Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Massachusetts

While motorcycles are enjoyable, they are a relatively dangerous form of transportation. Riding is genuinely more dangerous than driving a car. Per 100 million miles traveled in 2024, the motorcyclist fatality rate was almost 27 times higher than the rate for passenger car occupants, according to NHTSA’s most recent Traffic Safety Facts report. Riders have little protection in case of a collision, often resulting in serious injuries.

That’s not meant to scare anyone off two wheels. It’s why we think riders deserve straight answers about injuries, safety, and what recovery can look like after a crash. While motorcycle crashes can cause harm to any part of the body, some injuries are more common than others. Here is everything you need to know about motorcycle injuries and what you should do after a crash.

Motorcycle Crashes in Massachusetts, by the Numbers

The risk isn’t just a national statistic. It shows up close to home too. Massachusetts crash data recorded 1,688 motorcyclist-involved crashes in 2025, and the breakdown tells its own story:2

• 1,185 crashes (about 70%) resulted in a non-fatal injury to the motorcyclist.
• 418 crashes (about 25%) were property-damage-only, with no reported injury.
• 62 crashes (about 4%) were fatal.
• 23 crashes had an unknown or unreported outcome.

Put another way, roughly 7 out of every 10 reported motorcyclist crashes in Massachusetts in 2025 left the rider hurt. That’s the backdrop for the injury types below, and why our motorcycle accident lawyers take these cases seriously, whether the damage looks minor at first.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

According to NHTSA’s research on motorcycle crash trauma, lower-extremity injuries (your legs, hips, knees, feet, and ankles) are the single most common injury among hospitalized motorcyclists, showing up in roughly 47% of cases. That can mean anything from a broken tibia to torn ligaments to road-surface burns.

Here’s the part riders often don’t expect. You can be wearing solid boots and still walk away with a shattered ankle, because a rider’s legs are frequently caught under the bike or between it and whatever it hits. Lower-body injuries are rarely fatal on their own, but they can mean months of surgery, hardware, and physical therapy before you’re back to normal.

1. Brain and Head Injuries: Why the Helmet Question Matters

Head injuries follow at around 35% of hospitalized cases, and they’re the ones we worry about most, because the brain doesn’t heal the way bone does.3 A traumatic brain injury can range from a mild concussion to permanent cognitive change, and it doesn’t always look serious right away. Sleep problems, persistent headaches, nausea, or a brief loss of consciousness after a crash are all reasons to get checked out immediately, even if you feel mostly fine.

Massachusetts requires a helmet for every motorcycle operator and passenger under M.G.L. c. 90, §7, with a narrow exception for riders 18 and older in a properly permitted parade. NHTSA’s own estimates put helmets at roughly 37% effective at preventing a rider’s death and 41% effective for a passenger’s. A helmet isn’t a guarantee against a brain injury. It’s still one of the few things a rider fully controls before a crash ever happens.

2. Road Rash: The Injury Most Riders Don’t See Coming

Road rash is common after a motorcycle crash, particularly if you are not wearing protective gear. There are various degrees of road rash injuries. First-degree road rash is the least serious, while third-degree rashes can cause significant damage to the body. Here are more details on the various degrees of road rash:

• First-degree: First-degree rashes often result in mild scrapes, light bleeding, and irritation. A medical professional can treat first-degree rashes by cleaning the wound with antiseptic and applying a bandage.
• Second-degree: This level of road rash is significantly more severe, occurring when the top layer of skin is broken. The wound may take several weeks to heal, and scars are common. Treatment options include antibiotics treatments, medicated bandage wraps, and stitches. Keeping the wound dry and clean after the accident is essential to promote healing.
• Third-degree: Unfortunately, third-degree road rashes are common after motorcycle accidents. These injuries are excruciating and occur when the second layer of skin is broken, exposing tissue, fat, and muscles. A surgical procedure is often required to repair the skin.

Proper riding gear, a real leather or reinforced jacket, gloves, long pants, over-the-ankle boots, won’t prevent every case of road rash, but it consistently reduces how bad it gets.

3. Lower Body Injuries

Lower extremity injuries are widespread, including broken legs, fractures, and scrapes. A rider’s lower body is frequently caught under the bike, causing a fracture or break. Shattered knees can also occur, and pelvis fractures are not uncommon.

Unfortunately, lower body injuries are challenging to prevent. Wearing proper footwear and kneepads can help, but the risk is still present. Luckily, lower extremity injuries are rarely fatal and can be treated with prompt medical attention. Do not attempt to move or walk right after the crash, as this can cause further damage.

4. Upper Body Injuries, Chest, and Rib Injuries

Upper-extremity injuries (arms, wrists, hands, elbows, shoulders) show up in around 40% of hospitalized cases, right behind lower-body injuries. Riders instinctively put their arms out to brace for impact, which is exactly how a lot of wrist fractures and shoulder separations happen.

Chest injuries are less common but tend to be more serious when they occur, including broken ribs and damage to the lungs or other organs underneath. If you were in a crash and you’re having trouble breathing, feeling sharp chest pain, or coughing something up that doesn’t look right, that’s an emergency room visit, not a wait-and-see.

4. Face and Neck Injuries

Facial injuries become far more likely without a helmet and face shield, and can range from lacerations that need stitches to fractures of the jaw or cheekbone. Neck injuries run a similarly wide spectrum, from whiplash that resolves in weeks to something far more serious, depending on how much force reached the vertebrae.

5. Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury deserves its own conversation, because the stakes are different from almost anything else on this list. Depending on where along the spine the damage occurs and how severe it is, a rider can experience partial or total paralysis. Unlike a broken bone, a spinal cord injury’s effects can last the rest of a person’s life, often reshaping everything from a person’s career to their day-to-day independence.

Abdominal injuries deserve the same urgency. They often involve internal organs that don’t show visible damage from the outside, which is exactly why we tell every rider: if you were in any kind of impact, get evaluated by a doctor even if you feel okay walking away.

Motorcycle Safety

Wearing a helmet is one of the best measures to prevent severe injuries while riding a motorcycle. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wearing a helmet can help reduce the chance of severe head injury by nearly 70%.Riders should also practice caution while driving and obey all safety laws. Follow the speed limit and make sure you wear reflective clothing if riding at night. Avoid swerving in between cars during heavy traffic, and make sure you use your signals whenever changing lanes. Riders should also use caution while driving during inclement weather.

Completing a defensive driver course is also a good idea for many riders. Regularly review your state’s road laws and refresh your safety knowledge by taking a course once every three years.

What These Injuries Usually Mean for Your Recovery

Massachusetts operates under a no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) system under M.G.L. c. 90, §34M. Whether you can pursue a claim against another driver, beyond your own PIP coverage, depends on whether your injuries meet the tort threshold set out in M.G.L. c. 231, §6D. Nothing here should be read as a prediction of what any specific case is worth. Every claim depends on its own facts.

If your motorcycle was damaged in the crash, that’s often part of the conversation too. What you may be entitled to recover depends on the specifics of your case and Massachusetts law, and we can walk you through your options once we know what happened.

What You Should Do After a Motorcycle Crash

Crashing your motorcycle can be a scary experience, particularly if you are an inexperienced rider. Follow these steps after an incident:

1. Get To Safety

While you should avoid moving if you have suffered a severe injury, you should analyze your surroundings and get out of harm’s way. Remove yourself from the roadway and push your bike to the side of the highway if possible. If you hit another vehicle, check with the occupants and help them get to safety if you are able.

2. Do Not Remove Clothing or Protective Gear

Some riders immediately remove clothing and protective gear after an accident to survey the extent of their injuries. However, removing your equipment can aggravate injuries. Wait for medical help to arrive before you take off your helmet and clothing, so you do not cause further damage.

3. Call For Help

Call 911 if you need the assistance of the police or medical personnel. The police will survey the damage and complete an accident report. Paramedics will evaluate your medical condition and transport you to the hospital if necessary.

4. Seek Medical Attention

You should seek medical attention right away, even if you do not have visible injuries. Adrenaline can numb the pain for several hours, causing victims to overlook severe injuries that require immediate medical help.

5. Consult With a Lawyer

Hiring a Boston personal injury lawyer is essential if you need help paying your medical bills or you cannot work because of your injuries. It can be challenging to negotiate with insurance companies, particularly while trying to recover. An injury lawyer can help establish liability in your case and deal with the insurance company on your behalf.

6. Seek Compensation

Your motorcycle accident lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company to get a fair settlement. You have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit if you cannot come to an agreement. If you decide to go to court, your lawyer will prepare the appropriate paperwork and gather evidence. Negotiations continue during the court process, and a settlement is possible at any point. The judge will make a ruling if there is no compromise. You have the right to appeal the decision if you are not happy with the result.

We’re Here When You’re Ready

Were you injured in a motorcycle accident in New England? Look no further than Jason Stone Injury Lawyers. Our legal team will fight to get you the compensation to cover your medical bills and lost wages. We understand the financial burden many injury victims feel, and we do not require an upfront fee to start your case. Our Stone Cold Guarantee means we only get paid after you receive compensation. Call us today to schedule an appointment.