ATV Accident Injuries Head Injuries
ATV accidents are not an uncommon occurrence. Often, recreational off-road biking fun turns into tragedy as people are rushed to hospital with devastating head injuries including burns or fractures caused by vehicle fires or accidents.
How Do ATV Accidents Cause Head Injuries?
Recreational-off road vehicles and all-terrain vehicles are designed to be driven over rough and rugged terrains. Often, these vehicles lead to closed injuries as well as traumatic brain injuries. Too often, people riding these vehicles fail to wear protective head gear, such as suitable helmets. However, helmets can significantly reduce the significance of a head injury, even if they are unable to totally prevent such injuries. Further, faulty parts can result in fires and explosions, causing burns or fractures by propelling the driver from the vehicle.
What’s more, riding off-road vehicles also means navigating over rocks, ditches, and bumps. Such varied terrains can make for a great day of fun and adventure, but too often the difficult paths can result in the vehicles rolling over and passengers being thrown from the ATV or pinned beneath one.
Riding off-road vehicles also means that there are not official rules of the road to follow. In many instances, drivers need to decide for themselves what their speed limit is and what they consider to be reckless driving. Those riding on dirt bike courses may crash into one another. Those on all-terrain vehicles may drive faster than what is typically considered safe, resulting in severe consequences.
Also, off-road riders may want to try stunts on their vehicles, sometimes involving obstacles and jumps. All too often, these types of daredevil endeavors lead to debilitating, serious, and sometimes deadly head injuries.
Different Types of Injuries
Head injuries are those injuries incurred to the scalp, brain, or skull. They can range from a bruise or mild bump to a traumatic brain injury. Common types of injuries include:
- Scalp wounds or burns
- Skull fractures
- Concussions
These kinds of injuries can be open or closed. An open injury is one in which something breaks in the skull and enters the brain, whereas a closed injury is one that does not break the skull. It can be difficult to assess how serious the situation is just by observing the head. Some minor injuries may bleed a great deal while major ones do not bleed at all. Typically, the skull will protect the brain from significant harm. Different kinds of injuries to the head include:
- Hematoma – this is a clotting or collection of blood outside of your blood vessels. It can be serious if it occurs in the brain. The clotting may cause pressure to build within the skull, resulting in a loss of consciousness.
- Hemorrhage – this is uncontrolled bleeding which may occur in the space around the brain or within the brain tissue.
- Subarachnoid bleeds – these result in vomiting and headaches and the severity depends on how much bleeding is present.
What to Do If You Are in an Accident
If you’re involved in an ATV crash, fire or explosion, seek immediate medical attention for your injuries and make sure they are documented to help with your compensation claim. If you are unable to seek assistance, make sure someone on the scene does so for you.