In many vehicle accidents, rear-end collisions are often considered minor crashes – hence the name “fender bender” to describe the accident. Although there is always a risk of serious injury in any type of crash, there is a lot of protection for vehicle occupants from injury, including airbags, seat belts, and the body of the vehicle. This is not the case, however, for anyone who is riding a motorcycle that has been rear-ended by a vehicle. There is nothing to protect the rider from the impact of the vehicle slamming into the motorcycle, putting the rider at high risk for catastrophic injury.
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- Motorcycle Accidents: Not Always the Rider’s Fault
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If a vehicle slams into a motorcycle from behind, the bike can be flipped over toward the pavement. This means the rider’s face is one of the first areas of the body to smash into the road. If the motorcycle slams into a vehicle from behind, the bike comes to a complete stop, but the rider is usually thrown from the bike, into the air with a high force of velocity. The rider hitting the roof or the hood of the vehicle before crashing on the road is a common scenario in these types of accidents.
There are certain factors in a motorcycle accident which will determine the extent of the injuries the rider will suffer. But even when the vehicles were traveling at low speeds, there is still a high risk of serious injury to the motorcyclist. In addition to the speed of the vehicles, other determining factors include whether the rider was in the front or back in the collision, what the angle of the crash was, and what type of protective gear the rider was wearing.
Some of the more common injuries that riders can suffer from rear-end motorcycle accidents include:
- Brain injury
- Broken jawbone
- Burns or road rash
- Contusions
- Crushed, fractured, or shattered bones of the torso and limbs
- Destruction of teeth
- Fractured facial bones
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injury
If the accident was caused by the other driver, then the victim is entitled under the law to pursue damages for the losses they have suffered because of the injuries they have sustained. Financial compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, mental anguish, permanent disability, scarring are some of the losses that a motorcycle accident attorney can pursue.
Contact a Dedicated Virginia Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing high medical bills and other financial difficulties. Our Virginia personal injury attorneys understand how overwhelming these cases can be. The legal team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp have been advocating for victims and their families for more than 30 years and use all available resources to get the best possible outcome for our clients.
Our Va. Accident attorneys have successfully advocated for many motorcycle accident clients and have obtained the financial damages they deserved for the injuries they sustained. We also offer a free motorcycle injury guide which offers information that you may find helpful.