Traumatic Brain Injury Can Happen After Bicycle Accidents

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 27, 2021 – The news is often filled with stories about traumatic brain injuries (TBI) resulting from playing contact sports, military service, car accidents, or even slip and falls. Surprisingly, one of the major causes of traumatic brain injuries are bicycle accidents. Riding a bicycle can lead to more traumatic brain injuries than any sport, including soccer, basketball, hockey or football.

In a recent case, a 61-year-old male was riding his bike in a golf cart lane when he was struck from behind by a vehicle that fled the scene. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which likely saved him from an even more serious injury.

Bicycling, bike shares, electric bikes and even bike commuting are extremely popular across the nation. The number of people riding bicycles is prompting many cities to create “bicycle only” paths to keep them out of harm’s way on the road. However, even though the number of riders has gone up substantially, vehicle drivers continue not to pay attention to cyclists.

There are many advantages to people riding bikes. Bikes help reduce traffic congestion, offer a low-cost way to get from Point A to Point B, minimize a user’s hunt for parking spaces and do not require a large financial investment. Making riding safer would help increase ridership and increase those advantages. Forty-seven percent of Americans say they are more likely to ride a bike provided that they have paths that are separated from motor vehicles and fifty-three percent are worried about being struck by an automobile. As things stand, biking in a city can be dangerous.

“Some of the most common causes of bicycle accident include a vehicle failing to yield to someone on a bike, opening a car door into the path of a cyclist, speeding, pulling out in front of a bicyclist, ignoring blind spots, DWI by drugs or alcohol, and negligence,” explained Austin traumatic brain injury lawyer, Brooks Schuelke, not involved in the case. Other factors can cause a bicycle accident, such as bad road conditions or the mechanical failure of an improperly designed or manufactured bicycle part.

Helmets have been shown to save lives, but they may not necessarily prevent concussions from a low impact hit to the head. Additionally, falling off a bicycle can cause brain rotation, resulting in a diffuse axonal injury, which is the leading cause of death due to bicycle TBIs. For some reason, drivers tend to pass closer to cyclists wearing helmets, assuming they are more protected than those without headgear. Conversely, cyclists with helmets cite wind noise as a detriment to riding with one because it drowns out the sound of an approaching vehicle.

“If you, or someone you know, suffered from a head injury, even a mild one, seek medical attention immediately. Many brain injuries can be asymptomatic. If you feel the injury was due to the negligence of another person, call my office. I am here to help you,” added Schuelke.

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