How to Respond to a Road Rash Motorcycle Injury

Road rash from a motorcycle accident is a serious injury that can permanently disfigure the rider. The best way to respond to a road rash motorcycle injury is to immediately assess your wound’s severity. Some degrees of road rash may only require home remedies, while more severe ones require medical assistance.

If your road rash injury was caused by someone’s negligent actions, you may qualify for a personal injury claim. The best way to ensure you receive compensation for your losses is through hiring the right legal help.

What is Road Rash?

Road rash is an abrasion or scraping of the skin caused by friction. The heat buildup from contact may also cause burn-like symptoms to occur in the affected area.

This condition may happen anywhere on your body (arms, legs, knees, elbows, hands, etc.) so long as your skin comes into intense contact with a rough object.

Road rash may also involve foreign material that can be absorbed into the skin, causing further pain and infection.

A motorcyclist suffering from road rash can experience great pain as it can cover a large area of your body. There can be infections or permanent scarring if left untreated, hence, it’s helpful to see a doctor if you are harmed in a motorcycle accident.

Common Causes of Road Rash

Road rash is typically associated with motorcycle crashes, but any road traffic accident can cause this wound to form.

This includes bicycle accidents with no gear, skateboarding accidents, or motor vehicle collisions to name a few examples. Even athletes who suffer sports injuries may run into this condition.

According to the NHTSA, motorcyclists are 22 times more likely to risk death compared to a passenger car occupant. NHTSA's recent report in 2022 shows that 6,218 motorcyclists were killed, amounting to 15% of all traffic fatalities.

The best way to avoid road rash as a motorcyclist is to wear protective safety gear while on the road. Protective gear can help soften the friction between your skin and ground in a crash, preventing road rash from forming.

Wearing visible clothing can prevent the crash from occurring in the first place as cars can see you easier in their mirrors.

How Bad Can a Road Rash Injury Get?

Road rash injuries can result in permanent tissue damage if left untreated depending on its degrees of severity. The effects of road rash injury may consist of:

• Nerve and muscle damage
• Temporary and permanent disability
• Significant scarring
• Emotional and mental trauma

Road rash may also risk bacteria, fungal, or viral infection caused by high-velocity impact on surfaces like concrete or asphalt.

Further infection may occur if foreign debris like broken glass enter the skin, allowing dangerous pathogens into the body.

Some common infections that are serious and should be treated are:

• Staph infections—are caused by staphylococcus bacteria entering the skin of cuts or wounds and can spread from person-to-person.
• Tetanus—is a bacterial infection caused by the road, metal objects, and soil entering the wound, affecting the nervous system.
• Necrotizing fasciitis—an infection that spreads quickly and kills soft tissue, leading to sepsis and toxic shock syndrome.
• Nerve infections—infections in the nervous system that can cause paralysis or a loss of sensation.

Road rash causes various types of infection and if left untreated, may amount to severe physical, emotional, and financial harm.

Road rash may range in severity from redness or bruising treatable at home, to life-threatening injuries. It’s important to know the degrees of road rash doctors may use to categorize your injury.

1st Degree Road Rash

First-degree road rash wounds are the least severe but should not be ignored. The outer layer of the skin is scraped which can lead to discomfort. Although there is no bleeding involved, the pain is there and the skin could swell or redden.

One should exercise basic first-aid treatment on the injury such as cleaning the wound gently with warm water and antibacterial soap. Then, apply antiseptic cream and a bandage. If the injury doesn’t improve, go to the doctor for treatment.

2nd Degree Road Rash

Second-degree road rash occurs when the accident causes a scrape on several layers of the skin. This often results in bleeding and has a risk of infection.

These abrasions require medical treatment to clean and bandage the wound. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics as a cautionary treatment to remedy the infection.

3rd Degree Road Rash

Third-degree road rash injuries are severe and can be life-threatening. The symptoms include loss and damaged skin, exposed or damaged bones, impaired nerve tissues and muscle. You must seek immediate medical attention and surgical treatment. Third-degrees are at high-risk of infections and are extremely painful.

How to Respond to a Minor Road Rash Injury

In case of minor road rash injuries, you should understand how to properly respond in case of a motorcycle accident. However, if you are suffering from more severe road rash injuries, immediately find emergency treatment.

For thorough medical advice, consult your physician to look at your wound to determine the right steps for your case. In no way do these suggestions override your doctor’s orders.

Even so, it’s important to know how to respond to a minor road rash injury to prevent further damage and infection:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water to avoid infections.
2. Clean the wound using lukewarm water, removing debris like dirt, pebbles, or glass. Gently use a soft cotton towel to pat dry the wound.
3. Apply an antibacterial ointment to avoid infections as you recover from your injuries.
4. Cover the wound with a sterile bandage or gauze wrap to protect it from other infectious contact. Change the dressing once a day or if necessary.
5. Take a pain reliever prescribed by the doctor or you may use an over-the-counter pain reliever as instructed (Tylenol, Advil, etc.).
6. Monitor your wounds daily and observe any signs of improvement or chances of the injury worsening.

If you feel the wound has not gotten any better or it may have worsened, seek immediate medical attention.

The Road Rash Healing Timeline

The timeline for road rash recovery may vary in severity, age, and overall health. Your wound goes through the hemostasis stage which focuses on stopping the bleeding. During the process after the accident, your road rash may experience inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling.

Inflammation

During the inflammation stage, it’s the beginning of the healing process after the injury. The body prepares the wound for the next two stages when the injured blood vessels leak transudate causing swelling. Inflammation controls the bleeding and helps prevent infections by removing cellular debris and bacteria.

Proliferation

The proliferation stage is when the wound is in the middle of recovery and is the construction of new tissue, healing the wound surface, and restoring the vascular system. This happens after a few days after the inflammation phase.

Remodeling

The final phase of road rash healing is the remodeling stage, also known as maturation. The granulation tissue matures and your skin has returned to normal unless scarring occurs. The tissue tensile strength increases, allowing the skin to normalize from its injuries.

How Long Does Road Rash Take to Heal?

A road rash may take at least one to two weeks to heal depending on your degree of injury. For instance, a minor scrape from a first-degree road rash may recover within the week with attentive care. A second-degree road rash may take up to two weeks to heal.

If you are suffering from a third-degree road rash, which is the most severe and requires immediate medical care, it can take several weeks or months to recuperate. Only time will tell and your doctor’s diagnosis will explain how you can recover.

Should You Go to the ER for Road Rash?

You should go to the ER for road rash if any of the following occurs in your injuries:

• Foreign objects puncture your skin like rocks, debris, glass, etc.
• You see a visible bone or muscle on the wound
• Road rash covers a large area of your body
• Excessive bleeding
• You feel or see signs of serious infection on your injury

A third-degree road rash would be a sign to go to the ER. However, never hesitate to go to the doctor, even with minor injuries.

It’s hard to discern what is going on inside your wound and to know if it has been infected, therefore, it’s advised to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Common Damages From Road Rash Injuries

Some damages you may suffer from road rash injuries are economic and non-economic. In economic damages, you may suffer high medical costs, lost wages and future earning capacity, property damages, and tangible losses.

Non-economic losses may include unnecessary pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress. You may suffer reputational damages as well as mental anguish from your injuries.

If the court feels that the defendant has caused you gross negligence, they may need to punish the defendant and charge them for punitive damages.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney to Represent You

If you are suffering from a motorcycle road rash injury caused by a driver’s negligence, find a personal injury attorney to represent your case.

LegalASAP has connections with hundreds of law firms across the United States and can help connect you with a personal injury attorney.

Get started by filling out a free quick evaluation form and see if you qualify for a claim. Your case is important to us, so for any questions or inquiries, call our hotline at 888-927-3080 and we’ll try to reach you as soon as possible.