At Correll Law Firm, we have assisted many motorcyclists injured in accidents. Our Winchester motorcycle accident attorney has helped those suffering from back injuries, concussions, and fractures, as well as lacerations or burns. By far, facial injuries are some of the worst injuries you can suffer. Not only do facial injuries cause pain, they can lead to disfigurement which impacts a person’s self-esteem and ability to move on following the crash. Please contact our law firm if you suffered a facial injury in a collision. Our attorney will begin working on your case to seek meaningful compensation.
Virginia Helmet & Face Shield Law
Virginia Code § 46.2-910 requires that everyone operating a motorcycle wear a face shield or safety glasses/goggles. Otherwise, they need to have a safety glass or windshield installed on their motorcycle.
Anyone riding on the motorcycle also needs to wear a helmet. The helmet should be approved by the Department of Transportation or meet other safety standards.
This is an excellent law. Helmets are shown to dramatically reduce the incidence of brain injuries and death. Furthermore, a face shield should protect a person’s face from flying debris or from direct contact if a car slams into the motorcycle.
Nonetheless, accidents are so traumatic that many passengers still suffer facial injuries, even if they wore all required safety equipment.
Facial Fractures
The facial skeleton has 14 bones, and a collision could fracture any one of them. Motorcyclists can suffer a fracture when they are struck in the face by another moving vehicle or when tossed from their bike. Some land face-first on the ground and are injured that way.
Some of the most common facial fractures involve:
- Cheekbones
- Jawbones
- Mandible
- Orbital bones
- Frontal bone
You might not know whether you have broken a bone following a crash. Some common signs are swelling, bruising, and pain when you touch the area. There are many complications if you do not receive prompt treatment. For example, orbital fractures can end up injuring your eyes, leading to vision loss.
Facial Abrasions and Lacerations
Cuts and abrasions to the face are common injuries for motorcyclists. Although these might not sound serious, they can lead to permanent disfigurement or scarring. Some victims need reconstructive surgery to return their face to their normal, pre-collision appearance.
Cuts and lacerations also carry a risk that they will become infected, and the infection could spread. You should go to the hospital immediately to have any wound checked by a doctor. Also take a full regimen of antibiotics if prescribed.
Dislocated Jaw
A dislocated jaw deserves special mention. We use our jaws to do many tasks, such as eating, drinking, and talking. A traumatic accident can dislocate the jawbone from the temporomandibular joints. A doctor will typically reposition the jawbone by pushing it back into place. However, if the jawbone moves out of alignment again, you might ultimately need surgery to keep it in place.
Eye Injuries
Goggles and facial shields are designed to help protect your eyes. A motorcyclist can suffer devastating eye injuries in a crash. A piece of debris could fly up and puncture the eye, or blunt force trauma could cause injury.
Some symptoms you suffered an eye injury include:
- Red eye
- Distorted vision
- Eye pain
- Difficulty moving your eye
- Bruising around the eye
Eye injuries require immediate treatment to preserve vision. Some blindness is temporary, so call an ambulance to take you to the hospital, since your vision might be restored.
Compensation for Your Facial Injuries
The goal of compensation is to make you whole. Correll Law Firm has sought compensation for medical bills to treat facial injuries, including the cost of reconstructive surgery for disfigurement. We also seek a fair amount for less tangible losses like physical and emotional pain, embarrassment, and depression.
Some facial injuries will also prevent our clients from returning to work, so they suffer a loss of income as well. You should receive full compensation for any decrease in income.
Before we can seek compensation, however, we need to establish liability for the accident. In many cases, the motorist who forced you off the road or who struck you is liable. They should carry liability insurance, which should kick in to pay your out-of-pocket expenses and other damages.
Virginia is a contributory negligence state. If you fail to use reasonable care, then you can’t receive anything. That is a tough rule, and Virginia is one of the few states to still follow it. Fortunately, the law clarifies that failure to wear a helmet or goggles does not qualify as negligence. But if you were weaving in and out of traffic or lane splitting, then you might forfeit any ability to receive damages.
We Can File Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Negotiating a settlement for a motorcycle crash requires patience and experience. Our Winchester motorcycle accident lawyer knows how to build a claim for compensation the proper way, and will step in to:
- Find evidence to establish liability for the collision
- Minimize your own negligence if the defendant blames you for the crash
- Help document your losses, including medical costs and lost income
- Analyze the police report to identify helpful facts, including the identity of witnesses
- Determine what role road defects played in the collision, if any
Each case is different, but facial injuries can result in large settlements, often because of the pain and emotional distress suffered by our clients. Do not try to negotiate a claim on your own. Many insurers refuse to negotiate in good faith, so you require the experience that our firm brings to every case.
Call Our Winchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle accidents are deeply traumatic. You could have done everything right—worn a helmet, followed all rules—and still end up with major facial injuries. Please call Correll Law Firm today. Our lawyer will review the facts and help you determine what steps to take next. We might also recommend going straight to court and filing a lawsuit, if necessary, to get the compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations to those who are interested and who call 540-535-2005.