In a recent Indio motorcycle accident that occurred near Coachella, the rider who was wearing a helmet was ejected and subsequently struck his head on a rock. The helmet he wore was commonly referred to as a, "novelty "helmet. The helmet showed evidence of cracking and the rider died of brain injuries caused by blunt force trauma. This kind of helmet is not certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, and testing by NHTSA has indicated that serious brain injuries are more often found in motorcycle riders wearing the, "novelty" type helmet as opposed to a helmet certified by NHTSA of DOT.
There is no doubt that wearing a helmet which is more than a fashion statement can limit the severity of brain damage and resulting death. The cost of medical care for motorcycle accident victims is much greater than the medical charges for those persons involved in Coachella Valley car accidents. A new client at the law office of Barry Regar who was driving a compact car was a victim of a negligent texting driver in Palm Desert and was hospitalized in Palm Springs for a broken leg suffered when his car was hit broadside by a small truck. His medical bills at Desert Regional Medical Center were approximately $125,000.00. Another one of our clients was involved in a head on accident with a truck in La Quinta and suffered neck and hand injuries. He was on a motorcycle; but was wearing a very expensive NHTSA approved helmet. His medical bills were over $500,000.00. He made a good recovery and is working. We obtained a large settlement for this personal injury client. I have no doubt that if he had been wearing a "novelty" type helmet that his widow would have been my client because he would have died of head injuries. He struck his head on the curb after the impact with the truck and his helmet saved his life.
Motorcycle riders who ride without helmets are breaking the law in many states. However many states don't require any standard type of helmet to be used by the rider. California passed a helmet law that became effective on January 1, 1992. The use of helmets increased to 99 percent from the approximately 50 percent usages before the law was passed {American Journal of Public Health 85{1}:96-9.
Motorcycle riders who stubbornly refuse to wear helmets will inevitably have higher medical costs if they have a crash. Unfortunately many riders have no health insurance and their medical bills become a burden on society. In 2002 NHTSA completed a review of 25 studies of medical costs of the injuries caused by motorcycle accidents and found that helmet use reflected a reduction of the cost of medical care, length of a hospital confinement and the probability of prolonged disability for the riders involved in motorcycle accidents.
If you drive, don't text. If you drive, don't drink. If you ride a motorcycle, wear an expensive NHTSA, DOT approved helmet. It is not cool to wear a light plastic half helmet. It won't save your life or prevent you from long term brain damage. Buckle up in your automobile and strap on a good helmet if you ride. Barry Regar A Professional Law Corporation has plenty of personal injury clients who didn't follow these simple rules.
If you or a family member have been in any type of vehicle accident you can call our office for a free consultation about your case. Stay safe.