Do I Need a San Antonio Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After I Get Road Rash?

December 13, 2021 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Do I Need a San Antonio Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After I Get Road Rash?

San Antonio Motorcycle Accident Road Rash Injuries

The beauty of San Antonio is that It is a city that has one foot in the past and one in the future. With its gorgeous 300-year-old historical sites and popular attractions like the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, there is no better way to explore the city than on a motorcycle or bike. Yet, even though the city is jam-packed with exhilarating turns and Texas-themed attractions, making it an ideal location for motorcyclists, it can't fully protect these riders from suffering devastating motorcycle accident injuries in a collision. In fact, one of the most common injuries associated with motorcycle riding is that of road rash, and even though the injury is often considered to be minor, in some accidents, it can have life-threatening implications. That is why after a road rash injury accident, you need a skilled San Antonio motorcycle accident lawyer to figure out how you can fight for the justice you deserve and recover the compensation you need.

What Exactly Does Road Rash Mean?

Road rash is a term used to describe a skin abrasion that results when the skin is scraped or rubbed against another object, such as a tarred surface or pavement. Generally, we can break these road rash injuries into:
  • Avulsion Road Rash: An avulsion road rash is the most common type of road rash. It results when the accident scrapes away the top skin layers, leaving exposed muscles, fat, and bones.
  • Open Wound Road Rash: This road rash injury involves tearing of the skin tissue, which generally requires stitches for the wound to heal. However, an open wound rash may also require the victim to undergo a skin graft in more severe cases.
  • Compression Road Rash: This type of road rash often occurs when a part of the body is trapped between two objects, such as in a motorcycle accident where the rider gets trapped between the bike and the road. These compression road rash injuries can also cause muscle damages, bruising, and broken bones.

Road Rash Injuries—The Different Degrees

Road rash, like burn injuries, are also categorized by different degrees. For instance:
  • First-degree road rash is considered a minor injury that involves only the outer layer of the skin. The injury will often appear red, or you may see a minor scrape after the accident. Typically, no medical treatment is required for a first-degree road rash injury.
  • Second-degree road rash is often a more severe injury that impacts the lower layers of the skin. Although this injury commonly has a low risk of complication, it still needs to be evaluated by a doctor promptly since it can cause swelling, bleeding, and even scarring while also leaving tendons, muscles, and nerves exposed.
  • Third-degree road rash is the most serious road rash injury and involves the scraping away of the skin and the fatty layers, leaving the muscles and bones exposed. Generally, with this injury, an infection can set in quickly, and victims may experience flayed skin, deep wounds, severe abrasions, and significant bleeding. In addition, a third-degree road rash injury will often lead to permanent disfigurement and scarring.
Following a road rash injury, many victims may feel no pain at the deepest part of the injured area. However, the skin around the edges of the rash can be incredibly painful. This pain is often the result of damage to the nerve cells.

How to Tell If a Road Rash Injury Requires Medical Intervention

Although road rash injuries can result in severe pain and significant debilitations, many people still hesitate to get these injuries looked at by a medical professional because they feel the abrasion can heal just fine at home. However, if the road rash is severe enough, not only will it need medical treatment, but you will need to get medical help quickly before an infection sets in. Generally, if you notice any of the below symptoms, reach out to your doctor immediately:
  • The road rash is on your feet, hands, or genitals. These areas are often prone to infection because of the abundance of bacteria found on them.
  • The road rash is more than three times bigger than the palm of your hand. The size of these injuries can increase the likelihood of scarring and infections.
  • The road rash causes foreign objects to become embedded in the wound. These objects can increase the likelihood of infections and other complications.
  • The road rash results in bones and/or muscles becoming visible. Treatment will often be needed to prevent infection, check for other injuries that are often present in a third-degree road rash, and promote wound healing.
  • The road rash causes excessive bleeding that will not stop.
  • The road rash appears infected.
Even if your road rash appears minor, get to a doctor as soon as possible. Not only can health care professionals take care of the injury is appropriately, but they can also jot down information regarding your injuries in their medical report. Ultimately, this provides you with evidence of a direct link between your road rash injury and the accident. This can form valuable information if the insurance company argues that your injury is not that serious, or that a separate event caused it.

Road Rash Injuries and the Dangerous Roads of San Antonio

Although road rash can occur anywhere, certain areas in San Antonio are more prone to collisions and accidents that can lead to this devastating injury. These areas include:
  • Culebra Road and West Loop 1604 N
  • West Avenue and Northwest Loop 410
  • South West Loop 410 and Marbach Road
  • Braun Road and TX- 1604 Loop
  • Bandera Road and N. Loop 1604 W
  • Northwest Loop 410 and Ingram Road
  • Rigsby Ave and S. East Loop 410
  • Northwest Loop 410 and Culebra Road
Yet, although these intersections have been known to result in more serious accidents than other roadways in San Antonio, it is important to remember that no matter where your road rash injury occurred, you should reach out to an experienced motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible. These attorneys can promptly review your accident, determine if you have a viable claim, and pursue the damages you deserve.

Steps to Take After a San Antonio Road Rash Injury Accident

If you have been involved in a San Antonio road rash injury collision, it is important to realize that the actions you take after this accident can not only protect your safety and health but your legal rights as well. That is why following this accident, you need to consider doing the following:

Reach out to the Authorities Immediately

Following a road rash injury crash, you should contact 911 immediately. Not only is this the fastest way to get your collision on record, but also to notify emergency medical personnel that you or someone at the scene needs medical help. Once the police arrive at the scene, they can perform a preliminary investigation into the accident and document their findings in their police report. If you decide to pursue an injury claim following this accident, this report can provide helpful information regarding what happened and who was at fault.

Gather Evidence From the Scene

If the area is safe and you do not require any immediate medical treatments, you should take as many photos and videos of the accident scene as possible. This should include photographs of your visible road rash injuries, the vehicles involved in the crash and their placement on the road, the weather conditions at the time of the accident, traffic signs near the location, skid marks on the road, and any other evidence that can help show what happened.

Check With the Other Drivers

Make sure you exchange information with the other drivers involved in the collision, including names, contact details, insurance information, and driver's license numbers. However, as you talk to these individuals, you need to watch what you say. This means you want to avoid making definitive statements about the accident, taking the blame for anything that happened, or apologizing for the crash. These types of comments can end up hurting your claim and impacting the amount of compensation you might receive.

Check for Witnesses

If there were people at the scene, try to get their names and phone numbers. These individuals can often provide helpful details regarding the accident and help back up your claim if you pursue legal action.

Call a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Victims of a San Antonio road rash injury accident will often find themselves facing substantial medical bills and lost wages that affect not only them but their families as well. That is why if you sustained a road rash due to another person's wrongful or negligent actions, you need to reach out to a skilled motorcycle accident attorney who can fight for the financial recovery and justice you deserve. Your motorcycle accident lawyer can:
  • Go over your road rash accident in detail, figure out if you have a viable claim, and determine the legal options you can pursue.
  • Answer all the questions and concerns you have regarding this road rash accident.
  • Promptly investigate the accident and determine what happened and who was at fault for your injuries.
  • Secure the evidence necessary to prove liability and damages.
  • Obtain experts such as engineers, accident reconstructionists, and doctors to help prove fault and the extent of your damages.
  • Ensure that all legal motions and documents are filed before time expires.
  • Take on the negotiations with the other side and fight for the fair settlement you deserve.
  • Proceed to trial, if necessary, and fight for the maximum compensation you need.
Do not wait any longer to seek legal help if you or a family member were harmed by a San Antonio road rash injury. Instead, call a motorcycle accident lawyer today for a free case review, and find out how they can fight for you. https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/motorcycle-accident-attorneys/

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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