Leon Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys

In 2025, 1,031 motorcyclists were injured in crashes in Iowa, and another 64 died in a motorcycle crash, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motorcycle accident near Leon, it helps to understand how Iowa's helmet laws may affect your claim, the seriousness of a spinal cord injury, and the steps you should take to protect your case.

How Helmet Use May Affect a Leon Motorcycle Claim

Iowa is one of only a few states in the nation that has no motorcycle helmet law. However, despite the fact that a motorcyclist may be within their legal right not to wear a helmet, a rider who is not wearing one and suffers a head injury in a motorcycle crash may be held partially liable for their wounds. It is a well-known fact that wearing a helmet can prevent traumatic brain and head injuries in the event of an accident, so choosing not to wear one may be considered an act of negligence.

When Does Helmet Use Actually Matter?

The use of a helmet will not be a relevant factor in determining liability in every accident. Liability will probably only be impacted if the injury you sustained is a head or brain injury. For example, if you were in a motorcycle accident near Leon and suffered an injury to the lower body, the fact that you were not wearing a helmet would be irrelevant, because you would have suffered that leg injury regardless. On the other hand, if the injury you suffered was a head or brain injury that could have been prevented had you been wearing a helmet, you may be considered partially negligent. By the same token, if you were wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, this can help show that despite there being no legal requirement, you were exercising caution and care while riding.

Comparative Fault and Helmet Use

A negligent act is one that fails to exercise the proper degree of care and is not necessarily something illegal. While you have no legal requirement to wear a helmet in Iowa, the defense may argue that a reasonable person would have worn one while riding a motorcycle, and that because you did not, you failed to exercise a proper degree of care. If you are found to be partially negligent for your injuries based on your lack of a helmet, the damages you can recover will be affected. Under Iowa's comparative fault laws, damages you can recover will be diminished in proportion to the degree of fault attributed to you. Because of this law, it is important to do everything you can to prove the fault of the other party, and to show that your injuries would have occurred regardless of whether you were wearing a helmet, or that your injuries would have been worse had you not been wearing one.

Motorcycle Accidents and Spinal Cord Injuries Near Leon

Spinal cord injuries are one of the most serious types of injuries riders sustain, affecting approximately 11 percent of motorcycle accident victims, according to a study published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. There are numerous causes of spinal cord injury, including sports-related accidents, falls, and violence, but the most common cause is motor vehicle accidents, which account for 40 percent of all new spinal injury cases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Upon collision, a rider's vertebrae can become damaged, with one or more vertebra crushed, compressed, or dislodged, causing the injury. In some instances, damaged ligaments or spinal discs can affect the spinal cord as well.

Types of Spinal Cord Injuries

There are two basic types of spinal cord injuries. A complete injury means the rider has experienced a total loss of sensation and movement below the site of the injury. With an incomplete injury, some loss of sensation and function occurs, but it is not total, and there are varying degrees of incomplete spinal cord injuries, sometimes taking weeks or months to determine exactly to what extent the victim's condition will remain. Research looking at patterns of spinal cord injuries in motorcycle crashes found that isolated injuries to the spine occurred in over 23 percent of riders, multiple vertebral levels were affected in over 42 percent of riders, the thoracic spine was the most commonly injured area, occurring in 54.8 percent of cases, the lumbar spine was injured 30 percent of the time, 27 percent of riders injured their cervical spine, and neurologic injury occurred in nearly 20 percent of accidents.

The Dangers of Undiagnosed Vertebrae Fractures

Undiagnosed compression fractures can lead to serious long-term complications, one of which is kyphosis, or curvature of the spine, which causes deformity, can compress organs, and leads to a host of health problems. Other complications of undiagnosed compression fractures include chronic pain, reduced physical function, impaired lung function, decreased ability to perform daily activities, and depression, anxiety, and decreased enjoyment in life. If vertebral fractures are left untreated, the painful symptoms will increase over time, eventually causing the person to become disabled. In many cases, compression fractures are hairline and may not initially show up on X-rays, so if you suspect a compression fracture after a Leon motorcycle accident, seek medical attention immediately.

Mental and Emotional Impact of Spinal Cord Injury

The physical complications only touch on part of a spinal cord injury. Many motorcycle riders have severe mental and emotional issues following such a severe injury after a crash. Research has found a two-fold increase or more in the probability of an emotional disorder in spinal injury victims, with nearly half of spinal cord patients suffering from mental health problems including depression in 37 percent of cases, anxiety in 30 percent, clinical-level stress in 25 percent, and post-traumatic stress disorder in 8.4 percent.

What You Need to Know if You Are Injured in a Leon Motorcycle Accident

Regardless of who you choose to represent you, the following points are critical in helping you receive a fair and just settlement for your injuries.