Motorcyclists are highly vulnerable to serious injuries in accidents. This includes road rash, a skin or soft-tissue injury that occurs due to friction burns when the rider’s body comes into contact with a rough road surface. Some cases of road rash are severe enough to cause permanent damage.
What Is Road Rash?
Road rash is a type of skin abrasion or friction burn specifically caused by the surface of a road scraping against the skin of an individual who is involved in an accident. It is most common among motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians, since they often make direct contact with rough pavement or other road surfaces in accidents.
Signs of Road Rash
Road rash can damage the outermost layer of skin (the epidermis), but in serious cases, severe scrapes can penetrate to the deeper tissues. After an Albuquerque motorcycle accident that scrapes the rider’s skin against the ground, he or she may experience symptoms such as redness, bleeding or swelling around the wound, as well as pain that continues to increase after the accident.
The most severe cases of road rash (third degree) can result in avulsion, or the complete tearing away of skin in the affected area. This can harm the muscles, tendons and nerves and even expose bone – often causing significant and potentially permanent damage. Permanent scarring, disfigurement, deformation and disability are common in severe cases.
How Is Road Rash Treated?
Motorcyclists who suffer from road rash or skin abrasions need to receive medical care immediately. These injuries are prone to infection. Medics will clean the wound of any debris or asphalt and apply antibiotics to prevent infection. Deep or large road rash wounds may require more advanced treatments, such as skin graft surgeries, to repair.
Can Road Rash Cause Permanent Damage?
Yes, road rash from a motorcycle accident can cause permanent damage. Severe cases of second- or third-degree road rash can lead to chronic nerve damage, including pain, numbness and altered sensations in the affected area. Friction burns that penetrate to the muscles can also cause significant scarring and skin contractions that reduce mobility.
Permanent scarring or disfigurement from road rash or traumatic tattooing can lead to self-esteem issues and emotional distress. Finally, complications from road rash, such as severe infection, can lead to permanent tissue loss and altered muscle function. Prompt medical treatment for deep road rash wounds can help prevent some long-term effects.
Seeking Compensation for Road Rash After a Motorcycle Accident
Road rash from a motorcycle accident can lead to expensive medical costs for the victim, as well as lost wages from having to take time away from work, lost capacity to earn due to permanent loss of mobility, and pain and suffering. In New Mexico, a victim may qualify for compensation for these losses (and others) if someone else is at fault.
Proof that a driver or third party is responsible for your motorcycle accident could lead to an insurance settlement or jury verdict that pays for the losses you have endured because of your road rash and other injuries you may have suffered in the crash. The most effective way to get the results you deserve is by hiring an experienced injury lawyer in Albuquerque to represent you.
An attorney will set you up with the right doctors to treat your road rash and investigate your crash to determine who is at fault. Then, your lawyer will gather evidence to support and prove your injury claim. Your lawyer can handle the legal side of your case while you heal from your skin abrasion injuries. For more information, schedule a free consultation with the motorcycle accident lawyers at The Fine Law Firm.