Road rash can happen in bicycle accidents or motorcycle accidents. Essentially, when the rider is thrown from the vehicle and contacts the pavement, it can scrape their skin. The resulting injury is referred to as road rash.
One mistake that people sometimes make is assuming that a scrape is a minor injury. But this isn’t always as simple as someone who skins their knee crashing on their bicycle. Road rash can be an very serious and painful injury, especially for a motorcyclist who may have experienced an accident at a very high speed.
The depth makes a significant difference
Superficial road rash will just affect the outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. This is certainly still painful and needs to be treated, but it is the least severe type of road rash.
If the injury is deeper, though, it becomes more severe. A partial-thickness burn, for instance, also affects the dermis—the layer beneath the epidermis. A full-thickness injury goes through the dermis and into the fat layer that is below the skin itself. This is the most severe type of road rash.
It’s also important for injured parties to understand potential complications. Road rash itself can be painful and may limit mobility during healing. But things really become complex if the injury gets infected. In a case like that, emergency medical treatment may be necessary.
Seeking financial compensation
Have you suffered road rash and other injuries in an accident caused by someone else? If so, you may be able to seek financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and much more.