Protect Yourself From Motorcycle Road Burn Injuries
It’s a well known fact that motorcycle accidents are hazardous to the extreme. Motorcycles are small, light, and expose their riders to the elements. These features are a large portion of their appeal to hobbyist riders and everyday commuters alike, but it does mean that a motorcycle crash is uniquely dangerous, with a high rate of fatalities and serious injuries. Malloy Law Offices has long advocated for proper security equipment and responsible riding for all motorcyclists. However, in the heat of summer, even the most risk averse motorcyclist may feel tempted to leave their padded jacket at home. In the event of a crash, this mistake can prove costly. Today’s Malloy Law blog post will cover motorcycle road burn injuries.
What is Road Burn?
Road burn, or road rash, is the colloquial term for skin abrasions suffered from falling onto pavement. While these injuries can be suffered through any fall onto a concrete or gravel surface, they’re most common when an individual is traveling at speed and suddenly loses control. Cyclists, skateboarders, and roller-skaters may all be familiar with these injuries. However, more speed means more danger, and exposed motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to severe road burns.
Categorizing and Treating Motorcycle Road Burn Injuries
Like heat or chemical burns, road burns can be separated into three categories of severity. These are as follows:
- First Degree – Scrapes, redness, minor bleeding, minimal scarring.
- Second Degree – Serious bleeding, swelling, loss of dermis, likely to result in scarring.
- Third Degree – Deep wounds, significant blood loss, exposure of muscles, tendons, nerves, possible internal damage, severe scarring.
Second- and third-degree road burns will require professional medical attention and may result in a hospital stay. These wounds are highly susceptible to secondary infection. Proper wound care, especially giving the wound a slightly moist environment under clean bandages and using disinfectants and medicated ointments, can help prevent infections and minimize scarring.
Preventing Road Burn
Our recommendation to motorcyclists has always been that they should take all possible measures to protect themselves. This includes purchasing sufficient insurance, to guarantee their protection from financial hardship in the event of an accident, but, more immediately, we recommend that bikers invest in personal protective equipment, including:
- A helmet rated for maximum crash protection by the US Department of Transportation or other qualified agency.
- A jacket that is armored or padded
- Long pants, preferably composed of durable materials
- Properly durable and protective shoes
- Gloves that are appropriately durable and protective to shield hands and increase handlebar grip
This can be the difference between a few bumps and bruises and weeks in the hospital, thousands of medical bills, and unsightly scars, and that’s just accounting for road burn.
If You’ve Suffered a Motorcycle Accident
- Guarantee Your Health – Seek medical attention ASAP if you suspect you’ve sustained even minor injuries.
- Call 911 – A police report is a written account of your accident created by an impartial third party.
- Pull Your Bike Out of Traffic – It goes without saying that this might not be possible if you or your motorcycle are rendered immobile by damage or collision with another vehicle.
- Exchange Contact Details – Contact details and insurance information should be shared between all drivers involved in the collision.
- Take Pictures – Documenting the scene “as-is” in the immediate aftermath of the accident can be very useful in pursuing an insurance claim, criminal charges, or a personal injury lawsuit against the drunk driver
- Collect Witness Statements – If any eyewitnesses are present at the scene of the accident, their testimony can prove invaluable. Collect their names and contact details if they seem cooperative.
Can You Receive Compensation for Motorcycle Road Burn Injuries?
If your motorcycle crash resulting in road burn was caused by the negligence of another driver, then you may have a personal injury case. In theory, your medical bills and emotional trauma in the wake of the accident should be factored into the total settlement. However, if the injured rider was wearing minimal protective gear, opposing lawyers may seek to block recovery for these injuries, characterizing them as the result of the rider’s own recklessness. This tactic is regrettably all too common in motorcycle accident cases, and also trades on harmful stereotypes about motorcyclists. An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to respond to these smear tactics.
How Malloy Law Can Help
Malloy Law Offices is home to the DMV’s motorcycle accident specialists. Our experienced team of attorneys is standing by to assess your case free of charge and plot a path to maximum compensation. Contact us today, and let’s win your case.