According to a recent report by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, bicycle accidents are on the rise across the state.
By May 2023, 160 bicycle-involved collisions on Virginia roadways resulted in nine deaths and 156 injured persons. Compared to the same data from 2022, those numbers represented a 125% year-over-year increase.
Biking can be an enjoyable way to get around, exercise, and enjoy the scenery. However, the reality is that riding on the road can put you at risk of a collision.
Today, we share some of the most common injuries that could lead to a bicycle accident claim. We will also look at the damages you could claim and share how our experienced legal team can help.
The Most Common Types of Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicycle accidents can vary significantly in terms of scope and severity. Some bikers walk away from the scene with minor cuts and scratches, while others lose their lives. In between, there are many different kinds of injuries that could occur. This includes life-long injuries that permanently affect your health, wellness, and overall quality of life.
Below are some of our Virginia law office’s most common bicycle accident injuries.
Head Injuries
There is a reason that you should never get on your bike without a properly-fitting helmet. The National Safety Council explains that approximately one-third of all non-fatal bicycle injuries are to the head. On average, emergency rooms across the country treat around 80,000 cycling-related head injuries each year and most of those are brain injuries.
The term “head injury” is more all-encompassing than you might think. This could mean any damage to your skull, scalp, or brain. Severe head injuries are called traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs for short.
On the minor end, you might get a bump or a bruise on your head. Or, you may see a small cut. These issues are usually not life-threatening and should heal relatively quickly.
Moderate to severe head injuries are much more serious than surface-level abrasions. Examples include:
- Concussions
- Deep gashes
- Open wounds
- Internal bleeding
- Fractured bones in the skull
- Brain damage
Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that can affect your brain function. The effects are usually short-lived, but the most common symptoms you might notice include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Difficulty concentrating
- Moodiness and irritability
- Sensitivity to light
- Forgetfulness
- Imbalance
- Sleep disruptions
While you may have heard of these head injuries, there is one that might be new to you: an intracranial hematoma. Put simply, this is a blood clot that forms right inside of or near your brain. While small ones are usually treatable, large ones can be fatal.
Facial Injuries
When you are struck by a vehicle while riding your bike, another personal injury you could experience is an impact on your face. For example, if the strike comes from behind, you might lean forward and crash your face onto the bike’s headtube or stem. If the force comes from another direction, you might fall onto the car or the pavement below with your face leading the way.
There are 14 different bones in your face, and any or all of them could fracture and break during a collision. On the surface, you may also notice scratches and bruises across your complexion. While surface-level issues might be considered minor, they can still lead to scarring and disfigurement.
Severe Facial Injuries
At the same time, severe facial injuries could also occur. For instance, your nose sticks out past your face, so it might be the first part of your body to impact with the ground, bike, or car. If it breaks, it can lead to subsequent problems, including respiratory issues, disfigurement, loss of smell, sinus pain, and sleep apnea.
In addition to your nose, you can also impact your jaw, eyes, or mouth when you fall on your face. An oral or maxillofacial surgeon can usually fix a broken or dislocated jaw, though it might need to be wired shut as it heals. Eye trauma is a little more complex to treat and could even result in the loss of your eyesight.
Mouth-wise, your delicate teeth could break apart, chip, or get knocked out in an accident. If they are in bad shape and affecting your ability to chew or speak, your dentist might recommend dental implants or veneers, which can be expensive.
Remember that a main facial nerve is also on each side of your head. If you impact your face in a bicycle accident, you could damage one or both of those nerves.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be devastating. If your spine is impacted during a bicycle accident, it can lead to a range of problems, including:
- Nerve damage
- Bone fractures
- Damage to spinal disks
For many people, these injuries lead to conditions that cause lifelong changes in their physical function, such as paralysis. While you might not give too much thought to it as you enjoy your bike, your back is one part of your body that you cannot easily protect on the road.
This makes you especially vulnerable to a spinal cord injury. Most of the time, it is not the vehicle’s impact that leads to the injury. Instead, these injuries happen most often when a biker is thrown onto the pavement.
If you experience this kind of injury, it can lead to different mental, physical, and emotional problems, such as:
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of movement
- Loss of sensation
- Changes to libido
- Respiratory distress
If you or someone you love is facing paralysis after a biking accident, it is vital to know the correct name for the condition. Moreover, if the paralyzed area affects three of their arms, rectum, hands, or legs, it is called tetraplegia. If it affects four, it is called quadriplegia. If the entirety of your bottom and legs are impacted, the condition is called paraplegia.
Bone Injuries
When cruising around on your bike on the streets and backroads of Virginia, it is easy to assume that your delicate bones are well-protected. However, the reality is that most of your body is exposed when you are on your bike, which leaves you vulnerable to impact-related breaks and fractures.
Here are some common bone injuries we see and how they occur.
Hands
When bracing for impact, it is common to put your hands out to break the fall. However, doing so means putting extra weight on the delicate bones in your hands, fingers, and wrists.
Arms
You can break your arm if you fall on it from your bike like your hands. The three bones in your arms are the radius, ulna, and humerus.
Collarbone
If you put your arm or shoulder down to soften a fall, you could fracture your collarbone. This break can range in severity but is always serious. Some injuries might require wearing a sling while the bone heals, but others require more intensive surgical repairs.
Pelvis
If you are struck by a car, it can damage your hips or pelvis. This break could also happen if you are ejected from your bike and land forcefully on the pavement.
Thigh Bone
You might not think too much about the bone in your thigh, but it is the biggest one in your body. The femur can break during a bicycle accident, especially if you are struck on the side. Most of the time, you will need surgery to fix the break.
Even if the surgery itself is successful, there are post-op complications that can occur when you operate on a bone this substantial. Some people develop infections or even blood clots following a femur repair.
Feet
Your feet are nowhere near as protected on a bike as inside a car. They could easily be crushed or impacted if you are involved in a crash. This risk is compounded by the fact that many bikes require you to clip or strap your feet into the pedals, so you cannot move them or change their position even if the rest of your body goes in a different direction.
Like your hands, your feet are delicate and very vulnerable. In all, there are 26 different bones in each one. Your ankles are also exposed as you ride.
Some accidents do not lead to broken bones, while others could result in multiple breaks at different points on your body. In addition to the bones listed above, some of the other bones you could break include:
- Ribs
- Neck
- Back
- Skull
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding can occur if a bone breaks and impacts your organs. For example, if you break or fracture a rib, a piece of the broken bone could pierce one of your lungs. Suddenly, a minor setback becomes a life-or-death complication. This is why it is always essential to visit a doctor as soon as you can after a bicycle accident.
Internal bleeding is not always evident, and you may not initially have symptoms. As they develop, some of the signs you might notice include:
- Pain in your abdomen, chest, or back
- Excessive coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Blood in your urine
- Nausea or vomiting
Calculating Your Damages
You could be entitled to compensation if you suffered personal injuries from a bicycle accident. A bicycle accident lawyer will sit down with you to learn exactly what happened and help you calculate the extent of your losses.
Your lawyer will consider a few factors when determining how much you deserve.
Medical Expenses
If you are injured in the accident, seek medical attention immediately. Some injuries, like soft-tissue ones, are not immediately apparent. Visiting your doctor ensures you get the help you need and establishes a timeline for the event.
Keep all records that pertain to your doctors’ visits, prescriptions, surgeries, therapies, and follow-up rehabilitation. The at-fault driver could be held responsible for your injuries, and his or her insurance may help cover those medical expenses.
Lost Income
Sometimes, an accident will force you to take time off work. You may return after a few days or weeks or be out indefinitely. This can be financially devastating.
Your lawyer will calculate how much you could have made if the accident had not occurred. Your lawyer will also consider your potential future earnings if you suffer a long-term injury. Then, your lawyer will factor that number into your claim.
Pain and Suffering
While medical bills and lost wages are considered special damages, you are also entitled to general damages, such as pain and suffering, as a result of your bicycle accident.
There is no definite sum associated with these damages, but they are still very important to consider. Examples include:
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment in life
Emotional distress covers the emotional anguish you feel after your accident. For instance, you might feel down because of your injuries or upset that you have to miss work. You might also get emotional when you think about how the accident has impacted your overall quality of life.
Navigate Your Bicycle Accident Claim With Us
The aftermath of a bicycle accident can be scary and confusing. You might not know where to turn or who to call. Our Preston, Wilson & Crandley PLC lawyers are here to help.
We will help you understand how much your case is worth, and we will communicate with the appropriate parties to start the claim process. While most claims are settled outside of court, we can represent you in a bicycle accident lawsuit.
When you are ready to get started, you can contact us here.