When Bicycle Injuries Become Lifelong Impairments
Certain bicycle injuries can heal within a few days, while others can last several years or a lifetime. Like many types of accidents, many of these injuries happen by chance. Despite wearing a proper bike helmet, some bicycle riders can still sustain significant head injuries if the impact is strong enough. Everything happens so fast in these accidents, that most people are not prepared to prevent something like a wrist injury by moving their arms a certain way before impact.
If you suffered personal injuries after a bicycle accident caused by a negligent driver, try contacting a New York Personal Injury Lawyer to figure out your options for compensation.
Head Injuries from Bicycle Accidents
One of the most serious and potentially debilitating head injuries from a bicycle accident is a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Moderate to severe TBIs can become worse without treatment and may still result in lifelong disabilities despite receiving appropriate medical treatment. Some people can recover with different types of rehabilitation and therapy, but others may be stuck with their impairments for life.
The four most common long-term disabilities from TBIs are ones that involve memory, movement, emotions, and communication. Memory deficits can involve being unable to remember events from your past and losing the ability to form new long-term memories. This can have serious consequences for people with jobs that require certain mental skill sets.
Movement problems tend to occur with damage to the brainstem and basal ganglia. Deficits in movement may involve being unable to walk or move part of your body. Emotional problems like changes in personality, increased aggression, or loss of self-control can happen with frontal lobe damage. Communication deficits tend to affect a person’s ability to speak or to understand what others are saying.
Severe Wrist Damage
One wrong move during the accident can lead to serious damage to the wrist. Untreated or severe wrist injuries have been known to lead to incorrect healing, long-term disabilities, and less range of motion in the hand.
The wrist functions through the interactions of multiple bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Significant damage to any of these parts can make using your wrist the same way difficult. Certain physical therapies and surgeries may be able to help, but in some cases, chronic pain can make physical tasks troublesome. Even with treatment, the recovery process can be lengthy and may lead to lost wages.
Bicycle Accidents Lawyer in New York
Handling the aftermath of a debilitating injury can be stressful and tedious. If your injury was caused by a negligent driver who hit you, try talking to a Watertown Bicycle Accidents Lawyer who can help collect the evidence you need for compensation. You may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and future loss of income due to impairments sustained from the accident.
At Gattuso & Ciotoli, we offer our clients four different areas of legal practice. Call us at (315) 314-8000 today for a free consultation. We are located in Central New York, Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, Syracuse, North Syracuse, Camillus, Liverpool, Cortland, and Auburn.