Bicycle accidents are the most frequent type of personal injury accident in the United States. This is mainly because there are more bicycles on the roadways than cars and motorcycles. Bicycle crashes are also quite often fatal. Early research suggests that a significant number of riders sustain injuries in nonfatal bicycle accidents, while some people will sustain serious fractures or internal organ damage. It is important to hire a bicycle accident lawyer washington dc if you are involved in a bicycle accident.
Moreover, if you are a daily bicycle commuter, it is essential to know what kind of injuries are most commonly caused in bicycle accidents and take necessary precautions to prevent them. Wearing safety gear can help bicycle riders to reduce the risk of severe injuries up to an extent.
Let us now look into the most common types of injuries caused by bicycle accidents.
- Traumatic brain injuries
Many bicycle accidents occur because of the inability to handle a bicycle while riding. Over speeding and alcohol consumption are major causes of bicycle accidents. The impact of a crash can cause traumatic brain injuries and even death, although many such cases are often survived by the victims with moderate to severe injuries to the head.
- Back injuries
Bicycle accidents often result in pain and long-term back injuries. Being involved in a bicycle accident can cause disc injury in the back, herniated disc, and degenerative spinal disc disease. Back injuries are especially common among cyclists who are overweight and suffer from poor posture.
- Internal injuries
Bicycle accidents are quite common and internal injuries are often sustained by the riders who do not wear a proper helmet and protective gear. This can result in serious fractures and even amputation of limbs. Contact with road surfaces can also cause internal injuries.
- Fractures
Bicycle accidents can cause fractures and breaks in the limbs, and even internal injuries. Fractures due to bicycle accidents are especially common among young riders between 14-and 20 years of age. Older people involved in bicycle accidents also suffer from fractures more often than other groups of people.
- Soft tissue injuries
It is common to suffer from soft tissue injuries due to overspeeding and alcohol consumption. Soft tissue injuries can range from minimal sprains and bruises to severe contusions, spinal cord injury, and blood clots. These injuries are not serious but can be difficult to track down.
