehicle or motorcycle accident. Damage tends to occur over a widespread area of the brain. It is one of the main causes of death in cases of traumatic brain injury.
Concussion - the most common of traumatic brain injuries, it is a relatively mild injury in comparison to other brain traumas.
Contusion - This injury also known as a bruise, causes bleeding on the brain.
Coup-Contrecoup Injury – This causes bleeding on the brain, where impacted as well as opposite the impact location.
It's important to first identify your injury with medical professionals so that you can immediately get started on the proper treatment. Then, depending on the type of traumatic brain injury you suffer from a motorcycle accident, there are a number of potential costs beyond your physical suffering that you will have to manage. These costs include financial expenses, emotional depression, and the potential loss of your main income source.
Costs Add Up
All accidents that result in injury are expensive, and insurance seldom covers all of the costs. You probably have incurred bills from an ER visit, and from doctors and other professionals called in to consult on your case. You may have been sent to rehab for a few weeks (or months). There are no doubt pharmacy bills, and possibly bills for extended physical therapy. In the case of a brain injury, there are most likely also bills from specialists, bills for testing of all kinds, or perhaps bills for assistive devices, if the brain injury resulted in visual, auditory, or cognitive impairment.
Loss of Income
Then there's the immediate loss of income that can occur when an injury requires you to take time off from work. Depending on the extent of the injury, you may no longer be able to fulfill the requirements of the job you once held. Even in a family where more than one partner works, the loss of a paycheck will greatly affect family finances. Not to mention, that a serious injury could require permanent assistance with daily tasks.
Emotional Response
The emotional toll of a devastating injury can be almost as severe as the physical damage. Emotions such as grief, loss, sadness or even anger are the natural result of a brain injury. The physical injury to the brain may also exacerbate such emotions. Therefore, psychological counseling may be just as necessary as medical care. Family members will almost certainly also suffer profound emotional responses to a serious injury in a loved one and may also benefit from therapy. However, it's important to note that psychological counseling is expensive, and is not always covered by medical insurance.
An injury that has a profound impact on your life, and that is the result of negligence, error, or misconduct, requires restitution from the responsible party. If you or your loved one were injured for reasons such as a driver who was texting or talking on the phone, or a truck driver who didn't take the time to secure dangerous cargo, you may be able to recover money. A brain injury lawyer has the legal expertise and past experience to advise you. Do the research to find someone who is able to properly advise you about the particulars of your case, and possibly, help you to pay for your medical expenses through a personal injury claim.