Indiana motorcyclists like you have a strong understanding of exactly what sort of dangers you face on the road every day. However, there are some dangers that not even you can anticipate, and other dangers that are unique to motorcyclists. For example, you are at greater risk of a crush injury than other drivers.
Medline Plus discusses crush injuries in detail, including what causes them and how they can impact you in the short and long term. First of all, crush injuries occur when a part of your body is pinned between hard surfaces for a period of time. In the case of a crash, you will likely be pinned between vehicles and the ground, or between other vehicles and your own. As a motorcyclist, you don’t have the same protection that a covered vehicle offers its driver. It is, therefore, easier for you to become pinned and stuck between other cars.
Crush injuries can, unfortunately, cause you lasting damage as well. The severity of the injuries you face will usually depend on how long you are pinned and how heavy the pressure is. However, any severity or duration of a crush injury can result in things like nerve damage, lacerations, heavy internal and external bruising, broken or shattered bones, and the cutting off of circulation to extremities. In extreme cases, you can suffer from gangrene, sepsis, or may require the amputation of a limb due to cell death from blood and oxygen deprivation to the affected area.
If you find yourself facing these issues it could lead to a hefty medical bill, so you may also want to consider whether or not any compensation options are on the table for you.
