California motorcyclists are well-aware of the many dangers that exist whenever they are on the road, from poor driving conditions to the careless actions of other drivers. Paralysis is just one possible outcome that can stem from serious accidents involving motorcycles, and this condition can lead to drastic changes in every aspect of one’s life.
As stated by Healthline, paralysis can be caused by a number of medical disorders and illnesses. However, it can also come about due to significant injury occurring to the head and spinal cord. The condition is typically identified by a loss of feeling and control in one or more areas of the body. In order to properly diagnose paralysis and determine the extent of damage, doctors will use CT scans, X-Rays and a number of other methods.
There are many different types of paralysis that can be present after an accident. For instance, quadriplegics lose muscle functionality in all extremities, while paraplegics lose functionality in their legs but retain it in their arms. In addition, paralysis can be classed as spastic (which entails stiff and sometimes twitching muscles) or flaccid (characterized by weakened muscles). Paralysis can also be localized, which means it only impacts a single area of the body (such as the face).
The Insurance Information Institute offers further detail on injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents over recent years. Up to 92,000 riders were harmed in 2014 due to crashes involving other vehicles. Motorcyclists aged 40 and older were most prone to sustaining serious injury, and more often required emergency care to treat their injuries than younger riders. These injury rates showed a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year.