Dental and Facial Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

When a motorcyclist is involved in an accident, dental and facial injuries are extremely common. The reason these injuries happen is because motorcyclists have no shield, seatbelt, or airbags to protect themselves. Therefore, when an accident occurs, they may experience a blow or impact to the head, face, mouth, and more. This can lead to severe, permanent, and devastating injuries that may affect their appearance for the rest of their lives.

Kansas and Missouri helmet laws while riding a motorcycle

The state of Missouri requires all individuals 25 and under to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, and the state of Kansas requires all individuals 17 and under to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. Therefore, many adults in these states have the option to put on a helmet (or not) before they get on their bikes.

While it is highly recommended to wear a helmet regardless of your age to prevent traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and concussions, helmets do not typically provide any protection against dental and facial injuries. This does not mean that you should not wear one, as there are many benefits to having this type of protection surrounding your head.

The most common types of facial injuries from motorcycle accidents

When a motorcycle crash occurs, the motorcyclist may be thrown from their bike, hitting their face or teeth on an object, the pavement, or another vehicle. During these accidents, it is common for motorcyclists to put their hands and arms out to try to stop their face and mouth from striking an object. However, even if they have time to do this, the force and impact from the crash is almost always too strong to stop the injuries from occurring. Here are a few of the most common types of facial and dental injuries from motorcycle accidents:

• Eye injuries: The eyes are likely to be easily damaged in a motorcycle accident. This can result in needing several eye surgeries, losing an eyeball, having damaged eye tissue, and more.
• Facial fractures: There are many different bones in the face. Therefore, when your face hits the pavement or an object, the bones can quickly become fractured. The most common areas where facial fractures occur are in the nose and cheeks. When an individual suffers facial fractures, they may experience severe pain and permanent disfigurement.
• Burns: Victims of motorcycle accidents commonly suffer chemical burns and road burns during the accident. This can occur in the eyes and face and often leads to serious infections.
• Lacerations, cuts, and scratches: Whether from debris, motorcycle or vehicle parts, or the impact of the accident, motorcyclists often experience severe cuts, scratches, and lacerations to the eyes and face. When an individual has a deep scratch or cut in their eye, they become at risk of permanently losing their vision.
• Vision and eye loss: Any type of damage to the eyes can result in blindness or eye loss. This can lead to needing the eyeball surgically removed, which can affect the individual’s ability to carry out their daily activities, such as work, watch television, read, and more.
• Scarring: Facial injuries can lead to severe scarring. This can cause the individual to become self-conscious, lose feelings in the area of the scars, experience physical pain, and more.
• Disfigurement: Sometimes, motorcyclists lose body parts, such as an ear, nose, skin, jaw, lip, eye, and more. Therefore, they may have permanent disfigurement that they have to live the rest of their lives with, which can be a traumatic and life-changing experience.

Dental injuries resulting from motorcycle wrecks

The number of dental injuries that motorcyclists suffer are endless. The reason for this is because motorcyclists do not typically wear helmets that cover and protect their mouths during an accident. This can lead to a variety of dental injuries, such as a chipped tooth, a broken tooth, damaged tissues in the mouth, a cut tongue, missing teeth, and more.

One of the most common injuries is a broken or dislocated jaw. This can make it extremely hard to eat, drink, or even breathe. It also comes with a lot of pain, lengthy medical treatment plans, and surgeries.

When these injuries occur, the individual will spend months or years paying for expensive dental repairs and undergoing countless dental treatments.

How can a Kansas City motorcycle accident attorney help with my injury claim?

If you suffer dental or facial injuries due to a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation. A motorcycle accident lawyer from Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys can help you file a claim and determine your options when it comes to pursuing compensation. Our attorneys know and understand that the healing process for motorcycle accident injuries is long, difficult, and painful, which is why we will take over your case while you focus on your recovery. We will gather evidence, find witnesses, stand up for your rights, negotiate a settlement, and prepare to represent you in court.

In addition, our team will do everything possible to prove that the negligence of the defendant led to your accident. Some of the evidence that we will use to do this includes photographs, video footage, police reports, citations, medical records, doctor testimonies, and more.

The motorcycle accident lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys believe in holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions. That said, we are ready to protect your rights and ensure that the responsible individuals are found liable for the damages they caused. Our team will answer your questions and concerns, guide you through the legal process, and use our unique techniques to secure the best results possible for your case.

If you need a lawyer that you can depend on during these tough times, call one of our offices or submit a contact form today. We are located in Kansas City (Missouri), Lee’s Summit, Parkville, St. Joseph, Olathe, Kansas City (Kansas), and Overland Park. You can visit our Kansas City, Missouri office at any time, but you will need a scheduled appointment to visit our other locations.

Related:

• Distracted Drivers Are a Danger to Motorcycle Riders
• In a Motorcycle Wreck? Make Sure to Replace Your Helmet
• Understanding Motorcycle Insurance in Kansas City, MO