Helmets are still an important accessory for motorcycle safety on the road, even if they can’t always prevent concussions. Motorcycle helmets can still make the difference between life or death in fatal crashes.
Unfortunately, head injuries are some of the most common results from motorcycle accidents, so victims or their families should seek legal help in the aftermath of an accident. A personal injury lawyer can assist accident victims in securing compensation for their pain and suffering.
The Common Misconception About Helmets and Concussions
Helmet misconceptions arise from the myth that they cannot prevent concussions. While no helmet is perfect, and there is no 100% guarantee that using a helmet will prevent a concussion, they can still reduce the risk of severe head injury.
Crash experts agree that a helmeted head is much safer than a bare one. According to the CDC, helmets reduce the risk of brain injury in motorcycle accidents by 70%.
Are Concussions Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Yes, concussions are medically considered traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Concussions occur when the brain experiences a blow measured around 70-120 G-forces in pressure. Even if the injury does not appear on a CT scan, a concussion could still be considered a mild TBI. Concussion symptoms may involve headaches, difficulty concentrating, struggle with balance, temporarily impeded memory, and sleeping issues.
Brain damage occurs when there is a blow, shaking, or rotational forces, usually a concussion, and the brain is unable to mend itself like a normal wound. Damage to the corpus callosum, which is a bundle of nerves connecting the left and right sides of the brain, can cause epilepsy or strokes.
These injuries can be long-lasting, with some of the consequences resulting in permanent help or disability. Consulting with a lawyer in the aftermath of an accident can help victims and their families reclaim lost wages and damages from crashes with severe head trauma.
The Purpose of Helmets: Protection Beyond Concussions
Motorcycle and bicycle helmets are designed to minimize impact force to the head after accidents. Since the discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in sports-related concussions such as American football, helmet concussion protection has drastically advanced.
MIPS® technology and other manufacturers are trailblazing biomechanical engineering, particularly helmet design, by using the finite element method (FEM), which is a numerical system involved in structural analysis.
The best helmet to prevent concussions is an impact-absorption helmet, with a soft shell foam inner section and hard outer shell that absorbs shock from high G-force collisions. It is also recommended that riders replace helmets after a crash.
Why Helmets Can’t Fully Prevent Concussions
Concussions are not always exclusively a result of direct blows to the head, but even a back-and-forth brain tissue movement (i.e. shaken abruptly) of the head could lead to a concussion. This means that a helmet in this scenario cannot fully prevent the concussion if there is a crash and the rider is immediately thrown or forced into a back-and-forth motion. Concussions can be a result of the head’s collision with the helmet itself.
No helmet is perfect, be it football helmets, rugby helmets, racing helmets, or bike helmets, but the industry is working rapidly on developing a concussion-proof helmet.
Legal and Insurance Implications of Wearing a Helmet
Insurance companies are constantly looking for ways to reduce payout, and one of those is demonstrating that victims in accidents did not take adequate care or safety precautions leading up to their injury. If a victim had not been wearing a helmet, then insurers can argue that the rider was not operating safely and led to their own injury, thus diminishing their compensation.
Courts will also rule to reduce compensation in states where helmet use is required and the victim was not wearing one at the time of the crash.
If Helmets Don’t Prevent Concussions, Why Are They Required?
Most states require motorcycle riders to wear helmets for their own protection and safety. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also requires that helmet regulations meet certain criteria by the manufacturer before they are sold to the public.
Motorcycle crashes also risk other head injuries beyond concussions. Wearing a helmet can prevent skull fractures, intracranial bleeding, or encephalitis, each of which can cause severe health issues like hallucinations, aphasia, or amnesia.
When to Seek Legal Help After Brain Injury in New York
If you are a resident in New York City or the greater area and were the victim of a traumatic brain injury or have a family member that was involved in a motorcycle crash, you can be entitled to compensation. Contact a New York City motorcycle accident lawyer at Omni Law to find out what your claim could be worth, and take the first steps to recovery. And remember to always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.