Motorcycle Crash Kills One, Leaves Passenger Critical | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A Durham man was killed, and his wife left in critical condition after the motorcycle they were on was hit. The crash occurred at the intersection of Fayetteville Road and Stratford Lakes Drive in Durham at approximately 11 pm on September 18. According to police, a Honda driven by a 26-year-old Durham man rear-ended the couple’s motorcycle. Both victims were transported to Duke University Hospital, where the husband was pronounced dead. There has been no other information about his wife, 31, who police say suffered life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Honda was cited for misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid crashing.

Motorcycle Crashes

One of the most common – and often the most fatal – injuries that victims of motorcycle accidents suffer is head injuries. This is because there is no protection between the motorcycle and the vehicle that hits it. Even if the victim is wearing a motorcycle helmet are still at high risk of a head injury in an accident.

Head injuries can also affect the brain, leading to all kinds of issues, including long recovery and rehabilitation, as well as permanent disability. In some accidents, a head injury can be fatal for the victim. If you have lost a loved one in a crash or have suffered injuries, contact a North Carolina motorcycle accident for legal assistance.

There are two types of head injuries that a victim can suffer, closed head injury and open head injury. A closed head injury is one that does not penetrate the skull. These types of injuries can range from minor to fatal. Victims can also suffer broken bones to their skull or face, bruising of the brain, bleeding on the brain, or a concussion. Symptoms of a closed head injury include dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting. It is not uncommon for these symptoms to be delayed, not appearing for days following the crash.

Open head injuries are those that cause some type of penetration or break to the skull, with the object entering the brain. Whenever there is any kind of penetration to the brain, the victim can suffer permanent brain damage, blood clots, or severe bleeding and hemorrhaging.

There are four types of skull fractures:

  • Basilar skull fracture: This is where the base of the skull breaks, causing tissue holding the brain in place to tear, damaging the spinal cord.  
  • Depressed skull fracture: This is where there are broken pieces of the skull that come in contact with the brain, causing major blood vessels to constrict.
  • Diastatic skull fracture: This is where the skull’s regions become separated
  • Linear skull fractures – This is where there is a crack in the skull, without any penetration in the brain

Contact a North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury due to the negligence of another person, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the pain and losses that were a result of that injury. Our North Carolina brain injury attorneys have successfully represented many accident victims and their families and would be happy to meet and discuss how our firm may be able to help. We also provide a free traumatic brain injury guide that provides important information about Virginia’s brain injury law and other legal questions regarding pursuing an injury claim.

 

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