Road Rash Can Be a Serious Injury

Somehow, the term, road rash does not truly reflect the potentially serious nature of this common type of motorcycle accident injury. Any motorcyclist who has sustained road rash can attest to its pain, but many riders do not take these injuries as seriously as they should. Without appropriate care and attention, they can lead to additional medical concerns down the road.

The Types of Road Rash

The luckiest road rash victims walk away with an injury that resembles rug burn, with no broken skin. Unfortunately, many road rash victims sustain more severe injuries — most typically one of the following:

• Avulsion: This is perhaps the most common type of road rash injury, describing a condition when the skin is scraped away. In its less severe form, only the top skin layers are removed, but the injuries can go quite deep, possibly exposing fat, muscle, or even bone.
• Open wounds: These are generally scrapes, but they typically require stitches to close the skin opening.
• Compression: Trap a body part between two objects — like a motorcycle and the road — and the damage can involve bruising or damage to muscles. Bones can be broken or crushed.

Even Relatively Minor Road Rash Injuries Can Benefit From Medical Attention

Certainly, an injury without broken skin can be addressed at home by keeping it clean and using over-the-counter products to help with healing and discomfort. Once the skin breaks, however, any errors in-home treatment can soon become significant medical issues.

For example, even an injury that just breaks through the first layer of skin is probably covered with road debris. Remove the debris while cleaning, and the accident victim risks breaking through additional layers of skin. Leave any debris in place, and they can expect infection.

Proper Gear Can Help Reduce the Risks

Proper gear from head to toe is essential to reduce the risks of injury for bikers. Allstate provides a comprehensive list of recommendations, which includes leather gloves and clothing that protect the skin while allowing fallen riders to slide rather than tumble. Unfortunately, even the most safety-conscious riders are likely to shed this heavy gear on a blistering summer day.

Of course, wearing leather clothing is not a requirement in North Carolina, and even individuals who choose comfort over protection have the right to seek compensation for motorcycle accident injuries caused by other parties.

Accident victims who believe they are not being treated fairly should call our Charlotte motorcycle accident lawyers at 800-948-0577 or use our convenient online contact form.