Developing PTSD After a Motorcycle Crash

Many life events can be traumatic and lead to major psychological trauma, and traffic accidents are one of them. The aftermath of an automobile accident can have catastrophic and life-altering consequences. Depending on how severe your crash is, it may not just be the physical bodily harm that you have to endure but also complete devastation to your psyche. A common result of vehicular accidents is the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Motorcycle accidents, in specific, tend to have some of the most horrifying and severe outcomes. This is particularly true for the riders and passengers on a motorcycle. Motorcycles are a high-risk leisurely activity but even though this is well-known, their popularity continues to grow in several demographics. The Insurance Information Institute reported that in 2019 there were 8,596,314 registered motorcycles. That year 5,014 people lost their lives in a motorcycle crash. The fatality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles was almost 59% in 2019.

How Can a Motorcycle Crash Lead to PTSD?

People can develop post-traumatic stress disorder if they were involved in a disturbing and harrowing incident. PTSD can also result from just witnessing one of these shocking events. Motorcycle crashes can cause considerable annihilation and most often they do. Whether it be by debilitating injury or death when a motorcycle crash happens, the aftermath can be hard to overcome.

A Las Vegas car crash can also be very traumatic. But, unlike a car that has many safety features such as airbags with occupants having a protective metal barrier around them, motorcycle riders do not have anything surrounding them. Their bodies have little to buffer the impact. When a motorcyclist gets hit they will often be thrown from their bike and their bodies will then violently smash onto the road. 

While helmets are the most effective form of protection a motorcycle rider has against major injury and death, they cannot keep motorcyclists completely safe from harm. With such little protection for motorcycle riders, one would suspect that all motorcycle riders would wear a helmet. But this is not the case in states where helmets are not required by law. Here in Nevada, there are requirements for such protective gear. Nevada motorcycle helmet laws say that riders and passengers of motorcycles must be wearing helmets, goggles, and glasses if there is no shield on the bike.

While wearing protective gear on a motorcycle is recommended and even the law, it is still possible to suffer substantial damages like disfigurement or paralysis for those that survive their crash. Managing the physical bodily harm a motorcycle accident caused and having flashbacks of the sounds and sights that have been ingrained in the mind can also cause severe psychological implications like the development of PTSD.

Speak with a Las Vegas Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today

If a negligent party hit you while you were enjoying a ride on your motorcycle, it is likely that you suffered some amount of injury. To learn more about obtaining compensation for your damages, the Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorney at the Aaron Law Group can provide strategic and informative assistance that can help. Call the Aaron Law Group today to schedule your free consultation at (702) 550-1111.