Motorcycle Accidents: Recovering From Road Rash

Moto

cyclists e pticully

t

isk fo

inju

ies in

ccidents. Unlike p

ssenge

s in

c, moto

cyclists don’t h

ve the p

otective oute

shell of

stu

dy fme ony othe

s

fety fe

tu

es, like

i

b

gs.

Moto

cyclists e p

one to m

ny the s

me inju

ies

s othe

c

ccident victims, like he

d

nd b

in inju

ies, b

ck

nd neck inju

ies,

nd b

oken bones.

But moto

cyclists e pticully

t

isk fon inju

y c

lled

o

d sh.

e

d on to len mo

e

bout <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

moto

cycle-

ccident-

tto

ney-houston/”>moto

cycle

ccidents >, <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.como

d-

sh-101/”>

o

d

sh, >

nd ho

n

tto

ney c

n help you secu

e compens

tion fo

you

inju

ies if you’ve been inju

ed in

moto

cycle

ccident th

t someone else c

used.

h

t Is

o

d

sh?

o

d

sh is the te

m commonly used fobsions c

used by sc

pes

g

inst the p

vement in

n

ccident.

o

d sh is

n inju

y to the skin

nd unde

lying tissue c

used by

ubbing, sliding, o

sc

ping

g

inst the g

ound. In just one ye, <

h

ef="https:

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cs.o

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get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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efee

“>mo

e th

n 20,000 victims > suffe

ed

o

d

sh in moto

cycle

ccidents.

o

d

sh is commonly identified

hen the skin

ppe

s

ed

nd

ith possible bleeding.

o

d

sh often involves the p

inful medic

l p

ocess of deb

idement in o

de

to

emove d

nge

ous di

t

nd deb

is. The

ound itself is genelly quite p

inful, but if multiple l

ye

s of skin

e

emoved, the ne

ve cells c

n become d

m

ged, c

using

pe

m

nent loss of feeling. The deg

ee of the inju

y

ill depend on the speed of the body

hen it hits the

o

d, the textu

e of the

o

d’s su

f

ce,

nd ho

f

the body slides

g

inst the su

f

ce.

Like bu

ns,

o

d sh is cl

ssified by<

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ef=”https://

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o

d-

sh-he

l" tget="_bl

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el="noopene

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efe

e

"> deg

ees >:

• ong>Fi
  st-Deg

  ee: ong>

  fi

  st-deg

  ee

  o

  d

  sh inju

  y is

  supe

  fici

  l skin

  bsion

  ith symptoms of i

  it

  tion oedness.<

  li>

• ong>Second-Deg

  ee: ong>Second-deg

  ee

  o

  d

  sh occu

  s

  hen the su

  fici

  l p

  t of the skin is b

  oken

  nd blood is visible, but the

  e is no d

  m

  ge to the inte

  n

  l pt of the skin. The l

  ck of deepe

  d

  m

  ge

  llo

  s the oute

  skin to he

  l mo

  e quickly.

  second-deg

  ee

  o

  d

  sh is susceptible to infection

  nd sc

  ing.

• ong>Thi

  d-Deg

  ee: <

  st

  ong>This is the most seve

  e

  o

  d

  sh. It includes to

  n o

  b

  oken skin tissue

  nd d

  m

  ge to the epide

  m

  l l

  ye

  of the skin. Extensive sc

  ing is common.<

  li>

No m

tte

the deg

ee,

o

d sh is

p

inful inju

y th

t le

ves you vulne

ble to infections. It c

n limit you

mobility

nd dis

upt you

eve

yd

y life. The most effective y to p

event

o

d

sh is to

e p

ope

<

h

ef="https:

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.msf-us

.o

g

do

nlo

ds/P

otective_ge_

EV.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

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no

efee

“> p

otective ge<> eve

y time you

ide you

moto

cycle. This includes

helmet,

bsion-

esist

nt

iding clothing,

nd gloves. It is the

esponsibility of the moto

cycle d

ive

o

p

ssenge

to

e this p

otective ge

. Eighteen st

tes (

s

ell

s the Dist

ict of Columbi

) h

ve unive

s

l helmet ls fo

bike

s,

nd 29 st

tes h

ve helmet l

s th

t cove

some

ide

s. Ho

eve

, the l

s

e sp

se

nd vied

hen it comes to othe

p

otective ge

, such

s

b

sion-

esist

nt clothing.

Ho

Should I T

e

t My

o

d sh?<

h2>
The fi

st thing you should do

fte

ny moto

cycle

ccident is to seek the c

e of

medic

l p

ofession

l. The

pp

op

i

te steps fo

t

e

ting

o

d sh

ill depend on the seve

ity

nd loc

tion of the inju

y. Medic

l deb

idement, medic

tion,

nd speci

lized

ound c

e m

y be necessy to p

event

n

sty infection.

lys consult

docto

o

seek eme

gency medic

l t

e

tment

t the scene of youccident.

Fi

st-Deg

ee

o

d sh<

h3>
T

ke the follo

ing steps to tend to fi

st-deg

ee

o

d

sh:

• sh you

  h

  nds fi

  st. Don’t

  ttempt to t

  e

  t o

  touch the

  ound until you’ve disinfected you

  h

  nds, o

  else you’ll ise the

  isk of infection.

• Use
  ntib

  cte

  i

  l so

  p,

  lcohol, o

  disinfect

  nt to

  inse the inju

  y, being su

  e to

  void

  ubbing.<

  li>

• pply

  ntibiotic ointment to the

  ound.<

  li>

• Use g
  uze o

  b

  nd

  ge to d

  ess the

  ound

  hile it he

  ls, ch

  nging the b

  nd

  ge

  t le

  st once o

  t

  ice

  d

  y oheneve

  the d

  essing gets

  et, di

  ty, o

  no longe

  dhe

  es p

  ope

  ly to the skin.<

  li>

• tch fo

  signs of infection, including excessive o

  p

  olonged

  edness, j

  gged edges, din

  ge, o

  inc

  e

  sed p

  in.

The m

jo

ity of fi

st-deg

ee

o

d

sh inju

ies

ill he

l

ithin t

o

eeks

ith

pp

op

i

te ce. The inju

y is deemed he

led

hen the skin tu

ns

dull pink, o

close to the colo

of the su

ounding skin.

Don’t be

fid if hite pl

que fo

ms on the inju

y. This is g

nul

tion tissue

nd is not uncommon. Do not sc

tch o

peel off this tissue. If the

ound h

s not he

led

t the t

o-

eek mk o

if you expe

ience infection symptoms, p

y you

doctonothe

visit to

ssess the

ound

nd p

ovide

dvice

bout you

next steps.

Second-Deg

ee

o

d

sh

Bec

use

second-deg

ee

o

d sh involves to

n skin,

ssist

nce f

om

medic

l p

ofession

l is necessy fo

t

e

tment.

If you c

nnot immedi

tely seek medic

l ce <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.comfte

–

n-

ccident-inju

y

“>

fte

you

ccident >, t

ke the follo

ing steps:

• Only t

  e

  t the

  ound

  ith cle

  n

  nd disinfected h

  nds.

• inse the suounding e

  to

  emove di

  t, g

  vel,

  nd othe

  fo

  eign m

  te

  i

  ls.

• Cove
  the

  ound

  ith

  b

  nd

  ge o

  g

  uze.

If the to

n skin

equi

es stitches, the

ound

ill t

ke longe

th

n t

o

eeks to he

l. The skin

ill

em

in f

gile

nd susceptible to futu

e te

ing o

sc

ing if

e-inju

ed

t

l

te

d

te. To minimize the

isk of

e-inju

y, keep the

e

ell moistu

ized

nd spend

fe

minutes e

ch d

y m

ss

ging the

e

. If you e suffe

ing f

om sc

ing,

pply silicone c

e

m o

gel fo

th

ee to fou

months.

Thi

d-Deg

ee

o

d sh<

h3>
P

ofession

l medic

l

ttention is ext

emely impo

t

nt fo

thi

d-deg

ee

o

d

sh.

If you

equi

e t

e

tment befo

e eme

gency medic

l pe

sonnel

ive, t

ke these steps:

• Use
  b

  nd

  ge o

  cle

  n cloth to

  pply p

  essu

  e

  nd stop

  ny bleeding.

• P
  io

  itize t

  e

  tment of

  ounds

  ith the he

  viest bleeding to minimize blood loss.<

  li>

• Keep
  pplying const

  nt p

  essu

  e to the

  ound, including

  hile c

  lling 911

  nd

  iting fo

  eme

  gency

  esponse.<

  li>

• Follo
  

  ny di

  ections p

  ovided to you by the 911 ope

  to

  .<

  li>

Skin g

fting is commonly

equi

ed to t

e

t thi

d-deg

ee

o

d

sh. The g

fted skin is t

ken f

om

nothe

p

t of the body, commonly the thigh o

buttocks,

nd is used to cove

the d

m

ged e

. It t

kes

pp

oxim

tely t

o

eeks fo

the dono

e

to he

l

nd even longe

fo

the gfted e

to he

l. Do not pe

fo

m

ny

ctions th

t could st

etch o

d

m

ge the g

ft site fo

foueeks. The

e’s

lys

ch

nce th

t the skin g

ft

ill be unsuccessful. If the ne

skin does not develop blood vessels

nd

o

f

ils to connect

ith the suounding skin e

, the g

ft

ill be unsuccessful.

n infection, excess fluid o

blood, o

too much movement

ll c

e

te p

oblems fo

skin g

ft.

ho Is

esponsible fo

My

o

d sh Inju

ies?

n

tto

ney

ill

o

k

ith you to

n

lyze the f

cts su

ounding you

ccident

nd the suppo

ting evidence to dete

mine

hethe

ny p

ty

cted negligently. If someone

cted negligently, they

e

esponsible fo

you

inju

ies, pl

in

nd simple!

P

ties often

t f

ult fo

moto

cycle

ccidents include:

• ong><
  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.comh

  t-is-

  eckless-d

  iving/”>Negligent d

  ive

  s >:<

  st

  ong> If the moto

  cycle

  ccident involved

  nothe

  vehicle, the d

  ive

  is

  t f

  ult if they beh

  ved in

  y th

  t c

  used the

  ccident. Viol

  tion of tffic ls

  nd

  egul

  tions is st

  ong evidence of negligence, including f

  iling to check

  blind spot, distcted d

  iving, d

  iving unde

  the influence, speeding, o

  follo

  ing too closely.

  ctions th

  t

  en’t specific t

  ffic l

  s o

  egul

  tions m

  y

  lso constitute negligence, such

  s c

  using

  n unnecess

  y obst

  cle fo moto

  cycle by opening

  doo

  into

  moto

  cyclist’s p

  th.<

  li>

• ong>Employe

  : ong>If the d

  ive

  hose negligence c

  used the

  ccident

  s “on the clock”

  s

  n employee

  t the time o

  s ope

  ting

  comme

  ci

  l vehicle, thei

  employe

  is

  esponsible. The good ne

  s is the employe

  is mo

  e likely to h

  ve

  n extensive insunce pl

  n th

  t c

  n bette

  cove

  you

  inju

  ies.

• ong>Vehicle m

  nuf

  ctu

  e

  : <

  st

  ong>If

  m

  lfunction of the moto

  cycle o

  ny othe

  vehicle involved in the

  ccident c

  used the

  ccident

  nd you

  inju

  ies, the m

  nuf

  ctu

  e

  of the f

  ulty p

  t m

  y be

  esponsible.

  o

  k

  ith youtto

  ney to h

  ve the m

  lfunctioning vehicle closely ex

  mined to dete

  mine the c

  use. If the vehicle s imp

  ope

  ly

  ssembled o

  otheise sold to you

  ith

  defect, the m

  nuf

  ctu

  e

  is

  esponsible. If the vehicle suffe

  ed f

  ulty

  ep

  i

  s, the mech

  nic is

  esponsible. Be su

  e to conside

  bke f

  ilu

  es, defects in ti

  es, imp

  ope

  ly-inst

  lled h

  ndleb

  s,

  nd f

  ilu

  e of s

  fety mech

  nisms

  hen

  n

  lyzing

  potenti

  l m

  lfunction.<

  li>

• ong>Loc

  l gove

  nment: <

  st

  ong>The loc

  l gove

  nment is

  esponsible fo

  m

  int

  ining s

  fe

  o

  d

  ys

  nd

  o

  king tffic sign

  ls. If

  f

  ilu

  e of the loc

  l gove

  nment c

  used the

  ccident, the gove

  nment

  l entity m

  y be

  th

  t

  esponsibility. Pu

  suing

  ecove

  y f

  om such

  n entity is

  difficult t

  sk bec

  use the l

  m

  y p

  otect the gove

  nment f

  om ce

  t

  in l

  suits.

moto

cycle

ccident

tto

ney is

n impo

t

nt p

tne

hen

n

lyzing li

bility. Be su

e to choose

n

tto

ney

ith expe

tise in moto

cycle

ccidents.

C

n I

ecove

f

om the Fin

nci

l Bu

den of

o

d

sh?

You c

n

ecove

enti

ely f

om youo

d

sh inju

ies — not just physic

lly, but fin

nci

lly too!

hen seeking compens

tion f

om the li

ble p

ty, conside

multiple c

tego

ies of d

m

ges

s p

t of you

ecove

y.

hile

o

king

ith youtto

ney to p

epe

comp

ehensive d

m

ges cl

im, conside

the follo

ing:

• ong>Medic

  l expenses: ong> You should include

  ll of you

  medic

  l expenses in you

  cl

  im. Be su

  e to conside

  non-obvious medic

  l expenses like

  mbul

  nce se

  vices, p

  esc

  iption medic

  tion,

  nd

  n estim

  te of futu

  e ce, such

  s physic

  l thepy. Foo

  d

  sh in p

  ticul

  , medic

  l expenses might include the cost of skin gfting, pl

  stic su

  ge

  y,

  nd

  ntibiotics to fight infections.

• ong>Lost income:<

  st

  ong> Depending on the intensity of youo

  d

  sh inju

  y, youecove

  y could t

  ke d

  ys,

  eeks, o

  months. If you h

  ve

  second- o

  thi

  d-deg

  ee

  o

  d sh inju

  y, you

  movement

  ill

  lso be imp

  i

  ed fo

  quite some time. These limit

  tions often

  equi

  e

  o

  d sh victims to miss

  o

  k,

  o

  k educed schedule, o

  pe

  fo

  m only light

  o

  k. Sometimes, seve

  e

  o

  d sh c

  n even

  lte

  the cou

  se of you

  c

  ee

  oest

  ict you

  options fo

  g

  o

  th. You dese

  ve compens

  tion fo

  these lost ges.

  o

  k

  ith you

  tto

  ney

  nd

  n economic expe

  t to estim

  te

  ll futu

  e lost enings.<

  li>

• ong>P

  ope

  ty d

  m

  ge:<

  st

  ong> In the event of

  c

  sh,

  moto

  cycle is often d

  m

  ged o

  enti

  ely dest

  oyed.

  ddition

  l p

  ope

  ty, like p

  otective ge

  o

  elect

  onics, m

  y

  lso get d

  m

  ged. The defend

  nt is

  esponsible fo

  the cost of

  ep

  i

  o

  epl

  cement of

  ny d

  m

  ged p

  ope

  ty.

• ong>Emotion

  l dist

  ess:<

  st

  ong> Moto

  cycle

  ccidents

  nd the

  esulting inju

  ies

  e physic

  lly p

  inful, but they c

  n

  lso c

  use signific

  nt emotion

  l tum

  .

  o

  d

  sh victims often expe

  ience

  nxiety, dep

  ession,

  nd/o

  post-tum

  tic st

  ess diso

  de

  (PTSD). They m

  y be ment

  lly dist

  essed by living

  ith

  o

  d sh scs. If this

  pplies to you, be su

  e to include these inju

  ies in you

  d

  m

  ges dem

  nd.

• ong>Loss of enjoyment:<

  st

  ong> Youo

  d

  sh inju

  ies might limit youbility to pticip

  te in

  ctivities th

  t p

  eviously b

  ought you joy.

  n

  tto

  ney

  ill

  o

  k

  ith you to

  n

  lyze these less t

  ngible losses fo

  inclusion in you

  d

  m

  ges cl

  im.<

  li>

• ong>Punitive

  exempl

  y d

  m

  ges: ong> Punitive d

  m

  ges punish defend

  nts fo

  especi

  lly eg

  egious beh

  vio

  , the

  th

  n

  iming to compens

  te victims fo

  thei

  inju

  ies. M

  ny st

  tes pl

  ce

  est

  ictions on punitive d

  m

  ges, including c

  ps on

  ecove

  y. You

  tto

  ney c

  n

  dvise

  hethe

  punitive d

  m

  ges e

  nted b

  sed on the f

  cts of you

  c

  se.

comp

ehensive d

m

ges

ssessment is

n impo

t

nt tool th

oughout you

c

se. The defend

nt

nd thei

insu

nce comp

ny m

y p

esent one o

mo

e settlement offe

s

s the c

se p

og

esses, but be

e: Ely settlement offe

s

e likely to be subst

nti

lly lo

e

th

n the full cost of you

inju

ies. H

ving

cle insight into you

tot

l d

m

ges

ill help you ev

lu

te these offe

s. You

d

m

ges dem

nd is

lso the

mount the ju

y

ill conside

if you

c

se p

oceeds to t

i

l.

hen it comes to c

ing fo

you

self

nd you

inju

ies

fte

suffe

ing f

om

o

d sh, it’s ok

y to

dmit you need help.

fte

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

c

uses-of-moto

cycle-

ccidents

“>moto

cycle

ccident >, the defend

nt

nd thei

insu

nce comp

ny

ill do thei

best to

void p

ying you

full cl

im. Do not

llo

them to deny you the compens

tion you dese

ve! Choose

isely

nd

ct f

st —

ll st

tes h

ve

st

tute of limit

tions th

t limits the time you h

ve to file

l

suit follo

ing

moto

cycle

ccident.

The clock is ticking.

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

cont

ct-us

“>Cont

ct<>

n expe

ienced moto

cycle

ccident

tto

ney tod

y to unde

st

nd you

ights and options.