Motorcycle accidents in California’s Bay Area occur with alarming frequency. Sometimes, these accidents are minor enough that the motorcyclist can get up and drive away. However, most motorcycle crashes do not end so well.
When such a crash results in serious or catastrophic injuries, victims can expect soaring medical expenses. Unfortunately, it is typically impossible to predict just how much your injuries may cost in the long term.
What do federal authorities say about these expenses?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also found it hard to assess the cost of motorcycle accident injuries. Factors that affect the cost include:
- Whether the rider wore a helmet
- Whether the accident victims had insurance coverage
- Medical treatments provided after a crash
- How much work is missed because of injuries
- The long-term impact and costs of the victim’s injuries
It is practically impossible for the NHTSA and other agencies to collect all data relating to motorcycle injuries in the nation. As such, their estimates of the total expenses victims face is not 100% accurate.
For example, researchers rarely get a breakdown of actual medical costs and must use hospital charges instead. However, this does not usually include factors like emergency transport costs, physician fees and prescription expenses.
What is the main takeaway?
If the NHTSA cannot predict what motorcycle accidents cost victims, those victims probably cannot either. The fact that some injuries have delayed symptoms (traumatic brain injury, for example) increases your difficulty in anticipating your total costs.
Even if you believe you only suffered minor injuries in your crash, it is wise to learn more about motorcycle accident compensation options. Increasing your knowledge empowers you to explore all sources of compensation in the wake of your crash.