Motorcycles can be an exhilarating way to get around and see the world. Over 13 million people ride a motorcycle in the United States, according to recent data, which also unfortunately means that motorcycle accidents occur every single day. Injuries that occur to motorcyclists can be among the most serious, and road rash is among the most common type of injury suffered. If you or a loved one were injured following a motorcycle accident, contact the personal injury experts at Altman & Altman LLP today.
When riding a motorcycle, the margin for error is very slim. User error and bad decisions can contribute to serious injuries, but outside factors beyond the operator’s control can also lead to horrific accidents. Negligence or reckless behavior of other motorists, malfunctioning equipment and other factors can cause a motorcycle rider to crash or fall off their bike, leading to injuries such as road rash.
In cases where your injury were caused by factors outside your control, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the responsible party or parties, which could result in financial compensation that enables you to fix your bike, heal from your injuries and recover lost wages that you were unable to collect due to being out of work during your injury.
What is road rash?
A road rash injury occurs when an unprotected layer of skin comes into contact with pavement or another type of ground surface while traveling at high speeds. The friction that is created between the surface of the ground and the body causes the skin to tear away, causing significant damage to the soft tissue and, in severe cases, to the muscles all the way down to bone.
A common misconception with road rash is that it can only happen to exposes skin. While road rash is essentially a guarantee if you crash while traveling on a motorcycle while your extremities are without any clothing to protect them, road rash can also occur through various types of clothing. This is why there is a market for specialized motorcycle gear – such as leather jackets and pants – that are supposed to reduce the severity of road rash.
At its worst, road rash injuries can cover large areas of the body. Aside from the obvious pain and suffering that will result from these injuries – sometimes permanent injuries, if they are deep enough to damage nerves – road rash injuries are also ripe grounds for infections afterwards, as they leave large portions of your body exposed to bacteria and other contaminants.
What caused your motorcycle accident?
Motorcycle crashes can happen for many reasons, however if your motorcycle crash was caused by the reckless actions of somebody else, you may be entitled to compensation. A few examples can include:
- A motorist fails to signal a turn, traveling into your lane on the highway and causing an accident
- A motorist crashes into you while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
- A distracted driver is using their cell phone and fails to see you, causing an accident
- A driver fails to obey traffic signals or travels at a recklessly excessive speed, causing an accident
- Mechanics from the body shop that you just picked up your bike from failed to properly secure one of your wheels, causing instability and a wreck once you gained speed
- Construction crews spilled debris or left loose gravel/dirt on a street without cleaning it up, leading you to lose control while riding
Call Altman & Altman LLP today
Road rash injuries can cause tremendous pain and suffering and require many months to adequately heal. You may be unable to work and collect a paycheck during this time, and your motorcycle may be totaled from the accident.
The expert personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman have helped motorcyclists from Cambridge, the surrounding Boston area and throughout Massachusetts win financial compensation to help with these concerns following an accident. With over 50 years of litigating experience, you won’t find better representation in the Bay State.
Contact us online or call for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We