Lower Extremity Injuries
Did You Suffer a Lower Extremity Injury in a Motorcycle Crash?
Lower extremity injuries are not often talked about when it comes to vehicle accidents. Most firms prefer to focus on injuries to the spine or brain, forgetting that the lower half of the body, as in the pelvis, legs, ankles, and feet. However, these parts of the body are incredibly important when it comes to our ability to move around and interact with the world. Lower extremity injuries are extremely common during auto accidents, especially with motorcycles, and if the injury is severe enough, you may be facing a lifelong disability.
As experienced auto accident attorneys, The Husband & Wife Law Team has seen just how debilitating lower extremity injuries can be. We know that that kind of damage can alter your life forever. If your lower extremity injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, then you deserve proper compensation. Our Phoenix lower extremity injury attorneys are always prepared to go to bat for our clients. If you think we may be the right fit for you, contact us today.
What Is a Lower Extremity Injury?
A lower extremity injury is an injury that is inflicted to the lower half of the body. It usually happens when knees, feet, and ankles absorb the impact of an accident, resulting in them being crushed, broken, or twisted. That sort of blow can result in severe injuries that are debilitating and potentially life-altering. Lower extremity injuries are most commonly seen in motorcycle accidents, as riders have nothing to protect their legs from the impact of an accident and are often pinned beneath their bikes.
There are many different kinds of wounds that fall under the lower extremity injury tent. These can include:
Severe foot, toe, and ankle injuries
Amputations, including the loss of a foot or toe
Strains and sprains
Leg breaks and fractures
While a broken arm can easily be placed in a sling to heal, a broken foot, ankle, or leg means you may be confined to a wheelchair or at least will have to rely on crutches to move around. Lower extremity injuries can have a serious impact on your life and take a great deal of time to heal. Even a minor tibia fracture, the larger of your two leg bones, will take at least six weeks to heal. A severe break could take far longer, or even result in a lifelong disability. The truth is the consequences of lower extremity injuries are often severe.
What Are the Consequences of Lower Extremity Injuries?
When treating a lower extremity injury, an important factor is how severe the damage is. A sprain, where the muscle or tendons are stretched or torn, will likely require tight bandages and a lot of time off your feet. A broken pelvis or leg, however, may need surgery. Depending on how bad the break is, you may even require an amputation, as sometimes bones are so damaged, they are beyond repair. A lower extremity injury that requires a lot of treatment and specialized help will run up a large medical bill, which may be difficult for you to pay, especially if you have to take time off of work in order to heal.
Lower extremity injuries are also likely to leave you with a lifelong disability. You may find yourself with a minor limp that won’t go away, or you could be left in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. A disability means that you may lose your job and could even have to completely switch careers. Your home may no longer be an adequate place for you to live, and you may have to move, which, along with your lost wages and your medical bills, will simply add to the financial strain you are already facing.
On top of that, lower extremity injuries, especially if they were the result of an auto accident, are traumatizing. While your body may heal, your emotional state may not. You could find yourself living with the fallout of your injuries for years after your accident. This could impact every facet of your life and leave you with difficult mental illnesses.
Lower Extremity Injuries and Motorcycle Accidents
Cars come with a number of safety features, some of the most prominent being the metal shell and the crumple zones. These two design elements help those in cars keep their lower bodies safe during accidents. A motorcycle, however, has neither. This means that a motorcycle rider’s legs are left completely exposed. Even a minor collision from a car could easily result in a broken foot for a rider.
A majority of motorcycle accidents can be classified as low-side or high-side. A low-side collision means that you have lost control of the bike and skidded out. A high-side collision is when you have been thrown from your bike, often by another driver. In both cases, your legs are exposed to the road, the at-fault vehicle, and other cars. The only protection you may have for the lower half of your body would be your pants and your boots.
We Are Here to Help
As motorcycle enthusiasts ourselves, we are all too aware of the danger of lower-extremity injuries. Many of our clients have come to us with life-changing injuries to their pelvis, legs, and ankles, seeking justice for an accident that wasn’t their fault. We take these cases incredibly seriously and are always prepared to fight for our client’s right to proper compensation. If you or a loved one have suffered from a lower extremity injury due to an act of negligence, reach out to a personal injury attorney today. We can provide some of the best legal representation in Arizona.