Riding a motorcycle can be exhilarating, but also dangerous. Motorcycle crashes can result in devastating injuries, and muscle injuries are among the most common and debilitating consequences.

Whether it’s due to the sheer impact of the collision, the force of the fall, or the subsequent strain on the body, muscle injuries can significantly impact a victim’s life, causing pain, immobility, and financial strain. From minor strains and sprains to severe tears and ruptures, muscle injuries sustained in these accidents can require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and time away from work.

In this blog, we’ll delve into the various types of muscle injuries that can occur in motorcycle accidents, the challenges victims may face in seeking compensation, and how a law firm like ours can help navigate the legal process of a personal injury lawsuit to ensure victims receive the compensation and support they need to recover and move forward with their lives.

Why Does My Back Hurt After a Motorcycle Accident?

There are several reasons you may experience back pain and seek medical attention following a car accident or motorcycle accident:

• Muscle strains and spasms: The impact of the accident can cause muscle pain in the muscles in your back, neck, and shoulders to tense up and spasm. This leads to neck pain, muscle pain, soreness, and stiffness.
• Soft tissue injuries: Sometimes seen as minor injuries, ligaments, tendons, and muscles throughout the back can suffer tears and inflammation, resulting in pain after a car accident.
• Spinal injuries: The jolting forces of a motorcycle crash may compress, fracture, or displace vertebrae or spinal discs. This can lead to a pinched nerve or impinge on the spinal cord, causing serious injury, permanent physical harm, and severe back pain.
• Facet joint injuries: Motorcycle crashes frequently injure the facet joints that connect vertebrae. This causes inflammation, stiffness, and chronic back discomfort.

Common Types of Motorcycle Accident Injuries

In addition to back pain, some other common motorcycle injuries include:

• Road rash: Skidding across pavement can remove several layers of skin, resulting in severe road rash with extensive abrasions and wounds.
• Broken bones: Arms, legs, ribs, collarbones, or another broken bone can often occur in high-impact crashes.
• Head and brain trauma: Traumatic brain injuries are a major risk in motorcycle accidents without helmet use.
• Spinal cord damage: Spinal cord injuries can cause partial or total paralysis of the arms and legs.
• Severe lacerations: Deep cuts from structures on the motorcycle or objects in the road frequently require surgery.
• Amputations: Crush injuries or traumatic severing of limbs may necessitate amputation.
• Internal organ damage: Motorcycle riders lack external protection, so blunt force impact can damage organs like the liver, kidneys, and spleen.

What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?

Concussions from motorcycle crashes can damage brain tissue and nerves and cause them not to function properly. This amplifies normal headache pain and delays mental function from returning to normal.

Steps After a Motorcycle Accident

Prioritize Your Medical Evaluation and Treatment

After a motorcycle crash or car accident, your top priority should be getting checked out by medical professionals. Even if you feel fine initially or think you’ve only suffered minor injuries, the adrenaline rush of an accident can mask serious problems. Here’s what to do:

Seek Medical Attention as Soon as Possible

Head straight from the accident scene to the emergency room or urgent care clinic to see a doctor. Quick evaluation and treatment can greatly improve your recovery outlook.

Work With Your Doctor to Create a Treatment Plan

After you see a doctor, cooperate fully with all of their testing, referrals, therapy orders, and medication instructions. Following the doctor’s instructions gives you the best chance of healing properly. Doctor’s guidelines are crucial in your recovery process.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Dealing with insurance details is key to getting your medical bills paid and receiving fair compensation after a motorcycle crash or car accident.

Get in Touch With Your Medical Insurance Company

Notify your health insurer of the accident right away. Verify your policy coverage and get approval for treatment costs for your muscle injury and other medical expenses.

Call Your Auto Insurance Provider

After a car accident, it’s important to promptly contact your auto insurance company to report the incident and initiate the insurance claim process. Be sure to provide accurate details about the accident, including the date, time, and location, as well as any injuries or damages sustained.

Your insurance company can guide you through the necessary steps and help you understand your coverage options for medical treatments and expenses for your injuries, vehicle repairs, and other related costs.

Contact an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney

An attorney can advise you about a personal injury claim for your severe pain and help you recover compensation for all current and future accident-related expenses after a motorcycle or car accident.

Could the Cause be a More Serious Injury?

If pain persists longer than expected, ask your doctor or other medical professional if further imaging tests are needed to check for fractures, internal bleeding, other injuries, or surgical issues. Ongoing problems that are causing pain could require corrective procedures.

In these cases, a review with an attorney is wise if you choose to pursue a personal injury lawsuit for your car accident injuries.

What Kinds of Motorcycle Accident Injuries Have Delayed Pain or Get Worse Over Time?

Some motorcycle accident injuries produce no symptoms at first but worsen gradually.

These include:

• Bleeding or swelling inside the skull after a traumatic brain injury: This type of serious injury causes progressively worsening headaches and neurological deficits due to head trauma.
• Internal bleeding in the abdomen from ruptured organs: This may cause increasing abdominal pain and tenderness. Internal bleeding is an emergency.
• Damaged facet joints or broken bones in the spine: Inflammation can develop in these joints within 48 hours after an accident, resulting in worsening back pain after a car accident. A spinal injury is also serious and should be addressed immediately.
• Herniated discs: Bulging or ruptured discs may press on spinal nerves days or weeks post-accident causing further spinal cord injuries and pain after a car accident as inflammation increases.

Common Causes for Muscle Pain and Soreness

After a motorcycle or car accident, experiencing muscle pain can stem from various factors related to the impact and resulting injuries. The force of the collision in a car accident can cause significant strain on muscles throughout the body, leading to muscle pain, sore muscles, and discomfort.

Soft tissue damage, such as muscle strains and sprains, is common in car accidents, particularly due to sudden jerking movements upon impact. A muscle injury can also result from the massive strain of the body’s attempt to brace itself during the collision, leading to muscle spasms, aches, and soreness.

Additionally, the body’s natural response to trauma, such as inflammation, can contribute to experiencing muscle spasms, pain, and soreness in the aftermath of car accidents. In some cases, individuals may experience delayed onset muscle soreness, where symptoms worsen in the days following the accident.

Factors like preexisting injuries or chronic pain conditions can exacerbate muscle soreness and muscle aches after a car accident. Seeking prompt medical attention and following a treatment plan prescribed by a medical professional, which may include physical therapy, can help alleviate muscle pain and support the body’s recovery process.

It’s crucial for accident victims to document their injuries for potential personal injury claims and insurance purposes, ensuring they receive the necessary medical care and financial recovery they deserve.

What if You’re Still Sore Days or Weeks After an Accident?

Lingering soreness may indicate you need more treatment for your injuries.

Seek treatment from your doctor if you have:

• Unrelenting pain from your muscle injury that prevents activity or sleep
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or legs
• Muscle spasms and stiffness that don’t improve with rest
• Headaches, confusion, lightheadedness, or vision issues
• Pain accompanied by swelling or joint instability

Physical Therapy

Your doctor may prescribe treatment by a physical therapist to help reduce inflammation if you are experiencing sore muscles and regain mobility after soft tissue injuries. This can effectively treat post-accident muscle soreness.

Don’t Forget About Your Mental Health

Coping with chronic pain along with the stress of medical bills, lost work, and insurance claims can negatively impact mental health. Be sure to seek counseling if you’re experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or PTSD after your motorcycle collision.

Many accident victims qualify for short-term disability benefits that include mental health services even for superficial injuries.

How Much Financial Compensation Should I Expect After a Motorcycle Accident?

The amount of compensation you receive depends on the severity of your injuries, length of recovery, and details of your insurance coverage.

Some potential compensation sources are:

• Medical expenses: This includes hospital bills, medications, therapy, and assistive devices.
• Lost income: Even minor injuries can prevent you from working. You can recoup wages lost during recovery.
• Pain and suffering: You may receive damages for physical and emotional distress from your injuries.
• Loss of enjoyment: Compensation for losing the ability to participate in activities and hobbies you previously enjoyed before your muscle strain injury.

An experienced personal injury attorney can seek fair compensation that covers all your current and future accident-related losses.

Victims of muscle injuries from motorcycle crashes in Indiana may be eligible to receive varying settlement amounts. For instance, a victim who sustains moderate injuries requiring physical therapy and several weeks of recovery may receive a settlement ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. In cases where the injuries are more severe, such as torn ligaments or muscle tears requiring surgery and long-term rehabilitation, settlements could range from $30,000 to $100,000 or more.

Factors like the extent of the injuries, the impact on the victim’s daily life, and the negligence of the at-fault party all play a role in determining the settlement amount. Additionally, if the accident resulted in permanent disability or disfigurement, the settlement amount may increase significantly to account for ongoing medical expenses and diminished quality of life.

At Poynter & Bucheri, our dedicated legal team works tirelessly to secure the maximum compensation possible for motorcycle accident victims in Indiana, ensuring they receive the financial support they need to rebuild their lives after suffering muscle injuries.

Contact Poynter & Bucheri Accident Recovery Lawyers online or call the firm today at 1-800-265-9881.

What Not to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Certain actions could undermine your ability to obtain compensation for your injuries and motorcycle damage.

It is important to not engage in any of these actions after you’ve been in an accident:

Don’t Delay Medical Treatment

Prompt doctor visits strengthen your injury claim. You will want to have proof of injury in a lawsuit. This ensures you will get compensated for all the injuries you experienced.

Don’t Downplay Your Symptoms

Be honest with doctors so your medical records reflect the true extent of your condition. They will be able to tell if you are lying and your chances of receiving compensation will be risked.

Don’t Accept an Early Settlement

Wait until you know the full scope of your injuries and losses before signing any release of claims. You don’t want to end up receiving less compensation than you deserve.

Don’t Post on Social Media

Anything you post could be used by insurance companies to deny or reduce your compensation. Refrain from posting anything about your incident.

What if I Can’t Ever Return to My Former Job After My Accident?

Severe injuries may leave you permanently disabled and unable to work in your previous occupation.

In these circumstances, you may be entitled to additional compensation such as:

• Vocational retraining: Pays for education and training for a new career compatible with your disabilities.
• Loss of future earnings: Compensates you for reduced earning capacity over the course of your remaining career.
• Disability insurance benefits: Covers a portion of lost wages if your disabilities make you unable to work.

Again, an experienced personal injury lawyer can make sure you receive all available compensation if you can no longer work due to accident injuries. With proper medical documentation, even serious preexisting conditions should not limit your right to fair compensation.

Recovering from a motorcycle accident takes time. Listen to your body and work closely with your healthcare providers to ensure you heal properly from your muscle strain. Seek both medical care and legal guidance to protect your rights and receive compensation that provides for your complete financial recovery.

Start the Road to Recovery with Poynter & Bucheri

Navigating the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be daunting, especially when dealing with muscle injuries and the complexities of seeking compensation.

At Poynter & Bucheri, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll that motorcycle crashes can take on victims and their families. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing compassionate support and expert legal guidance to ensure that victims receive the full compensation they deserve for their injuries and losses.

With our proven track record of success in handling motorcycle accident cases, we have the knowledge and resources to effectively advocate for our clients’ rights and pursue maximum compensation on their behalf. If you or a loved one has suffered muscle injuries in a motorcycle accident, don’t face the legal challenges alone.

Contact Poynter & Bucheri today at 1-800-265-9881 for a free consultation and let us help you navigate the path to recovery and justice.