Any California Motorcyclist who has suffered road rash after an accident will tell you that it’s not a minor injury. This nasty skin wound will bring great pain. The area can easily get infected. The scars left behind can be permanent.
Motorcyclists who are sent into dangerous spills because of a careless driver’s mistake should never face the costs of a full recovery alone. Insurance companies are supposed to help motorcycle accident victims rebuild their lives but convincing them to do the right thing can be difficult.
Contact a California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
It’s critical that those that suffer road rash and other motorcycle collision injuries don’t enter frustrating negotiations with a car insurance provider without being warned about some of the obstacles they’ll face.
Contact a California motorcycle accident road rash injury lawyer and schedule a free consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out the level of support you should demand for your road rash recovery.
California Motorcycle Accident Road Rash Dangers
In most collisions, motorcyclists will be thrown from their bikes, and landings on pavement or dirt rarely end without some damage to exposed and even non-exposed skin. WebMD describes road rash as a friction injury.
A motorcyclist’s skin is scraped off by a hard surface or contact with a smooth surface for an extended period. Road rash is treated like a heat burn because of the extreme temperatures built up by prolonged friction.
Road rash often damages the knees, elbows, forearms, and hands of victims. Treatment can include infection prevention and skin grafts. The skin on a rider’s face is also vulnerable in an accident and that’s a bigger problem when permanent scars form. Restorative surgery may be necessary. Something called a “traumatic tattoo” could also occur. This is when pieces of rock, glass, or metal get lodged in the road rash wound.
Accepting the first injury settlement you’re offered for your road rash injury can leave you paying for half or more of your medical bills out of your savings. These bills might arrive after you’ve been out of work for a few weeks and lost paychecks. You should focus on your recovery as much as possible and allow a California motorcycle accident lawyer to fight for fair compensation for what you’ve been through.
Compensation You Need to Demand After Suffering Road Rash in a California Motorcycle Crash
When you file your road rash injury claim with the help of your California motorcycle injury lawyer, you’ll seek full compensation for every physical pain you endure and other disruptions to your life. This includes the potential of a skin wound creating hardships for you years down the road. Those future costs must be estimated and covered in any insurance settlement agreement.
These are just a few of the damages that can factor into your motorcycle road rash injury settlement check:
- Medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.
- Future medical costs associated with a permanent physical disability or permanent disfigurement.
- Compensation for the physical pain you’ve endured and the chronic pain ahead after a motorcycle accident involving road rash.
- Compensation for the emotional trauma you’ve suffered through. This can include the anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms experienced in a scary accident or through a difficult recovery. A change in your appearance due to a scar could cause you or an injured loved one to withdraw from social contact. The costs of emotional therapy should be covered in any motorcycle accident settlement.
- Lost income while you’ve been out of work. The potential lost earning capacity if you aren’t able to return to your old job.
- Damage or destruction of property, including the cost of a new motorcycle if necessary.
What Can I Do to Build a Stronger Road Rash Motorcycle Accident Injury Claim?
After a serious motorcycle accident, car insurance adjusters will oppose you at every turn to keep you from securing the money you need to rebuild your life. They can point the finger of blame at you claiming you are just another reckless motorcycle enthusiast. They may also attempt to downplay your road rash injury.
These are weak arguments, but if you don’t present strong evidence from the accident along with detailed medical charts, an insurance company may get away with providing you with no recovery help at all.
Your California Motorcycle Accident Attorney will help you gather all evidence available. But some of the best proof of what happened will be right there on the motorcycle accident scene before your attorney gets word of what happened.
If your road rash injury allows you to move about, try to gather these important details on the scene:
- Contact 911. Allow ambulance crews to fully check over your skin wounds and other injuries. Go to the emergency room if they think you should. When local police officers or the CHP respond tell them everything you remember so they can write up an accurate collision report.
- Take photos of the accident scene. Take pictures of your road rash. Take pictures of the damage to cars and your motorcycle. These photos will be powerful evidence to help maximize your road rash injury insurance claim.
- Get contact information from witnesses. Your California personal injury lawyer will contact them later to secure powerful testimony.
- Exchange information with everyone involved.
- Make an appointment with your doctor to get your skin monitored in the days and weeks ahead. Infection prevention will be key. Follow all recommendations from your doctor and see specialists if you are referred.
- Keep all evidence. Retain any damaged clothing and personal items, including a scratched motorcycle helmet if you were wearing one. You don’t have to have been wearing a motorcycle helmet to secure injury compensation after an accident.
Contact a California Motorcycle Accident Road Rash Injury Lawyer
Attorney Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, protects motorcycle accident victims across California from less-than-helpful representatives in the insurance industry. They’d be happy for you to sign off on an amount far less than you’ll need to fully recover from a motorcycle crash injury. Allow your California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to fight to get the most out of your road rash injury settlement.
Don’t get stuck with thousands of dollars in medical expenses for an accident that wasn’t your fault. Contact Mr. Gasparian for a free consultation on your case and find out how to avoid getting taken advantage of while you’re physically and financially vulnerable. Maison Law wants to see you back on your motorcycle as soon as possible.
