Can I Receive Compensation for Road Rash in a Motorcycle Accident?
No motorcyclist ever expects to be involved in an accident, especially one where they are knocked from their bike. Unfortunately, these types of accidents happen every year when a motorcyclist loses control due to the actions of another negligent party. Every year, thousands of motorcycle accidents occur due to head-on collisions, motor vehicle drivers making left-turns, motorcycle lane splitting, road hazards, and so much more. When you are thrown from your motorcycle in a devastating accident, you could receive a condition known as ‘road rash,’ which could take on serious forms.
Minor to Severe Road Rash
The first thing that you should know about road rash is that there are different types. Road rash is not always a severe medical condition, but sometimes it could cause a long stay in the hospital and be very serious in nature. Here are the various degrees of road rash, explained:
- First Degree: First degree road rash is not as serious of a medical condition as many other types, unless there are complications like infection. Usually the skin will just become reddened and sometimes painful.
- Second Degree: Second degree road rash involves the skin breaking. There could be scarring from this type of road rash. Usually, simple medical treatments will be involved.
- Third Degree: This is the most serious type of road rash and will almost always require hospitalization or some type of care. The breakage of all 5 layers of skin down to the fat will occur, which makes you most susceptible to infections.
The issues associated with road rash don’t stop there, however. Sometimes you will see immense scarring throughout that area, which means that you could experience disfigurement. You may sustain an infection and spend time in the hospital if it is serious enough. Other times, you could experience emotional or psychological trauma from the stress that comes from the accident and the remainder of the damage done.
Damages in a Road Rash Case
The damages associated with road rash can be much more than just medical expenses related to your doctor’s office or hospital visit. You may undergo many surgical procedures, pay out of pocket for certain medications, need assistive devices, and so much more after you have been injured seriously. Road rash from a serious motorcycle accident could actually cause you to miss time at work, which means you may be entitled to lost income for the time you can’t spend there. You may experience embarrassment and shame when you look at the scars from the accident and have the right to file for a disfigurement claim. As you can see, there are many damages available in these serious cases that may just be more serious than anybody expected.
Because we take motorcycle accidents of all shapes and sizes seriously, we want to help you recover from your injuries and move forward with your life like you deserve after an accident. At the Los Angeles Injury Group, we have experience in a variety of motorcycle cases and want to help you every step of the way. Call us today for more information at 310-954-7248.
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