Road Rash: It’s More Serious Than You Think
Road rash or road burns are the friction burns that occur when a motorcyclist’s skin scrapes against the road after the motorcyclist is either thrown from his or her bike or is dragged. The severity of the injuries depends on the force of the crash, the type of ground the victim encounters, and the type of safety gear the victim is wearing. However, while leather gear does provide some protection, in a high speed accident both the leather and skin are likely to erode against friction from road asphalt.
Road rash or road burn injuries are often dismissed as comparatively minor injuries. However, road rash is more than a skinned knee or elbow. The skin is the largest organ of the body and when road rash occurs over a large amount of the body, it can cause illness, infection, and defacing scars. A road rash injury can be worsened by rocks, broken glass and metal. In some cases, the skin and muscle is worn away to the bone. Serious road rash wounds are incredibly painful. Victims are often kept sedated so they can bare the pain while they heal. In severe cases, road rash from an Orange County motorcycle accident may requires skin grafts and reconstructive surgery.
Three categories of road rash injuries:
- Avulsion Injuries-- Injuries that result from the stripping away of all layers of the skin; if muscle and fat are visible, the avulsion injury is known as a full thickness wound.
- Compression injuries-- Bruising or crushing injuries which occur when a limb becomes caught between the motorcycle and the road.
- Scrapes requiring stitches--Scrapes and cuts from abrasion that are severe enough to require a trip to the emergency room for stitching.
Road rash burns usually occur on:
- Lower legs (outside portion)
- Knee
- Palm
- Shoulder
- Outside of the quadriceps
- Thigh
Often the treatment of road rash is complicated by other injuries, as the accident may have also caused broken or fractured bones, internal injuries, and brain and spine injuries.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a California motorcycle crash, you may not know the full extent of your injuries and losses. Don’t settle with the insurance company until you speak to an Orange County accident attorney. A personal injury attorney who specializes in Orange County motorcycle wrecks can help you determine how much money you will need to cover your medical bills, lost income and property damage as well as your pain and suffering and can act on your behalf to get you the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
For information about choosing a personal injury lawyer, download our free guide, “Avoid Lawyer Advertising Hype! A Lawyer's Method for Finding a Lawyer.” For more information, contact the Newport Beach motorcycle accident attorneys at Allen Flatt Ballidis & Leslie.
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