Cycling is one of the best outdoor sports in Marietta, GA, thanks to the lovely weather and scenic bike trails. Outdoor enthusiasts are often found weaving through the city. While cycling is good for your brain, body, and heart, it also poses some risks of falls and accidents. Accident injuries happen more often than you think in Marietta and throughout Georgia. Hundreds of cyclists are hospitalized each year for crash-related injuries.

By law, bicycles are considered motor vehicles, and cyclists must follow the standard rules governing driving and highway use. Since Georgia is a modified comparative fault state, a rider can only be compensated for the injuries if they are less than 50% at fault for the accident. With so many complexities surrounding bicycle injuries and claims, you’ll want to hire a Marietta, GA, bicycle accident lawyer to help you through the claim process.

You also should consult a Tampa bicycle accident lawyer.

Common Injuries and Claims

1. Facial Injuries

If a motorist suddenly pulls into a bicyclist’s path or crashes into their bicycle, the impact can cause them to hit their face on the head tube or stem of the bike, pavement, or car. This can cause facial cuts and bruises, and fractured bones in the face.

Common facial injuries from bicycle accidents include a broken nose, broken or dislocated jaws, eye, and dental injuries. In addition, a cyclist can suffer broken cheekbones or orbital fractures. That’s why wearing a bicycle helmet when cycling is critical to help reduce facial injuries, especially in motor vehicle accidents.

2. Broken Bones

Some bones are more vulnerable to impact injuries and fractures among cyclists, including collarbones, femurs, hips, pelvises, arms, feet, and ankles. But some bicycle riders can break other bones, such as ribs and bones around the neck and back. It is not uncommon for a bicyclist to break several bones in a single accident.

Surgical insertion of screws, plates, and other hardware may be required to repair broken bones. The hardware can be removed later on or left inside the body. However, patients walking around with implanted hardware may be prone to arthritis and related joint problems.

3. Concussion/Head Injuries

Statistics indicate that about one-third of injured bicyclists suffer head injuries or concussions. Head injuries account for more than 60% of bike accident fatalities. Sometimes a head injury can result in a brain injury or a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Minor head injuries, such as bumps, minor cuts, and bruises, may not be fatal. However, moderate to severe injuries such as concussions, open wounds, deep cuts, fractured skull bones, brain damage, or internal bleeding can be life-threatening. 

A concussion is caused by a strong blow to the head, leading to a loss of awareness or alertness for a few minutes or hours. A bicycle accident may also cause an intracranial hematoma, a condition associated with a blood clot in or close to the brain.

4. Spinal Cord Injuries

Bicycling accounts for eight in 10 sports-related spinal cord injuries. Cyclists are often vulnerable to spinal cord injuries, particularly when motor vehicles are involved, or cyclists are thrown to the hard curb or pavement. Unfortunately, no protective gear can protect a cyclist against a spinal cord injury.

If a rider sustains an impact on the spine, they can suffer fractures in the bone, damage to the spinal disks, or nerve damage. These injuries can cause permanent changes in your strength, body function, and sensation below the location of the injury. Individuals with spinal injuries often experience emotional, mental, and social effects.

Other common symptoms of spinal injury may include loss of movement, loss of bladder or bowel control, loss of sensation, pain from nerve damage, altered sexual function, breathing problems, and paralysis. 

Consult a Marietta Bicycle Injury Lawyer 

Bicycle accident injuries can range from minor skin scratches to severe body injuries that could permanently affect your health and well-being. While minor injuries can be temporary setbacks, some cyclists suffer catastrophic injuries that lead to long-lasting pain and suffering. If you or your loved one suffers severe injuries from a bike accident, seek a skilled personal injury lawyer to litigate your case and help you reach a fair settlement or compensation.

This article was provided by Jenny Patel