With miles of bike lanes and beautiful parks, Arlington Heights offers a bicyclist many opportunities to explore the village outside of a car. However, as with any highly populated area, every year many people get injured on some of our roads and main arteries. As a result, there are many common injuries that can occur after an Arlington Heights bicycle accident.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed by an accident while riding a bike, contact the experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. With over thirty years of experience handling these types of cases, they can guide you through all of the difficulties and work to get you the help you need to recover from these injuries.
What are Common Injuries After a Bicycle Crash?
In many bicycle crashes, the cyclist will fall off their bike or be knocked to the ground. These bicycle accidents can lead to a variety of common injuries, including:
- Broken bones,
- Bone fractures,
- Head trauma,
- Neurological damage,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Ruptured discs, and/or
- Severe bruising and road rashes.
The most common bones to break are in the wrist, the arm, or the hand, due to the direction of most falls and the subsequent impact. These injuries could range from minor swelling or a fracture, to a severe break that can cause extreme pain and swelling.
However, some of the most serious injuries occur in the neck and head. The village recommends, but does not require, you to wear a helmet. Our experienced attorneys highly recommend it as well. Injuries to the head can cause life-altering problems and, although a helmet may not protect a bicyclist from every injury, it can greatly reduce the risk or brain and head injury, according to the CDC.
Lastly, unfortunately, over 1,000 bicyclists each year die from a fatal bicycle accident.
Steps to Take After an Accident
According to Bicycling.com, EMTs recommend seven tips after your suffer a bicycling accident.
- Take care of your head by wearing a helmet
- Breathe to relax
- Give yourself a Gut Check to check for any injuries to your internal organs
- Stop any bleeding and carry a small first aid kit with you
- Feel your fingers and toes to check for spinal injuries
- Wear ID with medical information on it for professionals can help you
- Always tell someone where you are going and what route you are taking
Regardless, we recommend you call 911 and go to your doctor or local hospital for a full checkup.
Contacting an Attorney for Help
If you or someone you love has suffered any of the injuries above, we recommend you contact a personal injury lawyer for a consultation. The experienced bicycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. have helped many clients who have suffered all types of common injuries after a bicycle accident in Arlington Heights. Call us today for a free consultation.
