Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
I don't like buying the super pricy helmets (even though they are gorgeous) because I've had two accidents where my helmet hit the ground hard and had to be thrown out.
To my knowledge, manufacturers (Giro & Bell at least) have a return-policy on helmets that have been in accidents. They will usually replace them for about 30$ as long as you bring them back to them. I think it's their way to answer your concerns and to investigate how accidents damage helmets.