Road Rash Injury: Legal Remedies and Prevention

For many bicyclists and motorcyclists, road rash is an injury they would encounter at one point or another in their lives because of their vehicle choice.

Road rash injury often refers to skin abrasions that are usually caused by motorcycle crashes. It can range from shallow abrasions that do not go beyond the skin’s dermis to painful and severe abrasions which may require a tetanus shot to prevent infection.

Aside from motorcycle accidents, road rash injuries can also be caused by slip accidents or sports accidents. Road rash injuries are often triggered by the contact or sliding of skin against any hard surface.

A common example is a motorcycle rider – he takes a spill from his bike and the momentum of his fall causes him to slide against the asphalt or concrete road. At worst, the scenario would include debris such as broken glass or rocks. This would undoubtedly result to road rash as well as other injuries which may include head and back injuries as well as broken bones.

For motorcycle riders, in order to prevent road rash injury, it is important to avoid the common causes of motorcycle accidents. These are the following:

•    Failure to practice defensive driving
•    Failure to follow the speed limit or exercise reasonable speed
•    The lack of basic riding skills or experience to handle a high performance bike
•    Failure to use special precautions while driving (proper riding gear and use of turn signals)
•    Driving under the influence

In motorcycle crash accidents, studies have shown that head, arms and legs are often the most injured part of a rider’s body. Sliding crashes tend to produce the most road rash injuries.

There are however, instances when a motorcycle crash was through no fault of the injured rider himself. Sometimes, another motorist’s negligence (whether a passenger car or another motorcycle) is the proximate or direct cause of the accident.

In situations where another is to blame for your accident or injuries, the responsible party can be held liable for your motorcycle accident injuries. The negligent party may be held liable for the following:

•    Medical bills
•    Lost wages
•    Pain and suffering

Consult with an attorney who specializes in personal injury cases in order to evaluate your claim for damages.

But as they say, the best remedy to motorcycle crash injuries is to prevent the accident from taking place. Motorcycle riders must take responsibility for their own safety by properly maintaining their bikes, driving safely and also using the proper protective gear.

To prevent injuries such as road rashes or traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injuries and broken bones, it would be advisable to wear the following when riding a motorcycle:

•    Helmet
•    Pants
•    Long-sleeved shirts or jackets
•    Gloves
•    Boots

Protective pads (elbow pads, knee pads, etc) may also be worn to cover and protect any exposed body part.