Road Rash in Motorcycle Accidents

Experienced Motor Vehicle Crash Lawyers Advising Victims in Wheaton and Schaumburg

Motorcyclists have very little protection in the event of an accident because they do not have the structural buffers of a car. Road rash is one of the most painful and debilitating injuries that a rider can experience. If you or someone close to you has suffered road rash in a rollover or another type of motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Therman Law Offices, our Schaumburg and Wheaton motorcycle accident lawyers understand that road rash is not only extremely painful but also often traumatic.

Road Rash in Motorcycle Accidents

A common and extremely painful injury suffered by motorcycle accident victims is road rash. Road rash occurs when the skin scrapes against the surface of asphalt during a motorcycle crash, and layers of skin are quickly worn away. In these accidents, glass, rocks, metal, and other debris may enter the body through the skin, leaving painful wounds, abrasions, lacerations, bruises, fractures, and other injuries, along with the potential for infections. Road rash can range from minor abrasions to deep wounds that burn. While protective gear, such as helmets, gloves, and leather jackets, can have a significant impact on lessening the effects of road rash, any protective gear can be shredded in severe accidents.

Road rash injuries are generally classified in one of three levels of severity:

• First-degree road rash: This type of injury is considered minor and identified by small scrapes, redness, bruising, slight bleeding, and tenderness. Most people who suffer first-degree road rash can recover on their own with personal care and attention to the injury.
• Second-degree road rash: This type of injury occurs when the skin breaks, but the injury does not affect deep tissue. These rashes involve bleeding, swelling, radiating heat, and exposed muscles, tendons, or nerves.
• Third-degree road rash: In this type of injury, the skin actually peels off, leaving fat and tissue exposed and causing bleeding, swelling, and deep wounds. This is the most severe type of road rash injury and commonly requires the victim to undergo skin grafts or reconstructive surgery.

If you suffered a road rash injury in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you can typically file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. Negligence occurs when a person causes an accident and resulting injuries by failing to use the level of care that a reasonably competent person would have used behind the wheel. To establish negligence, the plaintiff’s attorney not only needs to show that the defendant failed to use the appropriate level of care but also needs to prove that their failure was a direct and proximate cause of the accident.

Victims who suffer serious injuries like road rash in motorcycle accidents face daunting medical bills. Road rash injuries may go beyond physical impairment. Victims often suffer from a loss of self-esteem and other psychological issues when the wounds have permanently affected their appearance. Fortunately, Illinois law allows victims of motorcycle accidents to recover a variety of economic and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, physical therapy, rehabilitation costs, emotional distress, and pain and suffering. Of course, each case is different, and the specific amount of damages that a victim will be entitled to obtain will depend on the situation.

Discuss Your Motorcycle Crash Case with an Attorney in Wheaton or Schaumburg

When you need experienced representation following a motorcycle accident, you cannot do better than the personal injury attorneys at Therman Law Offices. With extensive experience, we understand how to navigate even the most complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. Based in the area around Wheaton and Schaumburg, we also represent victims and family members of people killed in fatal motorcycle accidents in Addison, Elmhurst, West Chicago, Lemont, Westmont, Oakbrook, Terrace, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, and Lisle, among other cities. For an honest and straightforward assessment of your claim at no cost, call 312-588-1900 or reach us online.