Road Rash
Far More Than Just Cuts and Scrapes
When you leave your home, you expect to return safely. Unfortunately, whether you are heading out on your motorcycle for a nice summer drive or just walking around the neighborhood, you could end up in a tragic situation if you encounter a driver who does not pay attention to the road.
Road rash injuries are common in motorcycle accidents, but they also occur frequently in
bicycle accidents,
pedestrian accidents, and
car accidents when a person is thrown from the vehicle. In all these cases, you are provided little or no protection from your body getting tossed onto the pavement which could cause road rash among other injuries.
If you or a loved one has been injured by someone else’s
negligence, recklessness, or carelessness,
Illinois law may entitle you to compensation for your injuries. To know for sure, speak with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney today.
Causes of Road Rash
Road rash is exactly what it sounds like—it’s an injury caused when your body rubs across the pavement and rips away a layer or more of skin. When you learned to ride a bike, you probably fell off a few times and skinned your knee. That is a mild form of road rash. These injuries
often occur during warmer months when people wear clothing that covers less of their bodies and engages in more frequent activities outside.
Motorcycle accidents are the most common cause of road rash injuries. These accidents can happen when a motorcyclist is driving too fast and they fall off, causing them to slide across the pavement. However, most times,
another driver is at fault.
The other driver may have:
- Been distracted by a cell phone
- Been driving too fast
- Failed to yield right of way
- Failed to stop at a light or stop sign
- Caused a rear-end collision
Any of these situations could cause you, as a motorcycle rider, to fall off your motorcycle and slide across the pavement. Not only is this painful, it can cause serious injuries that you may have to deal with for the rest of your life.
Types of Road Rash
Caring for road rash injuries depends a great deal on what type of injury you suffered. There are three types of road rash: avulsion, compression, and open wound. Each of them requires
slightly different medical assistance and may impact your return to your regular life.
Avulsion
An avulsion happens when the skin is scraped away from the body. Depending on the amount of skin removed by the pavement, this could reveal fat, muscle, and even bones. Depending on the severity, medical professionals can treat avulsion injuries at the accident scene if minor, or they may require hospitalization and surgery.
Compression
Compression injuries occur when your body gets trapped under your motorcycle or the other vehicle. Not only can this cause road rash but it can also cause muscle damage and broken bones.
Open Wound
An open wound injury happens when the road rash you suffer causes your skin to peel back and pull away. This leaves your body open to infection if not properly treated right away.
Collecting Damages
After you suffer road rash, whether from a motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, or other accident, your only worry is getting back to your regular life. Unfortunately, that might not happen as quickly as you would hope and, in the worst-case scenario, may never occur.
That’s why it is so important to speak with a seasoned
motorcycle accident lawyer who can help you recover every dollar you deserve from the
at-fault driver.
To help you focus on your physical recovery, your lawyer may try to get you compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Present and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
You know exactly what your medical bills are right now—you see them piling up on the kitchen table. What you do not know yet is the full value of your motorcycle accident claim. When you work with a knowledgeable road rash injury attorney, you can expect that your lawyer will help guide you on your path to recovery. This includes understanding the true value of your claim.
When necessary, we can help you create an accurate estimate of your future needs. This is the part most
injury victims miss. They do not properly account for their future needs. It’s important to understand what you will need in the future so you do not fall prey to insurance company tactics. Many insurance companies will offer you a quick settlement, hoping that you do not have a lawyer to advise you that the settlement amount may not cover all of your future needs.
We do not want you to suffer financially by paying out of pocket for injuries you did not cause. But that’s what might happen if you take the insurance company’s lowball settlement offer without fully understanding the amount of money you need to get better.
Don’t Delay
In most Illinois cases,
you only have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim against the at-fault party to recover damages for your injuries. Two years might seem like a long time but it will go by quickly. You may be in the hospital for a long time. You might need multiple surgeries. You may even lose work temporarily or even permanently, and if you can return to work, you may never again do so in the same capacity.
With all of this going on in your life, you will not have time to worry about how you recover damages against the at-fault party. That’s why you need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney fighting hard to protect your rights and get you every dollar you deserve while you focus completely on your physical recovery. Let go of the legal worry and stress and make your physical recovery your priority by calling a motorcycle accident lawyer today.
