Facts About Road Rash

October 10, 2022 | Personal Injury

Facts About Road Rash

Car, motorcycle, or truck accidents — any of these could result in painful road rash. Road rash is a common injury experienced after a collision. It requires immediate care, as it could lead to serious complications and have life-changing consequences. 

After suffering road rash, do not hesitate to consult a personal injury lawyer. They’ll be able to give you sound legal advice and determine how to obtain financial recovery for your injuries.

What Is Road Rash?

After a wreck, victims frequently experience injuries like broken bones and head trauma. Road rash is another common injury resulting from a traffic accident.

Road rash is a skin abrasion caused by intense friction with a hard surface, like pavement. Any part of the body can sustain road rash, but it most often happens on exposed and bony areas. The most likely areas to experience road rash are the hands, knees, forearms, and shins. 

Road rash causes the affected area to be raw, red, and inflamed. It’s usually painful and may bleed. 

Road rash is like a burn, and it’s often categorized by degrees:

  • First Degree: Rash with scapes, some bleeding, and tenderness 
  • Second Degree: Rash that bleeds and swells; possible muscle exposure 
  • Third Degree: Most severe rash with a deep wound and likely nerve damage

No matter the severity of a road rash, you should always seek medical attention. Road rashes can take a turn for the worse and result in complications if not treated properly. 

How to Treat Road Rash

If you suffer from road rash, you should seek medical attention right away to ensure that your wounds get treated properly. 

However, if you’re unable to get medical attention immediately after the injury occurs, you can do the following to start treating the area while helping avoid complications:

  • Clean Your Hands: Sanitize or wash your hands to avoid getting bacteria in the wound
  • Cleanse the Area: Rinse the area and remove any dirt or debris, if possible
  • Dry and Cover: Pat the area dry with a clean towel; cover the wound with gauze
  • Change the Bandage: Change the dressing as often as needed

As soon as you’re able, go to an emergency room or visit your primary care doctor for further medical treatment. A healthcare provider can thoroughly examine the injured area to determine how best to treat the wound. 

Less severe cases of road rash often require a tetanus shot to avoid infection, in addition to antibiotics and pain management. However, severe cases may require surgery to effectively treat the injury. 

Complications Associated with Road Rash

As with any type of harm to the skin, infection is possible with road rash. Staph infections are the most common. Caused by the staphylococcus bacteria, staph infections can be dangerous and life-threatening. 

Necrotizing fasciitis is also possible. This bacterial infection spreads quickly and causes soft tissue to die. 

Working quickly to treat road rash is one of the best things you can do to help avoid complications, which could potentially have life-altering results, including scarring and disfigurement. In the most unfortunate cases, complications from road rash lead to the victim’s death. 

Discuss Your Road Rash and Other Damages with a Harrisburg Personal Injury Attorney

If you sustain road rash in an accident, be sure to discuss your situation with a qualified lawyer as soon as possible. If your accident was the result of another person’s negligence or an intentional act, you can pursue justice and get compensation for your injuries and losses.

If you’ve been injured in a personal injury, please contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today:

Harrisburg Law Office
945 East Park Drive, Suite 103 Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717) 231-1640

York Law Office
2550 Kingston Road, Suite 210A York, PA 17401
(717) 995-8998

Wyomissing Law Office
833 N. Park Road, Suite 103, Room A Wyomissing, PA 19610
(717) 388-2325

Chambersburg Law Office
79 St. Paul Drive, Suite 1 Chambersburg, PA 17201
(717) 388-2378

Carlisle Law Office
354 Alexander Springs Road Carlisle, PA 17015
(717) 995-8732

Carbondale Law Office
30 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 101 Carbondale, PA 18407
(717) 995-8810

Lancaster Law Office
2173 Embassy Drive, Ste 123, Lancaster Pa 17603
(717) 616-2954

Lebanon Law Office
937 Willow Street, Suite D Lebanon, PA 17042-1140
(717) 995-8963