Road Rash After a Prince Edward County, VA Motorcycle Accident

Spring will soon be in the air around Virginia, which means more motorcyclists will be climbing on their vehicles to enjoy the warm weather. Unfortunately, the frequency of motorcycle accidents will also be on the rise with more riders on the roads. One injury that’s relatively unique to motorcycle collision victims is road rash, which shares similarities with both burns and abrasions. It often occurs when a rider is tossed from the cycle and slides across the surface of the roadway. Road rash may appear to be a painful scratch, but this type of injury involves much more serious health complications because of the potential for infection.

You should discuss your legal rights and remedies with a motorcycle accidents lawyer, but it’s also important to review some information about road rash injuries.

Medical Terminology

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, road rash is a friction burn that may occur due to continuous rubbing of the skin over time or a single, violent impact, such as a motorcycle accident. Heat builds up from the friction effect, singing the skin in much the same way as a burn from contact with a hot object. At the same time, the uneven surface of the roadway scratches the affected area.

Degrees of Road Rash Injuries

Just as the medical community classifies burn injuries by severity, there are varying degrees of road rash.

First Degree: This level of road rash is typically minor, often resembling a sunburn. You may experience light bleeding from scratches and small cuts, but medical attention is usually not necessary for a complete recovery.

Second Degree: If road rash includes heavier bleeding and swelling, and you can feel heat radiating from the area, the injury qualifies as second-degree. The wound often penetrates beyond the epidermis, or outer layer of skin, to the dermis underneath. Infection is likely without proper care.

Third Degree: If a great deal of skin is scraped off, it’s likely you suffer from a third-degree road rash. The wound may even expose muscle tissue and tendons, and it covers a larger area of your body. You may not feel severe pain because nerve damage prevents the communication of sensory messages to the brain. It’s critical to seek emergency care immediately.

Complications and Long-Term Effects of Road Rash

Because of a motorcycle’s design, the outer portion of your lower extremities, shoulders, and palms of your hands are most vulnerable to road rash. These injuries can lead to extensive health complications, such as:

• Road rash leaves affected skin and tissues open to bacteria, which can cause infection without proper treatment
• A road rash wound may scrape and burn several layers of skin, leading to scarring and disfigurement
• With higher degrees of road rash, you will need skin graft surgery to repair and replace tissue that has burned away, a procedure in which healthy skin is extracted from an area of your body and implanted upon the affected area

Why Gear Matters, and Why It Doesn’t Change Who’s at Fault

Riders sometimes worry that the extent of their road rash, or whether they were wearing full protective gear, will be held against them in a claim. It’s worth being clear about this: while proper gear can reduce the severity of road rash, the question of who caused the underlying accident is separate from what gear you had on. A driver who fails to see a motorcycle, follows too closely, or turns without checking their mirrors is responsible for causing the crash regardless of what the rider was wearing.

Because road rash is essentially a friction burn, much of what applies to recovering compensation for a burn injury applies here as well, particularly when it comes to documenting the wound’s progression and any resulting scarring.

What to Expect During Recovery

Road rash recovery can be a slow, uncomfortable process, involving frequent wound cleaning, dressing changes, and close monitoring for infection. Higher-degree injuries may require multiple follow-up appointments and, as noted above, possible skin grafting. Throughout that process, keeping thorough records of your treatment and how the injury is healing helps ensure nothing gets left out of your claim.

Contact Herbert E. Maxey, Jr., Motorcycle Accident Lawyer, Today

If you were hurt in a motorcycle crash, please contact Herbert E. Maxey, Jr. at 434-969-4873 to set up a consultation. Virginia law may allow you to recover compensation for road rash injuries and other types of losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Attorney Maxey represents individuals injured in motorcycle accidents throughout Central Virginia, including Farmville and Halifax, and he has extensive experience in these types of claims and can tell you more about your rights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is road rash?

Road rash is a friction burn that occurs when skin rubs against the road surface, most often when a motorcyclist is thrown from their bike and slides across the pavement.

How is road rash classified by severity?

Like burns, road rash is classified in degrees, from first-degree injuries resembling a sunburn up through third-degree injuries that expose muscle and tendon and require emergency care.

Why is infection such a serious concern with road rash?

Road rash leaves affected skin and tissue open to bacteria, and without proper treatment and wound care, infection is a real and common risk, especially with second- and third-degree injuries.

Do more severe road rash injuries require surgery?

Higher degrees of road rash may require skin graft surgery, in which healthy skin is taken from another area of the body and implanted onto the damaged area.

Does not wearing full protective gear affect who is at fault for my accident?

No. What you were wearing may affect the severity of your injuries, but it doesn’t change who is legally responsible for causing the underlying accident.

Which parts of the body are most commonly affected by road rash?

The lower extremities, shoulders, and palms of the hands are most vulnerable, largely because of how a rider’s body typically makes contact with the road during a fall.

Can road rash cause permanent scarring?

Yes. Road rash can scrape and burn through several layers of skin, and depending on severity, this can lead to lasting scarring and disfigurement.

Is it possible to have severe road rash without feeling much pain?

Yes, and it’s actually a warning sign. With third-degree road rash, nerve damage can prevent pain signals from reaching the brain, which is one reason emergency care is so important.

What kind of compensation is available for a road rash injury?

Compensation may include medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, similar to other injury claims arising from a motorcycle accident.

How much does a consultation with Herbert E. Maxey, Jr. cost?

Nothing. Consultations are free, and Attorney Maxey has extensive experience representing motorcycle accident victims throughout Central Virginia, including Farmville and Halifax.