Facial Injuries Caused by Motorcycle Accidents

When motorcycle accidents happen, motorcyclists bear the brunt of the damage. Not only are they likely to have a seriously damaged or totaled bike, but they are also at a greater risk of serious or fatal injuries. Among the common injuries reported by motorcyclists, you’ll find many types of facial injuries.

If you’re ready to talk to a lawyer about your motorcycle accident, call John H. Ruby & Associates at 502-895-2626. We will provide a free consultation to thoroughly assess your case and advise you of your legal rights and options.

Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes are nearly guaranteed after a motorcycle crash. If you’re lucky and well-prepared, you’ll at least be protected by your riding gear. But even then, you could hit your face on your bike or scrape it on the pavement. In both cases, your skin is at serious risk of infection.

This is painful and dangerous, as an untreated infection can become septic and lead to organ shutdown. Even with prompt treatment and monitoring, deep facial cuts or large abrasions may leave you with permanent scarring, tightness, and limited mobility.

Broken Bones

Your face is home to 14 bones that carefully maintain its structure. Even one broken facial bone can throw off your facial symmetry, cause the face to droop, or limit functionality. For example, a broken eye socket causes pain, swelling and puffiness, and intense bruising. This bone protects the muscles and nerves that work with each eye, so a significant break could even threaten your vision.

Depending on which bone is broken and how severe the break is, you may need to undergo surgery or simply rest until the bone heals on its own. Some broken bones require significant medical intervention. As an example, broken nasal bones may keep you from breathing properly.

Damage to Your Eyes

Eye injuries happen in a number of ways. As we discussed earlier, the eye socket can be broken during a crash, causing severe pain and bruising. Broken bones near the eyes can also damage the support structures around the eye, causing the eye to bulge or sink in.

However, the eyes themselves can become damaged. Debris from the crash can fly into your eye, causing tiny scratches on the eye and eyelid. These injuries make your eyes water, become puffy, and feel itchy.

Without treatment, these injuries may worsen and limit your vision. Your eye may also be struck by your bike or other items in the crash. Depending on how hard the blow is, your optic nerve can be permanently damaged, leaving you partially or completely blind.

Mouth Injuries

Your teeth are designed to absorb a lot of trauma, but even they have limits. A motorcycle accident is likely to leave you with chipped, broken, or missing teeth. Depending on how the tooth breaks, where the break is, and how quickly you seek treatment, a full recovery may be possible. In other cases, you need implants or dentures to fix the damage caused by a crash.

You may also suffer a broken jawbone, which may limit your ability to eat and speak. A broken jaw often requires extensive treatment and monitoring, since a jawbone that does not set properly can permanently affect your mobility.

Dental injuries warrant immediate medical care. Dental work is very expensive, and the longer you wait to seek treatment, the more care you may need.

Scars

Any type of facial injury could leave you permanently scarred. Medical treatment, no matter how carefully done, often leaves its mark on your skin. In most cases, scars just affect your appearance without causing you pain or discomfort. In other cases, scars can cause tightness and discomfort.

This is more common with large scars or scars that adhere to the muscles below the skin. These adhesions limit your ability to move freely and can cause discomfort and embarrassment.

Start Your Motorcycle Accident Claim with John H. Ruby & Associates

Don’t wait a moment longer to get the legal assistance you deserve. A motorcycle accident can permanently change your life, and you need an aggressive personal injury attorney who can fight for the compensation you deserve. Set up a time to talk to the team at John H. Ruby & Associates now—just call us at 502-895-2626 or send us a message online.