Road Rash: More Than a Scrape or Bruise
Experiencing road rash due to an accident caused by a negligent driver is frightening and painful. Sometimes referred to as a skin abrasion, road rash can require expensive medical procedures and cause you to miss work. Depending upon the severity of the road rash and the location of the injury, you may suffer permanent disability. Permanent disability may prevent you from working or enjoying the quality of life you had before the accident.
If you suffered severe road rash in an accident at no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation. Consider discussing your case with a motorcycle accident lawyer today.
What Is Road Rash?
When you scrape your skin against a road surface, often, the friction results in road rash. Road rash is more than a simple scrape or bruise and is typically very painful. When you suffer road rash, the skin experiences injuries similar to a severe burn.
Your skin is the body’s largest external organ and is essential to protecting the body’s interior bones and muscles. The deeper the abrasion to the skin, the more serious the injury.
If left untreated, road rash can lead to serious complications and possibly cause infections that could lead to death. Always seek medical attention immediately following an accident. What looks like a “raspberry” on your skin may, in fact, be a serious case of road rash.
Common Causes of Road Rash
For those who participate in outdoor activities, there is often little to no protection for their skin. Despite protective gear such as helmets or reflective clothing, people engaged in outdoor activities are at risk of experiencing road rash. Inattentive, incapacitated, or careless drivers may cause accidents resulting in injury. Road rash is a common injury among the following:
- Motorcyclists
- Bicyclists
- Runners/Joggers
- Walkers
When a careless driver fails to share the road, their negligence can change your life in an instant. No one should suffer pain due to the reckless actions of another person. If you have been involved in an accident and you have suffered serious road rash, you should contact an attorney.
Severe Cases of Road Rash
Abrasions or tears to the skin are prone to infection. It is not uncommon for bits of rock, grass, and dirt to enter the wound. Seek immediate medical attention if your injury:
- Exposes muscle or bone
- Covers most of a limb or your body
- Has drainage or pus coming from the wound
- Is bleeding excessively
Cleaning the wound is best left to a medical professional. A doctor may order X-rays or other imaging tests to check for broken bones or large debris in the wound. Severe cases of road rash are often treated as burns. Treatment may involve:
- Skin grafts – When performing a skin graft, doctors replace injured skin with healthy skin from a less visible part of the body. As the healthy skin heals, new blood vessels grow to help new skin cells form and heal the wound.
- Plastic surgery – Scarring is another possible consequence of severe road rash. Plastic surgery can help patients to feel better about themselves by removing or covering visible scars.
While a severe case of road rash can happen in a second, the recovery process is often long and painful. No one should suffer physically, financially, or emotionally due to the reckless actions of a careless driver.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Not long after the accident, an insurance company representative may offer you a settlement. While the amount may seem like a lot of money, chances are it will not cover your future medical needs.
After enduring a stressful accident, it is important to remember the insurance company is acting in their best interests. That’s why securing the services of a personal injury attorney is invaluable. Knowing someone is protecting your best interests will decrease your stress.
Your time to recover is not the time to deal with aggressive insurance companies. A personal injury attorney can negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. In the event you are unable to agree on an appropriate settlement, an attorney can take your case to trial.
When your outdoor activity results in painful skin injuries, it is your right to demand accountability from the responsible party. Gather your evidence and discuss your options with a Texas personal injury attorney. Most personal injury attorneys offer free initial case evaluations, so you can make an informed decision on how to proceed.
Don’t speak with insurance representatives without contacting a personal injury attorney first. While you may feel overwhelmed by your injuries and the changes to your life, it is important to not sign anything. The initial amount offered by insurance companies to settle a case is often a low ball amount. Let an experienced attorney speak with insurance companies on your behalf.
A painful case of road rash requires careful monitoring for infection and can leave you with scars. If you have suffered an injury, consider seeking justice by pursuing a claim against the responsible party. While each case is different, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Time is not on your side, so don’t delay. The sooner you contact a personal injury attorney, the sooner they can review your case. If you wait too long, the statute of limitations may prevent you from filing your claim. Don’t miss your chance to seek justice against the driver who caused you painful road rash and extensive medical bills.
Enjoying a jog or even a walk is your right. Not only is it good for your health, but it can also help reduce stress. When a reckless driver crashes into you, causing you to experience severe road rash, it creates unnecessary stress. By holding a negligent driver accountable for their actions, you may prevent the same thing from happening to another person. To ensure a better tomorrow for you and your family, discuss your case with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
