Suffering a broken arm can take several weeks or several months to recover from. A broken leg might take half a year or more to fully heal. However, after a cast comes off, motorcycle accident victims may still have restrictions on the weight they can put on a bone fracture and the types of movement they are allowed to perform.
Doctors would usually advise victims to wait until a bone is fully healed and until they can handle the strain of gripping the handlebars or working a clutch before getting back on a motorcycle. The recovery time and return-to-ride time would ultimately depend on the type of break involved and where it occurred.
Motorcyclists can also suffer Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) in collisions. They may be off their bikes for months or years, depending on how long it takes for them to regain cognitive function. Regaining balance is another milestone victims must pass before returning to the road.
How Long Will a Broken Bone Keep Me Off My Motorcycle?
A frightening California motorcycle accident along a popular route like Highway 101 or Highway 99 can devastate a rider. Victims may be left with broken bones and life-threatening injuries. Victims will understandably wonder how long healing will take and how many weeks they’ll have to stay off their bikes.
With a broken bone, the severity of the break and location will determine how long motorcyclists may need to rehab before taking the handlebars again.
Not every broken bone is the same. A clean break along a relatively straight line in a bone might only take a few months to grow together again.
However, not every accident causes a normal break. Some types take much longer to heal.
The Mayo Clinic reports on the more complex types of breaks that take much longer to heal:
- Compound fracture. A piece of bone pokes through the skin. Infection is a big risk in this type of injury and can prolong the time a motorcyclist must stay off a bike.
- Displaced fracture. The two pieces of bone are left out of alignment and often must be surgically secured in place so they will grow together correctly.
- Comminuted fracture. The bone is broken into three or more pieces. The parts may have to be secured with plates or screws until they can heal correctly, adding time to recovery for riders.
Experts advise that a more complex break in an arm bone, like those mentioned, can take three or four months or more to heal. This is just an estimate. The true time you’ll need to wait to get back on your bike should be determined by your orthopedist.
A simple fracture in a leg bone may take a month and a half to heal. However, recovery time also depends on which bones are involved. For instance, the Cleveland Clinic reports that a broken femur (the upper leg bone, or thigh bone) can take much longer to heal than if one of the two bones in the lower leg is fractured.
A small break in a relatively small bone can also have a big effect on a rider’s ability to handle a motorcycle. A break in a tiny bone in the wrist can make gripping a brake lever impossible for weeks.
A repaired bone may not be the only benchmark motorcyclists must pass to safely return to the road. Recovery can continue through physical therapy, usually taking at least two months. Riders often have to build strength back in their damaged limb and relearn muscle control in the area.
How Long Will a Head Injury Keep Me Off My Motorcycle?
A head injury can also leave behind symptoms that can make it unsafe for patients to get back on a motorcycle soon after an accident. A Traumatic Brain Injury is caused by a blow to the head that is possible for riders who are thrown from their bikes. They can suffer a head injury whether they are wearing a helmet or not.
The Mayo Clinic explains the many side effects of a TBI that make it impossible for motorcyclists to safely ride for a time:
- Seizures and convulsions
- Confusion
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of memory
- Sensitivity to light
- Numbness in extremities
- Vertigo
- Brain swelling
- Fluid buildup in the brain
These and other symptoms will have to be considered as doctors determine how long a rider will need to stay away from a motorcycle.
After some brain injuries, the DMV may force victims to submit to physical and mental evaluations to maintain their motorcycle licenses.
A mild concussion can take only a few weeks to fully recover from. But accurately and confidently gauging when a brain trauma patient has completely healed is critical.
A more serious TBI can take months to rebound from, and some effects end up being permanent.
Recovery will likely also include extensive physical therapy time.
Victims may see the following medical care experts and others while rehabbing:
- Physical therapist helping victims regain their balance and their control over their arms and legs.
- Occupational therapist helping victims relearn how to drive and ride a motorcycle, and perform other daily activities.
- Neuropsychologist helping assess the cognitive damage victims have suffered and helping them manage their symptoms.
Contact a Thousand Oaks Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
We haven’t mentioned the cost of the medical care and the therapy involved in any motorcycle recovery. The costs can be enormous, and victims may also be held out of work, unable to earn a paycheck for months.
If a careless driver caused a motorcycle accident that left you or a loved one injured, that driver’s car insurance should be covering the bills and supporting your family during recovery.
Unfortunately, insurers can work hard to avoid financial blame and even try to blame innocent riders for collisions. Contact Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, to find out how to fight back and earn the most possible for your case. Our Thousand Oaks Motorcycle Accident Lawyers offer a free consultation to all victims. There’s no obligation, but if you need our help to earn more, we don’t charge you anything unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement that the insurance company must provide.