New York Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Reacts To Government Report Of Motorcycle Accident Injuries And Fatalities

According to a Nov. 27 news article in The Associated Press, motorcyclists are also 30 times more likely to die in a traffic accident compared to other vehicles' occupants.

New York (I-Newswire) February 5, 2013 - Motorcycle Accident Lawyer New York Reacts to Govt. Report of Motorcycle Accident Injuries & Fatalities. New York personal injury lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm discusses the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, which states that direct costs from deaths and injuries due to motorcycle crashes cost $16 billion in 2010. According to a Nov. 27 news article in The Associated Press, motorcyclists are also 30 times more likely to die in a traffic accident compared to other vehicles' occupants.

A new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows the deadly toll and escalating costs of motorcycle accidents in the United States. According to a Nov. 27 Associated Press account, motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities cost $16 billion in 2010. The GAO report states that those costs could be even higher when long-term medical expenses and rehabilitation costs are taken into consideration.

Based on findings of the study, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to become fatally injured in a traffic accident compared to those in other vehicles. The GAO report shows that just in 2010, 4,502 were killed and 82,000 were injured in motorcycle crashes. New York personal injury attorney Kenneth A. Wilhelm sees first-hand, the physical, emotional and financial struggles of injured motorcycle accident victims and their families.

"Motorcycle accident injuries can be extremely severe even when the motorcyclist is wearing a helmet and protective gear," he says. "Victims and their families face steep medical costs, hospitalization costs, lost wages and benefits, and rehabilitation costs. These expenses tend to add up very quickly."

Even the combined cost indicated by the GAO study may be on the conservative side. It is, of course, problematic to accurately determine the full cost of a motorcycle injury due to other expenses such as cost of continuing treatment, rehabilitation, lost future income, benefits, permanent disabilities and changes in employment and living conditions. This fact has been noted in the government's report, which also point out that helmets reduce the risk of death by as much as 39 percent.

"There is no question that helmets save lives," Wilhelm says. "Wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet is a good way to maximize your chances of avoiding a severe or fatal head injury. Motorcyclists need all the help they can get when it comes to injury prevention."

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