Head injuries from motorcycle accidents
First published by Admin on September 13, 2017 in the following categories: Bike Safety and tagged with injury claims | road safety
Protective gear is absolutely essential for motorcyclists. When sharing a road with millions of cars, trucks and lorries, the only thing standing between flesh and bone hitting the tarmac floor at speed is the protective clothing a motorcyclist wears.
No matter how short the ride, motorcyclists should wear helmets and are advised to always ensure they wear:
- Abrasion resistant jacket with shoulder, elbow and back protection
- Motorbike gloves
- Leather or other abrasion resistant trousers with knee pads
- Motorbike boots
At the end of the day, this valuable equipment could save your life…
Helmets required by law
In the U.K., helmets are required by law. There is no vagueness to it:
“…you must wear a safety helmet that meets British safety standards when riding a motorcycle or moped on the road.”
Whilst the rest of protective motorcycle clothing is not mandatory by law, a helmet is. The helmet protects one of the most vital organs that happens to control everything else in our bodies: our brains. Helmets protects the skull and brain from being damaged by impacts, which is why wearing a helmet is such a big deal.
Head injuries are common and preventable
Here at the Motorbike Injury Lawyers, we have seen our fair share of head injuries that could have been prevented or at least mitigated if the motorcyclist had worn a helmet. From a simple bump that causes concussion, to lifelong neurological problems, a helmet is not something to disregard so easily.
The government provides a very helpful guide for using helmets, including on how to choose a decent helmet:
| Make sure it fits your head properly. Don’t rely on sharing helmets or an old one passed down from a cool out-of-town uncle. Make sure it hugs your head properly and doesn’t slide around. You want it to stay put in case of an unfortunate collision. |
| It should fit well without being uncomfortable and squeeze certain spots. Try the helmet on and walk around for a few minutes. |
| Check the helmet against safety regulations to make sure it has passed through safety checks. In appearance, brighter coloured helmets will help other road users to see you more easily. |
| On the road, you are exposed to the elements and noise is one of them. Noisy helmets can affect the rider by making them tired and lose concentration. It is always useful to speak to other motorcyclists and specialist dealers to see what kind of helmet is the best fit for you. |
Serious head injury claims
For serious head injuries, our claimants often recover many thousands of pounds to help deal with their suffering and losses incurred as a result.
If you don’t wear a helmet and suffer an injury, any harm you suffer can be partially blamed on the lack of head protection, and you could see a reduction in the amount you recover. This is called contributory negligence and it is the way the law recognises your own duty to keep yourself safe by wearing a helmet and protective riding gear.
Either way, the best way to prevent or mitigate the extent of a head injury is simple: wear a helmet!
The content of this post/page was considered accurate at the time of the original posting and/or at the time of any posted revision. The content of this page may, therefore, be out of date. The information contained within this page does not constitute legal advice. Any reliance you place on the information contained within this page is done so at your own risk.
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