A motorcycle accident isn’t like a car accident. You aren’t protected by a steel box—instead your body is directly exposed to the chaos of the wreck, which can lead to multiple injuries.

There are more than 50,000 motorcycle accidents in the United States every year. With so many accidents, patterns start to emerge indicating some injury types are more likely to occur than others.

Knowing the Salt Lake City motorcycle accident common injuries can help you understand your own bodily damages, or possibly even prevent them during an accident.

Broken Bones

Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries are broken bones—and often multiple broken bones in a single crash. Since a motorcyclist is directly exposed, the bones often bear the brunt of the impact.

The arms and legs will frequently suffer the majority of the damage. This is because it’s instinctive to put your arms out to catch your body, while your legs will take the impact if your bike slides or tumbles.

Back and Spinal Cord Injury

Unfortunately, another common injury in a motorcycle accident is a back or spinal cord injury. You may only experience a minor injury, such as a sprained or pulled muscle, but these injuries can be much more serious.

In the worst-case scenario, an injury occurs to your spinal cord. A spinal cord injury can cause significant disability, death, or paralysis.

Other back injuries include herniated discs and broken or fractured vertebrae.

Brain and Head Injury

Your head, even when protected by a helmet, is vulnerable in a motorcycle crash. Even if a head injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI) doesn’t kill you, it can still leave you severely disabled.

One of the most common brain injuries is a concussion. Concussions can cause symptoms such as disorientation, headaches and migraines, confusion, and memory loss.

Another major type of brain injury is a contusion—where the brain is bruised or bleeding. Contusions can lead to long-term brain issues and disabilities.

Soft-Tissue Damage

Your skin is the first thing to come into contact with the ground when your motorcycle crashes. Puncture wounds and cuts are some of the most common injuries in motorcycle accidents. They often require stitches and can become infected and bruised, and they may result in permanent scarring.

Emotional Injury

Emotional injuries aren’t often talked about, but long-term injuries of this sort can be incurred in motorcycle accidents. A motorcycle accident may be at the root of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety. These injuries can take years to overcome, requiring therapy and medical care.

Contact a Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

A number of different injuries can possibly occur in motorcycle accidents in Salt Lake City. While the list above details some of the most common, there are many more that can come about during a crash.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another, you could receive a settlement to help you pay for your medical bills and other damages. Call Craig Swapp & Associates at 1-800-404-9000 to explore your options and to discuss your case.