If there is an injury most commonly connected with motorcycling, it’s likely road rash. The two are indivisible in the minds of many, particularly those who do not ride. Road rash is a typical risk for those who ride. It’s unfortunate and can be life-threatening or deadly, depending on severity. And if the impact that resulted in the road rash wound wasn’t the rider’s fault, the rider should contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
What Is Road Rash and What Is the Cause?
Road rash is an abrasion, which the American College of Surgeons describes as “when the skin is rubbed away.” An abrasion usually involves the epidermis, which is the outer layer of the skin. Deeper abrasions can penetrate the dermal layer.
Abrasion injuries like road rash result from friction—something is rubbing the skin beyond its capacity to stretch and counteract. The road is an unforgiving adversary. It doesn’t take much momentum to cause a road rash wound, particularly if the rider is not wearing adequate protection.
Summer riders unfortunate enough to strike the pavement have another problem: asphalt gets sizzling in summer, 20 degrees (or more) hotter than concrete. Asphalt is known to reach temperatures as scorching as 145 degrees in summer. Less than one minute of skin contact can singe you, which could easily happen after a collision leaves you unconscious on the road.
If you suffered damages in a motorcycle accident and it wasn’t your fault, contact an experienced attorney who has the mastery needed to seek maximum compensation.
How Is Road Rash Classified?
The depth of the injury often helps diagnose road rash, much the same way as burns. The deeper the wound, the more severe the injury. Injury to the outer, epidermal layer of the skin is relatively minor. You might encounter a pricking or burning sensation as a result, as there are many nerve endings in the skin. Depending on the depth, wound injury may bleed or burn with reddened, inflamed skin.
Injury to the inner dermal layer of the skin is more serious and a more painful wound. This can result in more significant blood loss and scarring, and you should always receive treatment by a professional.
The most severe road rash penetrates the subcutaneous fat layer, the innermost layer of the skin, and can uncover muscle tissue. These are the most extreme cases, need emergency professional care, and may need surgical intervention, including skin grafts, to heal.
Like burns, road rash severity must also consider the amount of skin involved. For instance, if you suffer a rash on your knuckles, you’re in much better condition than someone who suffers a rash to 50 percent of their body. The rigor of a road rash injury must logically take both depth and scope into account.
In extreme cases, muscle tissue can pull away from the bone, requiring surgical repair.
Other issues can include:
- Nerve damage that might require surgery.
- Scar tissue that needs plastic surgery.
- Nerve damage.
- Skin grafting to repair underlying layers of compromised skin or even bone.
The difficulties accompanying third-degree road rash include signs of infection, a potential need for amputation, and the presence of thick and unattractive scars even after the victim has received multiple skin grafts. The harshness of the road rash will determine the amount of medical attention needed for optimal healing.
Regardless of how your road rash injury is classified, the individual at fault for your wreck—and their insurance company—should be held responsible for your injury, medical bills, and other costs. Contact a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as you can.
You’re defending your health and your claim to possible compensation from the individual who caused the personal injury by seeking treatment.
Beware if an insurance company tries to settle with you before your medical treatment finishes! Contact a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you can. You shouldn’t take a settlement that does not include the compensation required to pay all your medical bills. And how can you realize what those will be until your treatment is over? The insurance company might be trying to settle now to avoid an enormous bill.
How Can You Prevent Road Rash?
This is all about what you wear when you ride for motorcyclists. Especially in the summer, individuals may forego some or all of their defensive gear in a nod to comfort. Some people ride in shorts wearing flip flops.
While they’re often called “leathers,” protective gear has come a long way. You can now get synthetic fibers and modern clothing for lighter and more comfortable rides on hot days. Wear protective pants, a jacket, footwear, gloves, and a helmet!
The other prevention method is awareness as you prepare for the worst-case scenario. Trust no one, and keep your eyes and mind on the road and traffic. Anticipate threats. Be alert.
Avoiding Road Rash Injury Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highly Safety, wearing appropriate gear when driving a motorcycle is the most practical way to prevent road rash wounds during a crash.
Motorcyclists should also:
- Drive defensively: Giving other drivers space.
- Ride at safe speeds: Avoiding travel during rush hour, staying off of major highways when feasible.
- Use headlights: In low-light conditions such as rain, fog, or snow.
- Take a motorcycle safety course: Some states require them for a motorcycle license.
- Wear proper gear for motorcycle riders: Wearing clothing that covers all exposed skin and gloves and boots that go up to your ankle can do wonders when it comes to protecting you from road rash accidents.
- Wear Department of Transportation-approved motorcycle helmets: The law requires helmets. Department of Transportation-approved helmets is “the most effective way to prevent brain injuries in the event of an accident.”
- Wear reflective clothes: Available in reflective vests and tape, this can also discourage accidents by making it easier for motorists to see motorcycle riders at night.
- Avoid inclement weather: Bad weather (like pouring rain, snow, and fog) can make conditions poor and road conditions less than perfect for riding a motorcycle safely.
- Avoid road hazards: Road construction zones, potholes, dirt roads, inadequate illumination at night, and unpaved surfaces are typical causes of motorcycle crashes.
- Avoid heavy traffic: Driving your motorcycle among autos and trucks can be risky, so it’s best to avoid busy highways.
- Avoid alcohol and drug use: Drinking alcohol before driving a motorcycle is illegal in many states and continually improves the risk of an accident.
- Avoid lane splitting and lane changes: The American Motorcyclist Association urges riders not to change lanes or pass other cars by driving between them, as this is unsafe.
- Drive defensively: The best way to avoid road rash accidents is by always being ready for the unpredictable. Riders should be mindful of their surroundings and be alert about spotting any possible dangers.
The International Motorcycle Safety Fund (IMSF) says that motorcycles and cars “are not natural partners on the road. A car driver’s blind spot is a motorcyclist’s grave.” Motorists must keep watching for motorcycles by ensuring at least three to four seconds of following distance when traveling behind one.
Brain Injury Statistics From Motorcycle Accidents
About 85 percent of motorcycle accidents involve head trauma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have even called motorcycle accidents a substantial cause of traumatic brain injury. More than 85,000 people suffered traumatic brain injuries due to motorcycle accidents in the last decade.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that fatalities associated with motorcycle crashes are three times higher than car accidents. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that mandatory helmet use can save about 5,000 lives.
Road Rash Injury Statistics
The CDC estimates more than one million emergency room visits per year due to motorcycle accidents, with the most common wounds being fractures, bruises, cuts, and road rash.
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) states that “road rash” is one of the most commonly reported injuries connected with all-terrain vehicle accidents. In addition, their study revealed that many victims who get medical attention with secondary road rash suffer traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage.
Some spinal cord injuries lead to paralysis, including paraplegia, quadriplegia, and tetraplegia. Nevertheless, if you have suffered road rash, it is advisable to pursue medical treatment instantly to obtain an accurate diagnosis and pinpoint any minor injury, traumatic condition, or broken bones.
Road Rash Injuries: Diagnosis and Treatment
Road rash is a skin wound caused by contact with another surface, like asphalt or metal. The severity of the injury will depend on how fast you were moving when the accident happened and whether you had on protective gear.
Only a medical expert can fully diagnose road rash after a physical exam.
Treatment for road rash will vary based on the extent of a severe injury, from using a simple antibiotic ointment to stop infection or undergoing an MRI to identify serious problems.
Road rash can be both painful and scratchy during the healing process, particularly if there is an open wound, substantial bleeding, or damage to internal organs. Luckily, several home remedies can help you feel better fast. These include apple cider vinegar, honey, baking soda, aloe vera gel, and tea tree oil.
In most road rash for motorcycle accidents, injuries will heal within a few weeks without medical attention. Nevertheless, some injuries can cause skin discoloration or scarring, leading to the need for a skin graft.
In rare cases of road rash, severe infections may occur if the accident causes a break in the skin. In these cases, seek medical treatment from medical professionals and compensation for your damages.
Motorcyclists Have Limited Protection in Accidents
Motorcyclists don’t have much protection in a motorcycle accident, which can throw them from their bikes or pull them over the pavement. Road rash is one of the more painful, debilitating, and traumatic injuries you can experience in a motorcycle accident. The damage can include emotional turmoil, permanent disability, and physical pain and suffering.
How to Report a Motorcycle Accident
If a motorcycle crash injured you, file a report with law enforcement.
Law enforcement officials must investigate accidents when they suspect another individual’s negligence or driving violations led to the crash.
When analyzing motorcycle accidents, police officers will review the weather conditions and the visibility of all drivers involved in the accident. Then, after interviewing witnesses, they may issue citations to motorists who caused the accident.
Police officers will only collect limited information from you, including your name, address, age, driver’s license number, and the year, make, and model of your motorcycle. Without a subpoena, they cannot request more specific data, such as your social security number.
Even if your wounds are not serious, it is still a good idea to file a report after being involved in an accident. If you fail to report the incident, you may be accused of negligence if your injuries do not heal rapidly.
How Motorcycle Helmets Prevent Road Rash and Other Injuries
Wearing a motorcycle helmet helps protect your face from scrapes and other injuries, which can cause permanent scarring. In many cases, motorcycle helmets can reduce the risk of injury and death by more than one-third.
What If I’m Suffering From a Road Rash Injury That Wasn’t My Fault?
Initially, get medical attention regardless of how severe you think your wounds may be. There are several reasons why. First, you might not know the extent of your injuries, and you should have any injury treated. Second, if you don’t seek treatment, an insurance company will likely claim that you were not hurt and therefore are not entitled to compensation.