Wisconsin bicycle accident attorneysStatistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation indicate that some 4, 500 bicyclists experience a non-fatal injury each year. Since many of these injuries were related to the head, face, or neck area, one would think that cyclists are failing at helmet use, but this assumption could not be further from the truth. Learn the truth about bicycle accidents and helmet use, including why helmets are not always effective at preventing head injuries among victims.

Man Experiences Severe TBI in Bicycle Accident

It had been an average day for a Virginia man – he had ridden his bike to work and was on his way home to cook dinner for his sons, but then everything changed. Hit by a senior woman that had run a red light while he was riding through the intersection, the man was thrown 50 feet from his bike. The helmet he was wearing at the time may have saved his life, but it did not save him from years of painstaking recovery.

His brain had been shaken inside his skull, despite the use of a helmet, and started swelling immediately. By the time his wife arrived at the hospital, he was already on a ventilator. After spending approximately four weeks in a coma, he started to wake up and become more aware, but that was when his real struggles started.

It has been more than a year since his injury, and the man still attends both physical and speech therapy. He cannot work, he is still in a wheelchair most of the time, and the progress is painfully slow. He wants to become independent again, take care of his boys, and go back to work, but no one knows how long it will take him to recover fully – or if a full recovery is even possible. He is also just one of many other sufferers, one that wore a helmet but still paid greatly for another person’s negligent behavior.

A Closer Look at the Science of TBI and Helmet Use

Most pedal cyclists are led to believe that their helmet is a fail-safe form of protection. With it, they will not die or suffer a head injury. Unfortunately, science contradicts this misconception. Helmets reduce the risk of fatal injuries by only about 50 percent, and when it comes to injuries to the head, neck, or face, the risk reduction is only about 33 percent. In other words, the risk for TBI is still extremely high, despite the use of a helmet. This is because brain injuries are caused by jolting and jostling of the brain, and that can occur with or without a helmet.

Contact Our Green Bay Bicycle Accident Attorneys

At Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., we understand the impact that a brain injury can have on your overall quality of life. Dedicated and experienced, our Green Bay bicycle accident attorneys can fight for you. Schedule a personalized consultation to learn how we can assist with your case. Call our offices at 920-739-7366 today.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cyclists-recovery-from-brain-injuries-can-be-slow-but-death-rate-has-dropped/2017/09/08/f5eb8f1e-7ddc-11e7-a669-b400c5c7e1cc_story.html?utm_term=.480b0b8f71ba

 

http://www.bhsi.org/stats.htm