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Naples Personal Injury Attorney > Blog > Motorcycle Accident > Road Rash Injuries In Motorcycle Accidents

Road Rash Injuries In Motorcycle Accidents

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

Motorcycles are quite popular in the Sunshine State. In fact, the only U.S. state with more motorcycles than Florida is California. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, California and Florida have the largest number of registered motorcycles by large margins. According to the IIHS, in 2018, there were 950,780 on-road motorcycles registered in California and 588,815 in Florida. Considering Florida’s year-round sunshine, attractions, and friendly motorcycle legislation, it is understandable why motorcycles are quite popular in the Sunshine State.

Unfortunately, with many motorcycles on Florida roads comes many motorcycle accidents. Sadly, Florida has been ranked 7th most dangerous state for motorcyclists. According to news sources, even though there were fewer drivers on the roads over the past year due to the pandemic, the number of traffic deaths did not reduce. Traffic deaths increased by at least 8%, with most of that increase involving motorcyclists, especially in Florida, which in 2020 recorded the highest number ever of motorcycle accidents that resulted in death.

Unfortunately, because motorcycles don’t provide riders with exterior protection, whenever a motorcycle accident occurs, the chances are, a motorcyclist will be left injured, if not dead. Among the many injuries that motorcyclists suffer in accidents, road rash is one of the most common. Contrary to popular opinion, road rash is more than just a scrape. Depending on the severity, it can be quite difficult and expensive to treat road rash. This type of injury can also be immensely painful. Additionally, road rash can be disfiguring and incapacitating.

Because of the effects that a road rash injury can have on your life, it is crucial that you speak to a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer after suffering a road rash injury in a motorcycle accident. If another party’s negligence caused your injury, you might be entitled to compensation.

What Is Road Rash?

Road rash occurs when you graze your skin against a rough surface, such as a pavement or tarred surface. This type of injury can happen to any area of the body. Nevertheless, some of the most common places a rider can get road rash include their;

  • Elbows
  • Thighs
  • Lower legs
  • Face
  • Arms
  • Palms
  • Hands
  • Knees
  • Forearms
  • Shoulders

Types of Road Rash Injuries

There are three types of road rash injuries:

  • Avulsion: An avulsion road rash occurs when the top skin layer is scraped away. This type of road rash usually leaves parts of the body under the skin exposed. For example, an avulsion can leave fat, muscles, or bones exposed. An avulsion is the most common type of road rash in motorcycle accidents.
  • Open wound: An open wound involves the tearing of the skin tissue. At a minimum, an open wound will require a rider to get stitches. In a severe case, a rider might need skin grafting.
  • Compression: If a rider gets stuck between their motorcycle and the ground, they may end up with compression road rash. Compression can result in, among others, bruising, muscle damage, and broken bones.

When it comes to severity, road rash can be categorized as follows:

  1. First-degree road rash: It is characterized by redness, bruising, scrapes, and minor bleeding.
  2. Second-degree road rash: Occurs when the scraping of the skin breaks the skin and leaves the layers under the skin exposed.
  3. Third-degree road rash: This is the most severe road rash injury. It involves the scraping away of the skin to the extent that tendons, nerves, bones, and muscles are left exposed.

Treating Road Rash

Regardless of how minor you think your road rash injury is, it is crucial that you treat your injury as soon as possible after your accident. While first and second-degree road rash can heal without medical intervention, third-degree road rash usually requires expansive treatment. Some of the most common road rash treatments include;

  • Stitches
  • Debridement
  • Skin grafts

If you have suffered a minor injury that can be treated without you visiting the hospital, you can take the following steps;

  • Wash your hands
  • Gently rinse and clean the injured area and remove any debris
  • Apply an antibiotic ointment
  • Bandage the injury
  • Regularly change the bandage
  • Keep an eye out for infection

Recovering Compensation for Your Road Rash Injury

If you suffer a road rash injury that meets Florida’s serious injury threshold because of another party’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. If you qualify to file a personal injury claim, you may be entitled to a wide range of damages, including, but not limited to;

  • Lost wages
  • Medical expenses (past, present, and future accident-related medical expenses)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of earning capacity

Contact a Naples Motorcycle Accident Attorney

If you have suffered a severe road rash injury in a motorcycle accident because of another party’s negligence, contact our Naples motorcycle accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro P.A., today at 239-649-8050 to discuss your case.

Resource:

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