Fort Lauderdale Road Burn Injury Lawyer

Florida is a wonderful place to ride a motorcycle. The beaches, palm trees and warm weather make this a great state to hit the open road. However, actually physically hitting the road because a negligent driver caused an accident is another story.

Scraping against the pavement during an accident can result in severe abrasions commonly known as road rash.

What is road rash?

Road rash is a term that refers to the skin abrasions that occur when someone hits pavement or other surfaces, and skin scrapes across it. It is common in motorcycle accidents, especially if the rider wasn’t wearing protective clothing or if the accident was particularly severe.

Some people think of road rash as a minor abrasion injury, and it can be. But in other cases, it causes devastating trauma. Road rash can cause injuries similar to burns. Its severity is even classified in much the same way as burns.

What are the different severities of road rash?

Road rash is classified as first-, second- or third-degree injuries like burns. A first-degree road rash injury is minor and does not require much treatment other than cleaning it, if it requires any treatment at all.

Second-degree burns penetrate deeper into the skin and may require a thorough cleaning to remove any debris from the wound. It also may require application of an antibiotic ointment as well as a bandage to protect the skin as it heals.

A third-degree burn is the most serious and involves injury of the entire layer of skin. It may require skin grafting to replace the skin, and the patient is greatly susceptible to infection.

Can I collect damages related to my road rash injuries in an accident claim?

Road rash can result in significant damages, especially if you suffered third-degree injuries. Among the damages riders might suffer are:

• medical bills;
• ongoing emotional trauma due to disfigurement;
• loss of wages during recovery, both past and future;
• inability to return to one’s usual job; and/or
• permanent scarring.

These and other damages are recoverable in an insurance claim or lawsuit against an at-fault driver. Keep in mind that any contribution you made to the accident or your injuries may affect recovery of damages. For example, if you are 20 percent at fault for causing the accident, your damages are reduced 20 percent.

If you failed to wear a helmet and sustained severe road rash on your face, your damages might be reduced. The other party might argue that had you chosen to wear a safety helmet, you would not have suffered road rash on your face, and therefore contributed to your injuries, despite Florida law exempting riders from wearing a helmet if they have proper insurance.

Call for your free consultation with Chalik & Chalik if you were in a motorcycle accident that another driver caused, and you suffered severe road rash or other injuries. Contact us by calling 855-529-0269 or use our online contact form to set up your consultation.