West Sacramento Motorcycle Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a West Sacramento personal injury lawyer. On Monday, May 22, 2017, a couple suffered a violent motorcycle crash in West Sacramento a couple hours after midnight. Both of the people riding the motorcycle are currently receiving treatment for severe injuries.
What Happened
At about 2:30 a.m. on Monday, a 42-year-old Vallejo man, and a 30-year-old woman were riding a motorcycle in West Sacramento heading west on the Interstate 80 near Reed Avenue. It is believed that the motorcyclists were merging back onto the interstate from off of the shoulder when they crashed into a private security vehicle from Sacramento. It is still in question whether either rider was wearing a helmet when the crash occurred. California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that both riders were ejected from the motorcycle onto the roadway and sustained traumatic injuries. The riders were transported directly to the hospital following the crash.
Motorcycles and Head Injuries
Traumatic injuries to the head and neck, along with brain injuries, are the principal cause of disability and death among motorcycle users. According to the World Health Organization, head injuries account for about 75% of all motorcycle fatalities. They also result in higher costs of medical care due to their long-term effects.
Importance of Motorcycle Helmets
There are two principal ways that a head can suffer an injury in the event of a motorcycle accident. The first deals with direct contact to the head. This is a typical result due to the amount of exposure to the motorcyclist’s head during an accident. Damage can occur when the head makes contact with the ground, the motorcycle, or another vehicle. The second way involves primarily with brain injury. Brain injury can occur during a motorcycle accident through dramatic acceleration-deceleration. In this event, a dramatic change in speed on a person causes the brain, surrounded only by fluid, to continue at its previous rate of speed while the skull and body assume the new speed. This results in the brain colliding with the interior of the skull, causing brain injury. Acceleration-deceleration is also a common occurrence in motorcycle accidents.
The motorcycle helmet includes four components with a design to reduce the risk of suffering these types of injuries. These components include the hard-outer shell, impact-absorbing material, padding, and retention strap. The hard outer shell protects the head from contact damage. It provides a durable barrier between to the skull and external surfaces. The impact-absorbing material works with the outer shell to slow the amount of force to the helmet during rapid acceleration-deceleration. The padding also works to absorb impact and to maintain a tight and comfortable fit on the head. The retention strap goes under the chin and ensures the helmet stays in place during a motorcycle accident.
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West Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, a West Sacramento personal injury lawyer. If you, or a loved one, have suffered an injury in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence, please call me today at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
I started practicing law in California over 30 years ago and have helped many of my clients receive the maximum amount of compensation for their personal injuries, including in situations of wrongful death.
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You can also visit my previous settlements and verdicts page to learn more.
I am a part of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This is a fellowship of top US trial attorneys limited to those that have received settlements and verdicts for over a million dollars for their clients.
Image Source: By The National Guard – Flickr: Alabama Army National Guard, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18844445
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