Residents in Tennessee often witness individuals riding on motorcycles throughout the year. Whether it is to travel a short distance, across the country or for a hobby, these small motor vehicles can be extremely dangerous for riders. When a motorcycle accident occurs, those riding on the bike could endure serious injuries. One of these is a head injury, which could impact the victim for the rest of their life. Helmet laws are an important step toward reducing the number of head injuries from motorcycle accidents.
The state of Tennessee sought to repeal their helmet laws earlier this year, but this attempt failed. The repeal would have allowed those motorcyclists that were 25-year-old or older to ride their motorcycle without a helmet if they had proof that they had at least $200,000 in medical insurance as well as $100,000 in liability coverage.
A big opposition to this repeal was from hospitals that provide head trauma care. In addition, the regional AAA auto club also opposed this repeal because the state saw a recent increase in injury rates of motorcycle accidents. A big argument for keeping the helmet law in place is that it serves to help save lives. Wearing a helmet can prevent serious and even fatal brain injuries.
When a motorcyclist is involved in a collision, it is common that they will endure some form of injury, whether it is road rash, cuts, bruises or even broken bones. In some cases, more severe injuries could occur, such as head trauma or neck injury. These injuries can seriously impact the life of the victim and lead to serious financial burdens while they recover.
A victim might be able to file a personal injury claim, which could result in compensation. This can be used to alleviate expenses such as medical bills, rehabilitation, future medical costs, lost wages and other related damages.
Source: The Tennessean, "Changing Tennessee's motorcycle helmet law will cost lives, raise health care costs," Dr. Richard Miller, March 25, 2014