Syracuse, New York, Road Rash Injuries

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Defending the Rights of Road Rash Injury Victims Across Syracuse. If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured in an Onondaga County Accident That Was Not Your Fault, You Deserve Effective, Aggressive Representation and an Attorney Willing to Fight for Your Rights.

Road rash is a common injury that can have life-altering effects, often leaving accident victims struggling to come to terms with intense pain, extensive scarring, and immense financial hardship. Even when recovery seems possible, the costs of high-quality medical care can add up quickly, costing far more money than most families can afford, and making an already precarious situation all the more difficult.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. believes that nobody should be forced to pay the price for another driver’s negligence. Since our founding in 2007, we have fought to protect the rights of accident victims in Syracuse and across the region, and we have the results to prove it. Please send us a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an attorney and find out how much your road rash claim could be worth.

Road rash is a type of friction injury that can damage the skin and underlying tissue. It is not actually a rash, but an abrasion caused by prolonged and forceful contact with a rough surface, like pavement or the belt of a moving treadmill. Most cases of road rash are minor and only damage the outermost layer of skin, but more severe instances can expose muscle and bone.

Although road rash is most often associated with motorcycle accidents, it can have other causes, too. The most common include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Bicycle crashes;
2. Pedestrian accidents; and
3. Rollerblading or skateboarding collisions.

Road rash, like other types of abrasive injuries, can vary in the severity of its symptoms.

Mild road rash, for instance, may not require much care beyond the applying antiseptics and bandages. However, more serious abrasive injuries like those sustained in a high-speed motorcycle crash could necessitate emergency medical treatment, physical rehabilitation, or reconstructive surgery.

Based on your symptoms, as well as the extent of physical tissue damage, an abrasion could be categorized as any of the following:

1. First-degree Road Rash: First-degree road rash is a mild type of abrasion that damages the outermost part of skin, called the epidermis. These injuries are superficial, but typically still show signs of cutting and scraping.
2. Second-degree Road Rash: Second-degree road rash damages both the epidermis and the dermis, the innermost layer of skin that houses connective tissue, blood vessels, and other structures. Bleeding is more common with second-degree road rash than with first-degree road rash.
3. Third-degree Road Rash: Third-degree road rash is a more serious type of abrasion characterized by avulsion wounds, which can cause the skin to tear or detach from the body. These injuries can damage underlying nerves and may be deep enough to expose muscle and bone.

Some accident victims, especially those who have sustained road rash across different parts of their bodies, may have abrasions that vary in severity. For example, a motorcycle crash survivor might have second-degree road rash on their wrist, but third-degree road rash on one or both legs.

Road rash, already an inherently unpleasant and painful injury, carries another serious risk: bacterial infection, which can be both profound and life-threatening.

The skin, for instance, is the body’s first line of defense against infection. Any type of open wound that damages the skin, a laceration, an abrasion, or an avulsion can offer microbes a convenient and unprotected route into the body. Unfortunately, exposed skin tissue provides exactly the sort of warm, moist, and nutrient-rich environment that many pathogens need to survive and reproduce. Infections can develop quickly and may strike with very little warning.

The initial symptoms of a growing infection could include any of the following:

1. A feeling of warmth in or around the injury site;
2. Increasing or chronic pain;
3. Swelling;
4. Pus, fluid, or other drainage; and
5. Flu-like symptoms, such as fever or body aches.

If left untreated, road rash-related bacterial infections can cause serious complications, which could lead to blood poisoning, tissue death, and septic shock.

The costs of treating a serious case of road rash or a road rash-related bacterial infection could quickly become overwhelming. Even for accident victims with no-fault insurance and comprehensive health care coverage, the challenges of balancing medical debt with reduced income can outright exhaust savings accounts and retirement funds, leaving families without the money they need to maintain their quality of life.

You do not have to accept hardship in place of a fair recovery. If you, or a loved one, has suffered road rash in a Syracuse accident that was not your fault, you could be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you obtain compensation for damages, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Your outstanding hospital bills;
2. The costs of anticipated or long-term care;
3. Physical rehabilitation;
4. Reconstructive surgery and other elective medical procedures;
5. Lost income from work;
6. Diminished earning potential;
7. Loss of enjoyment;
8. Emotional pain and suffering;
9. Physical pain and suffering; and
10. Disfigurement.

New York does not currently limit damages in most road rash injury lawsuits, which means that you could receive as much money as you need to reclaim your financial independence. However, the Empire State does enforce stringent laws, termed statutes of limitations, that dictate how long you have to take action after an accident. If the statute of limitations on your claim expires, you could lose all of your rights to recompense.

A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to build a compelling and evidence-based case for compensation. Our highly experienced team of attorneys can help you investigate the causes of your Onondaga County motorcycle accident, pedestrian crash, or bicycle collision, working to ensure you have the best chance of negotiating a fair settlement or securing a court-ordered award.

Do not lose your chance to begin rebuilding your life: send the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a road rash injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!