A motorcycle accident head injury is a life-altering event that often leads to immediate medical crises and long-term financial strain. Because motorcycles lack the protective frame of a passenger vehicle, riders are exposed to extreme forces during a collision. If you are injured in a motorcycle crash in South Carolina, a South Carolina motorcycle accident lawyer can investigate the cause of the crash and help you get compensation.
Medical providers often classify a motorcycle accident brain injury as a closed-head trauma, where the brain strikes the interior of the skull. This motion can cause bruising, torn tissue, and internal bleeding that may not be apparent in the moments following a crash.
The impact of a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident often extends far beyond the initial hospital stay. Victims may experience persistent cognitive challenges, emotional changes, and physical limitations that prevent them from returning to work or enjoying their previous quality of life.
Understanding Motorcycle Accident Head Injuries
Head injuries are one of the leading causes of death and permanent disability in motorcycle crashes. According to national traffic safety data, motorcyclists are far more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury than occupants of passenger vehicles.
One way to reduce the potential for a motorcycle accident head injury is by wearing a helmet. However, South Carolina only requires helmets for riders under age 21 under S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3660. Riders over 21 may legally ride without a helmet if they meet insurance requirements. Even when a helmet is worn, a violent collision can still cause a motorcycle accident head injury due to rapid acceleration, deceleration, or direct impact.
Types of Motorcycle Accident Brain Injuries
A motorcycle accident brain injury can range from mild to catastrophic. Common diagnoses include:
- Concussion: A mild traumatic brain injury caused by the brain moving inside the skull. Symptoms may not appear immediately.
- Contusion: Bruising of brain tissue, often caused by direct impact with the ground or another object.
- Diffuse Axonal Injury: Widespread damage to nerve fibers caused by rotational forces. This injury often leads to coma or severe impairment.
- Penetrating Brain Injury: Occurs when an object breaks through the skull and enters brain tissue. These injuries are often fatal or permanently disabling.
- Skull Fracture With Brain Trauma: Fractures can cause bleeding, swelling, and infection risks.
Medical imaging, such as CT scans and MRIs, is often required to confirm the extent of injury after a motorcycle crash.
Symptoms of a Motorcycle Accident Brain Injury
Symptoms may appear immediately or develop over days or weeks. Riders should seek medical care after any blow to the head. Common symptoms include:
- Loss of Consciousness: Even if it only lasts for a few seconds, any period of being “knocked out” indicates a serious impact and indicates a concussion, at the least.
- Persistent Headaches: Pain that worsens over time or does not respond to over-the-counter medication is a primary warning sign.
- Cognitive Confusion: Feeling disoriented, struggling to remember the crash, or experiencing “brain fog” suggests a disruption in brain function.
- Sensory Changes: Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, or a persistent metallic taste in the mouth are common neurological symptoms.
- Loss of Coordination: Difficulty walking, loss of balance, or weakness in the arms and legs.
- Slurred Speech: Inability to speak clearly or find common words.
- Sleep Disturbances: Sleeping significantly more than usual or being unable to fall asleep.
The Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury often leads to permanent changes in how a person thinks and learns. Victims frequently struggle with short-term memory loss, difficulty focusing on tasks, and slower processing speeds. These cognitive challenges can make it impossible to return to previous job roles or manage daily household responsibilities.
Physical consequences can last for years after the initial motorcycle accident. Some individuals experience chronic headaches, balance issues, and sleep disturbances. In more severe cases, a brain injury results in limited motor function or partial paralysis, requiring the use of medical devices and consistent physical therapy.
Emotional and behavioral shifts are also common long-term effects. Damage to specific areas of the brain can cause sudden mood swings, increased irritability, or clinical depression. These personality changes often strain relationships with family members and friends who act as primary caregivers during the recovery process.
The financial burden of a brain injury can also continue long after the crash. Ongoing costs include specialized medications, home health assistance, and psychological counseling. Because these injuries are often permanent, victims must account for a lifetime of medical expenses and the total loss of future earning potential.
Damages Available in Motorcycle Accident Head Injury Cases
Under South Carolina personal injury law, victims can seek compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. At David R. Price, JR., P.A., we can help victims recover compensation for:
- Medical Expenses: These costs can include emergency room visits, surgeries, and future rehabilitation costs.
- Lost Wages: These may include pay lost during recovery and the loss of future earning capacity if the victim cannot return to work.
- Property Damage: Costs to repair or replace the motorcycle, as well as damages for loss of use.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain and mental distress caused by the crash.
- Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme negligence or recklessness, such as drunk driving, S.C. Code § 15-33-135 may allow for an additional award of punitive damages.
How a Greenville Motorcycle Lawyer Can Help
Motorcycle accident head injury cases are medically and legally complex. Insurance companies often question the seriousness of a motorcycle accident brain injury or attempt to blame the rider. Early legal representation helps protect injured riders from these tactics and preserves evidence that may be lost over time.
A Greenville motorcycle lawyer can assist by:
1. Investigating the Crash
Reviewing police reports, traffic camera footage, vehicle damage, and witness statements to establish how the collision occurred and who was at fault.
2. Working With Medical and Financial Experts
Coordinating with neurologists, neuropsychologists, and life care planners to document long-term treatment needs, rehabilitation costs, and future limitations.
3. Addressing Helmet and Fault Arguments
Countering claims related to helmet use or alleged rider negligence under South Carolina’s comparative fault laws, S.C. Code Ann. § 15-38-15.
4. Calculating Full Damages
Accounting for current medical bills, future treatment, cognitive and physical therapy, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, and the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident.
5. Handling Insurance Negotiations
Managing all communication with insurance companies to prevent recorded statements or settlement offers that undervalue the claim.
6. Preparing for Litigation
Filing a lawsuit within South Carolina’s three-year statute of limitations under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530 when settlement efforts fail.
Contact Our Greenville Motorcycle Lawyers
A motorcycle accident brain injury can change a rider’s life in seconds. Early legal involvement can help protect evidence, document injuries, and preserve the right to compensation.
To speak with a Greenville motorcycle lawyer about a motorcycle accident head injury or traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident, contact David R. Price, Jr., P.A. at 864-271-2636 to request a free consultation.