Lewis & Tompkins, P.C. | Maryland | Virginia | Washington, D.C.

Free Consultations
202-296-0666

PLEASE NOTE: To protect your safety in response to the threats of COVID-19, we are offering our clients the ability to meet with us in person, via telephone or through video conferencing. Please call our office to discuss your options.

The D.C. Area’s Premier Personal Injury Law Firm

Are Bike Accident Head Injuries Worse For Adults Or Children?

You’ve been in the MedStar waiting room for over two hours, desperate for any news about your son’s injuries. He was rushed to the emergency room after being hit by a car while riding his bike, and the only news you’ve gotten is that he suffered a serious head injury.

What does that even mean? Will he be okay? Does he have brain damage? How will this affect the rest of his life?

Different Brains, Different Effects: Why TBIs Can Be Worse For Children

Bike riding is an extremely popular activity for children and adults alike. A recent nationwide poll estimates that nearly 40 million children under the age of 16 own and ride bikes, compared to the approximate 28 million adults who frequently bike ride. These numbers are great from a health and recreational standpoint; bike riding is a very good form of exercise for children as well as adults. However, with 60-million-plus bicyclists, the risks of bike injuries becomes staggeringly high.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly one million adults and over 1.8 million children are injured every year in bike-related accidents. These injuries can range from mild scrapes and bruises to serious and even fatal wounds, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The CDC estimates that 22% to 47% of serious bike accidents lead to some sort of TBI. Unfortunately, the TBIs suffered by children — approximately 846,000 a year — tend to be much worse than those suffered by adults, for the following reasons:

  • Permanent developmental changes. Children’s brains aren’t fully developed, and a TBI could disrupt proper development.
  • Lifelong injuries. Since a TBI can affect development, the damage could appear to have been repaired, but as the child grows, certain cognitive functions could show problems. A child may seem to show a good or even full recovery after a TBI, but deficits may become apparent later in life when more sophisticated abilities are required.
  • Learning disabilities. Because children are constantly learning basic skills and functions, a TBI could disrupt this process and cause memory, concentration, and learning association to become extremely difficult.
  • Increased difficulty for brain surgery. Brain surgery is extremely difficult and dangerous with children, due to their smaller brains and lack of development.

Although they’re obviously more complicated with children, TBIs are devastating no matter what your age. This is why it is extraordinarily important to make sure you instill the need for safety into your children when they are young, in order to not only prevent childhood injuries but future adult injuries as well.

Tipping The Odds In Favor Of Your Child After A Severe Bike Accident

When your child suffers an injury, be it minor or severe, you want to do everything in your power to protect, soothe and comfort him. Unfortunately, treatments and recovery can not only be long and arduous but also extremely expensive. Don’t allow money to get in the way of your child’s recovery. Contact us today to discuss your options for an injury claim. You and your child could be entitled to treatment and injury compensation.

Don’t hesitate. Let us help you be able to fully comfort and soothe your baby. Call now.

Make sure your family and friends are protected by sharing this page with them via Facebook or tell them to contact us directly to discuss any potential questions or concerns they may have about a recent accident.