Common Leg Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

By Grant Law Office on June 2, 2021

Motorcycle riders are completely exposed on the roadway, without the protections an enclosed vehicle can provide. They are vulnerable to a range of injuries to every part of the body, including the head, face, chest, abdomen, spine, hands, wrists, and arms. The most frequently injured area in motorcycle crashes is the lower extremities, as found in a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

What Makes Lower-Extremity Injuries So Common in Motorcycle Crashes?

Riders’ legs are completely exposed on either side of the bike. Motorcycles lack stability and tend to fall over on the rider in a crash, causing fractured legs and foot bones, torn knee ligaments, ankle sprains, and other injuries. Severe lacerations of the leg and fractures of the femur (thigh bone) can cause heavy blood loss or infection, and may require amputation.

What Types of Lower-Extremity Injuries Do Motorcyclists Sustain?

Damage to the lower body can easily happen in a motorcycle accident, including:

• Foot injuries: These include broken toes and foot bones. Common injuries include fractures of the foot, metatarsals, tarsals, and calcaneus, as well as toe amputation, crushing, or degloving (when a large portion of skin and tissue is ripped off).
• Ankle injuries: Sprains, fractures, and dislocations of the ankle are common. Tibia (shinbone) and fibula malleolar (projection at the lower end of the fibula — the smaller, outer bone between the knee and the ankle) account for 90% of all motorcycle accident ankle injuries, as stated by NHTSA.
• Knee injuries: Tears in the ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus are common knee injuries, as well as kneecap and knee joint fractures. Dislocations, sprains, and lacerations of the knee are also frequently occurring injuries.
• Leg injuries: Fractures of the femur account for 94% of motorcycle accident thigh injuries, as reported by NHTSA, with femur shaft fractures accounting for 53%. Soft tissue injuries to the arteries, veins, and nerves of the thighs are not as common, but do occur. Partial or complete above-knee amputation of the leg can also be caused by a motorcycle crash.
• Pelvic injuries: Pelvic fractures, with or without deformation, account for approximately 69% of motorcycle accident pelvic injuries. Separation of the pubic symphysis (a part of the pelvis) and fractures of the sacrum are also common pelvic injuries.
• Hip injuries: Motorcycle accidents can cause hip dislocation and fractures of the femur at various locations. These types of injuries are common among bikers who roll after striking the road.

Why Is It Important to Recover Full Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident?

Severe lower-extremity injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash could put you out of commission for some time. You may have to undergo surgeries, recoveries, and rehabilitation, which could mean a lot of time away from work. Medical treatment after a serious foot, ankle, knee, leg, pelvic, or hip injury is likely to be extensive and costly. If someone else caused your accident, you are entitled to seek full and fair compensation for the losses you have suffered.

Why Do You Need a Lawyer?

Your best chance of recovering full compensation after a serious motorcycle accident is to retain an experienced attorney to handle your case. Insurance companies are in business for profit and do not have your best interests at heart.

Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers at Grant Law Office are committed to providing our injured clients with aggressive, effective representation. Wayne Grant has been named among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, listed among Georgia SuperLawyers®, and rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®. Our firm has been named among American Institute’s 10 Best Law Firms in Georgia.

If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle crash through someone else’s negligence, call us at (404) 995-3955 or toll-free at (866) 249-5513 to schedule a free consultation.