When a person ends up in the ER with a road rash injury, it is most often a motorcyclist. This is because, unlike car drivers, motorcyclists are not protected by a metal casing, air bags, or seat belts, which makes them susceptible to be flung off their bikes and sent skidding across the pavement. Such injuries lead to claims for damages and are often handled and represented by personal injury lawyer in Lindsay.
What is a road rash injury?
As the name would suggest, a road rash injury stems from an accident in which the victim’s skin made contact with the rough surface of the road. Such an injury can be caused by gravel, pavement, or asphalt, and can occur even if the victim’s skin was covered by protective gear, such as biking jackets or gloves. Depending on the speed at which the victim was scraping along the road, and the thickness of the protective gear, entire lawyers of skin can be torn off, sometimes all the way down to the bone. Consequences can include serious infections and even nerve damage, and the injury itself can be extremely tough to treat.
Since road rash has become an umbrella term for a vast gradient of injuries with varying severity, medical professionals have implemented a scale under which injuries can be put into one of three categories:
First degree road rash includes minor impact injuries which merely affect the outermost layer of the patient’s skin. Symptoms include a slight redness of the skin accompanied by a light burning sensation. These will generally not even require any medical attention and can be treated by cleaning the wound and applying ointment.
Second degree road rash refers to injuries in which the outer layers of the skin have been torn but the underlying muscles remain fully untouched. Such injuries will require medical attention. Symptoms include a swelling of the area surrounding the wound, as well as pain. Oftentimes, the patient will be left with a scar.
Third degree road rash is a serious matter. Injuries will penetrate the skin all the way down to organs and muscles, and sometimes even bone. The underlying tissue is exposed which makes immediate medical attention a number one priority. Entire patches of skin may be lost and scarring is basically impossible to avoid. In some cases, skin grafts are the best way to treat the injury. Reported symptoms include swelling of the area, accompanied by intense pain. Due to the exposed tissue, infection is common and can lead to a fever.
Such injuries need immediate medical attention and it is important to get the police reports and keep them safe, as they will be needed when you file for a claim.