A motorcycle accident on a recent Sunday caused serious injuries for a 22-year-old rider. The accident happened shortly before 9:30 PM. When Indiana State Police arrived at the crash scene, they discovered the motorcyclist lying in the median of Interstate 74. According to Fox 59, the young Indiana man had been riding his motorcycle in the left lane in a westbound direction when the accident happened. He was not able to negotiate a slight right turn on his motorcycle, which led to the motorcycle going into a median.
When the motorcyclist went into the median, he hit a dirt ditch and his motorcycle went airborne. He was ejected from the bike. He landed in the median and the motorcycle fell into the interstate's eastbound lane. His injuries were life-threatening and he had to be airlifted to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
The need for an air ambulance is actually very common in motorcycle accidents, both in single vehicle crashes and when multiple vehicles are involved. Air ambulances are necessary when injuries are so serious a victim needs advanced medical treatment to be performed quickly at a specialized facility. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns motorcyclists are significantly more likely than people in passenger cars to be killed or injured when an accident happens. This means motorcyclists have a greater likelihood of needing emergency medical transport.
Motorcycle Accidents Can Result in Big Bills for Victims & Families
When a motorcycle accident victim, or any accident victim, requires an air ambulance escort to a hospital, this can result in an astronomically high bill. NPR warned about the costs of medical air flights in a recent article, indicating the bills for this service could be "sky high" and probably would not be covered by health insurance. Even if covered, typically only a very small portion of the total bill is paid for.
The cost of this medical flight alone can be enough to impose significant financial strain on the victim, if he survives the accident, as well as on family of the victim. It is just one of many expenditures on medical treatment which could be incurred in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident.
Many people cannot afford the expenses associated with the care they need after being involved in a crash. This is why the law allows victims to get compensation from another driver, if the other driver was negligent in a way that caused harm.
If a victim of a motorcycle accident is able to pursue a claim against another driver by showing the driver was the cause of the crash, the motorcyclist could be compensated for an emergency air flight, medical costs, loss of wages if work was missed, and the pain and discomfort occurring as a direct result of their injuries. It would be up to the victim to show entitlement to compensation, including demonstrating the extent of loss.