Any bicyclist knows the pain of road rash. That painful scrape to the top layer of your skin burns, presents a danger of infection and might even leave you with a “dirt tattoo.” But if you ride a motorcycle at highway speed, the danger from a skid along the asphalt is much, much greater. Your road rash area may require surgery to treat and could leave you with permanent scarring.
You can treat a mild case of road rash as you would other types of burns. Wash the area with a mild, antiseptic soap and remove any grit. You don’t need to be overly harsh, but you want to remove all the dirt so it doesn’t stay embedded in your skin as it heals, since discoloration will result. Apply an antibiotic and cover with a clean, no-stick bandage. Apply the ointment two or three times a day until the wound shows pink. This may take a week or longer. Continue to protect the wound even after it has formed a scab. If the wound does not appear to be healing, see a medical professional.
If the wound area is greater than your palm, or if the wound presents as both a friction burn and a deep abrasion, you need medical assistance. Your wound may require a debridement and escharotomy. These are surgical procedures to remove unhealthy tissue from a “full-thickness” burn. For the wound to heal, you may require a skin graft or a “flap cover.”
The best way to save your skin is to plan ahead, by dressing in protective clothing. Riding a motorcycle with bare skin exposed is always a bad idea, and a cotton T-shirt or denim jacket doesn’t offer much protection. Your best options are leather and ballistic nylon, a weave of nylon and Kevlar, which has been shown to offer the most protection for your skin.
Severe road rash results in permanent disfigurement and vulnerability to infection. If your injury was caused by someone’s negligence, you mat be abke torecover compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and disfigurement as well as other losses.
To speak with an experienced lawyer about your motorcycle accident, contact Lanier Law Group, P.A. today at (855) 757-4204.