Road Rash from Motorcycle Accidents

When operating a motorcycle, the stakes are much higher for a potential accident as the operator does not have the protection of a steel frame around them. As a result, accidents involving motorcycles normally create much more serious injuries for their riders. One of the most prevalent injuries is road rash – a colloquial term for the abrasions that occur from sliding across asphalt. If you incurred a serious bout of road rash as the result of an accident on a motorcycle, contact the personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP today.

Road rash can vary in severity, especially depending on the amount of protection worn by the motorcycle rider at the time of the crash, how fast the rider was going upon the time of the crash and how far the victim slid across the pavement.

Similar to burns, road rash can occur in three degrees, with the third degree being the most severe. At its least severe, road rash is similar to a rug burn and doesn’t require any serious medical intervention. During a second degree road rash injury, layers of the skin are ruptured and this can result in permanent scarring. It will be painful but easily treatable with medical intervention.

However, third-degree road rash is a very serious injury and can be life-threatening to the motorcyclist. In these cases, the skin is completely torn away all the way down to the fatty tissues underneath – or even further in the worst cases, to bone – which can result in serious infections of the area and life-threatening conditions such as sepsis if there is no immediate medical intervention.

Road rash can result in a lot of time spent in the hospital, as serious cases of road rash are similar to severe burns – and in fact, the injury is actually caused by the high heat created by the force of friction between the skin and the road surface. The wounds must be kept clean, and you will also likely be put on a regiment of antibiotics. In the most severe cases, a long hospital stay is likely so you may be properly monitored while you heal.

In the cases where hospitalization is necessary, you may be saddled with huge medical expenses – especially if you do not have ample insurance to cover your treatments – and you will likely be unable to return to work and collect a paycheck for a period of time, which may also put a strain on your life.

If you were hit by another motorist, they may be liable for your injuries beyond the scope of their liability insurance. In the instance they did not have insurance, or were operating irresponsibly behind the wheel – such as disobeying traffic rules, driving while distracted or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol – they are certainly liable should you wish to pursue an injury claim against them.

In any case, navigating insurance company red tape and potentially filing a suit against an irresponsible motorist is not something you can handle while healing in a hospital with painful injuries. The attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have over 50 years of experience advocating on behalf of our injured clients and handling the paperwork for them.

We can guarantee you that we will pursue any and all legal avenues to secure financial compensation for you to help pay for your medical bills and make up for lost time at work. We provide free consultations to go over the details of your case and decide on what course of action to take.

Call today at 617.492.3000 or toll-free at 800.481.6199. We are available 24/7.