Sarah Sponheim over at the Uptown Neighborhood News, had a very real story about her son’s collision with a van. It’s a scary story for any parent, she explains that:
13-year-old, Aidan was riding his bike alone to summer camp at the University of Minnesota when he was hit broadside by a delivery van.
He was hurt with road burns and a fractured pelvis, but as she writes:
When my husband and I first saw him in the ER, Aidan was still wearing the protective neck brace. He had obviously hit his face and forehead when he landed. His nose and upper lip were bloodied and swollen. A red mark across his forehead showed where the front edge of the helmet had dug in.
When my boys were little, one of our favorite babysitters was hit by a car while riding her bike. She wasn’t wearing a helmet and she suffered a serious head injury that kept her in the hospital – arduously regaining her ability to eat, speak and walk – for weeks. We saw her periodically during the ensuing years and though she completed her education and started a career, her personality was changed.
Aidan never lost consciousness. His precious "egg" stayed intact, thanks to a well-designed dome of hardened foam and plastic. Aidan lost no mental abilities. No part of him went away.
In our practice we see children who are horribly injured in all sorts of ways. It is always great to read and hear about those who escaped. As I’ve written about from time to time, I have a 9 and 10 year old, both of which I think about with any story like this.
It’s stories like this that make great reminders about the use of safety equipment. I hope Aidan healed quickly.
A founding partner with Bradshaw & Bryant, Mike Bryant has always fought to find justice for his clients—knowing that legal troubles, both personal injury and criminal, can be devastating for a family. Voted a Top 40 Personal Injury "Super Lawyer" multiple years, Mr. Bryant has also been voted one of the Top 100 Minnesota "Super Lawyers" four times.
2 Comments
Mark Bello
Mike: It gives me the "chills" when I see anyone riding a bike without a helmet. When I was in my early 40's and jogging 6 miles every other day started to wear on my body, I bought a bike and started riding it, daily. I usually rode at a fast clip and, one day, after a day of rain, I rounded a corner and hit a patch of dirt, sand, and water that had accumulated in the corner. The bike slipped out from under me and I went flying over the handlebars, landing head first into the concrete. I saw major stars, staggered to my feet, walked home and got checked out at the nearest hospital. Because I was wearing a helmet, I suffered only a mild concussion and dizzy spells for about a month; I had a nasty scrape on my forehead (the remains of which can still be seen) as it rubbed against the pavement as I slid along. I am convinced that I would have been seriously injured, perhaps brain damaged, perhaps killed, without the helmet.
Please folks, if you ride a bike, at any speed or for any distance, wear a helmet. It should be second nature, like fastening seatbelts when you get into your car. Be safe out there. Mike, thanks for bringing this story and this important reminder to our attention. Regards, Mark
Mike Bryant
There are some real tragedies out there or cases like Yours and Sarah's that remind us how bad it could have been. I met a lady in the grocery store that was working there because her husband was brain injured after a bike fall. It can happen very quickly. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment.
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