Motorcycle accidents in Austin, TX, can cause many types of injuries, from road rash to traumatic brain injuries. But the most common injuries in motorcycle crashes affect the lower limbs. These leg injuries can produce swelling.
As a result of your leg injuries, you might have limited movement in your legs. You may require expensive surgery or physical therapy to treat your injuries and regain at least some of your pre-accident leg function.
There are several potential causes of leg swelling after a motorcycle accident. Fortunately, you may be able to pursue compensation for your injury with the help of a dedicated motorcycle accident attorney. Contact the attorneys at FVF Law by calling (512) 982-9328 to schedule a consultation today.
How FVF Law Can Help After a Motorcycle Crash in Austin, TX
FVF Law was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2014 to provide local accident victims with education and representation in their personal injury cases.
Our Austin motorcycle accident lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience helping injured clients. We can represent your interests and pursue your best legal course of action while you focus on your medical recovery.
In addition to our fierce commitment to developing legal strategies that help our clients achieve positive outcomes in their cases, FVF Law is a values-driven firm that consistently provides:
- Compassion in listening to our clients’ needs
- Education to ensure every client understands their rights and options
- Advocacy to fight for victims’ rights to fair injury compensation
- Transparency in everything we do to keep clients updated and involved
A motorcycle accident injury can disable you so severely that you cannot work or care for yourself. Contact FVF Law personal injury lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your accident and the compensation you can pursue for your motorcycle injuries.
How Many Motorcycle Crashes Happen in Austin?
Texas has a lot of motorcycle accidents. According to one study, Texas is the second-worst state for motorcycle accidents and fatalities. Part of this comes from poor choices by motorcyclists to speed or ride while intoxicated. But many accidents in Texas also result from careless vehicle drivers.
If you run a query on the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS), you will find that Austin had 316 motorcycle accidents in 2022. According to CRIS, these crashes caused 18 deaths and 269 injuries.
Only 27 motorcyclists walked away from their crashes uninjured, meaning 90.6% of Austin’s motorcycle crashes in 2022 caused injury or death.
Causes of Leg Swelling After a Motorcycle Crash
Swelling happens when the cells retain water or other fluids. But tissues can swell for many reasons after an injury. Leg swelling after a motorcycle accident can result from:
Soft Tissue Injury
Leg injuries often happen during motorcycle accidents. If your leg swells, you may have a soft tissue injury, such as:
- Bruising
- Strained muscles or tendons
- Sprained ligaments
- Torn cartilage
A characteristic symptom of soft tissue injuries is inflammation — the body’s primary response to tissue damage. As the injured body part swells, circulation to the area slows down.
Reduced circulation is meant to:
- Stop bleeding
- Trap pathogens from circulating in the body
- Retain healing factors and immune cells in the injured area
Since circulation in the area slows, fluids become trapped in the area and cause the body to swell.
Infection
Swelling is also a possible sign of infection. When microorganisms enter the body through a cut or abrasion, they begin to multiply and release toxic byproducts. In response, the body triggers swelling and fever to trap and kill the pathogens.
In this case, swelling helps your body protect itself. But a runaway inflammatory response can also cause serious health problems, like septic shock.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) happens when a blood clot forms in the leg or arm veins. You have lower pressure in your leg veins due to gravity and the distance of the legs from the heart. If your leg swelled after a motorcycle accident, you may have a clot blocking circulation to your legs.
DVT can happen in a few ways following an accident. For example, if you break a bone, your body heals it by forming a clot over the fracture. This traps healing factors in the fracture so they can rebuild the bone. If a piece of the clot breaks off, it can get stuck in the leg veins.
DVT can also happen if your injuries prevent you from moving around. As you sit or lie down, pressure on your legs can squeeze the veins and cause a clot to form. Doctors will often prescribe pressure socks and regular movement to reduce the risk of DVT after an injury.
Surgery
When doctors operate on you, your body increases the clotting factors in your blood to stop internal bleeding. As a result, you are more prone to developing blood clots in your feet, hips, and legs that can cause your legs to swell.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Austin Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Leg swelling can be a serious symptom or complication after a motorcycle accident. Our compassionate team at FVF Law has the experience and skill to help you recover compensation. To discuss your motorcycle crash and how your leg swelling affected you, contact FVF Law for a free consultation.