Road rash is an abrasion that results from when skin and pavement make rough contact. The friction can cause these wounds or abrasions to form. Sometimes, the wounds are superficial scrapes that heal within a few weeks with proper care. Other times, the abrasions are more severe, damaging and exposing tissue beneath the top layers of skin.
Road rash should not be ignored, even if it is only “skin deep.” Victims can experience complications during the healing process, which can incur further pain, more serious conditions, and scarring. When a road-rash injury results from an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, victims have the right to seek compensation for their damages, and a Texas motorcycle accident lawyer from J.D. Silva & Associates can help them get the financial justice they deserve.
The Healing Process for Road Rash
When wounded, we often take it for granted that our wounds will heal without giving much thought to the healing process. And yet, as with all physiological processes, while wound healing might seem simple to us, it is actually very complex. The Mayo Clinic describes the steps involved in the healing timeline.
Homeostasis, or Stopping the Bleeding
When a person sustains road rash, the cut and scraped skin bleeds. Very quickly, usually within seconds or minutes at most, blood cells begin clumping together. As they clot, they protect the wound and help stop additional blood loss. The clots dry and form scabs. They also contain “fibrin,” which is a protein that creates a sort of net so the clot stays put.
Inflammation
After the clot closes the road-rash wound, blood vessels open slightly, allowing fresh oxygen and nutrients to enter and promote healing. The correct balance of oxygen is important for proper healing since too much or too little can compromise the process.
During this period, a type of white blood cell becomes a “wound protector,” fighting off infection and overseeing skin repair. Often, clear fluid (plasma) appears around or on the wound to help clean the cut.
Proliferation, or Growth and Rebuilding
This stage marks the arrival of blood cells, including red blood cells rich in oxygen, to create new tissue. The cells create collagen, which helps support the new tissue as it is built. Sometimes, there are visible signs of this process in the form of scars that are initially red but then fade.
Remodeling or Strengthening
The new tissue strengthens with time, and as it does, it can cause sensations of stretching or itching. The wound may show signs of puckering. Throughout the first six weeks of healing, strengthening happens rapidly, and at about the three-month mark, the wounded area is about 80% as strong as it was pre-injury. Most wounded areas never reach a full 100% restoration.
Overall, the full healing process can take up to two years, but actual timelines vary from situation to situation.
Factors Affecting the Road-Rash Healing Timeline
A number of factors affect the healing time of road rash injuries:
Road-Rash Severity
When road rash is superficial and only affects the top layer of skin, healing can occur within a couple of weeks. More severe injuries reach beneath that first layer of skin, the epidermis, into the dermis (the “middle” layer of skin between the epidermis and subcutaneous layer, which is closest to muscle) or even further. Deeper road rash can take many weeks or even months to heal.
Age and Health of the Injured Party
Younger bodies typically heal faster than older ones by regenerating cells more efficiently. Healthier bodies also heal more quickly and fully than those weakened by chronic illness or unhealthy habits. People who smoke, have poor diets or poor nutrition, chronic health conditions, and compromised immune systems can face longer, more complicated healing times.
Diminished or poor blood supply has a major negative effect on healing.
Blood brings essential oxygen and nutrients that support healing, and bodies with limited supply can take double the healing time or never heal. Wounds that never heal are called chronic wounds and are more common in older individuals, diabetics, and those with high blood pressure, obesity, or other vascular diseases.
Injury Location
The tops of the hands, shins, and other areas covered in thin skin can take longer to repair than places with thicker skin. Movement can also hinder healing. Road rash on skin covering the joints may require more healing time because of the continuous movement of and stress on these areas.
When Healing Does Not Happen
Road-rash wounds can become infected. The area may appear swollen, feel warm or hot to the touch, start oozing pus, or become increasingly painful. Fever, chills, and foul odor are all signs of infection or other complications that could cause permanent damage.
If infections go untreated, bacteria from the wound can enter the bloodstream, resulting in blood poisoning–a condition called “bacteremia.” The bacteria now present in the bloodstream can lead to infection–called “septicemia.” This infection can be deadly if it intensifies and develops into sepsis.
Sepsis is an overwhelming response to infection and is capable of causing organ failure, tissue damage, and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the skin is one of the top four places in or on the body where sepsis originates.
Scarring and Disfigurement
Milder incidents of road rash can heal without leaving obvious scars, but severe road rash can leave victims permanently disfigured. Treatment for severe road rash can include skin grafts, and that process usually causes scarring.
Often, debris is trapped in road-rash wounds, which is why thorough wound-cleaning is critical to recovery. When debris remains in the abrasion as the healing process begins, those foreign objects can become permanently trapped in the skin. When healed, skin in the affected area may look bruised or discolored. These scars are called “traumatic tattoos.”
Timeline for Treating a Road Rash Injury
Treating road rash promptly is the best way to avoid complications. If the abrasion is not too deep, you can take steps to care for it at home. Follow these instructions from UW Health:
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Wash the affected area with antibacterial soap, taking care to remove dirt and other debris.
- Rinse the wound with clean water.
- Dry the wound and surrounding area with a clean towel.
- Apply a layer of antibacterial ointment over the road rash.
- Apply non-stick gauze over the wound and secure.
- Moisturize healed or undamaged skin in the areas surrounding the wound.
- Repeat the process daily.
- Take Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen to mitigate pain.
Go to a doctor if you develop flu-like symptoms, if the wound does not heal within two weeks, or if the affected area swells, gives off an odor, oozes, or becomes hot.
Get Immediate Medical Care for Serious Injuries
Some road rash injuries require immediate medical attention. If you can see bone or muscle, or if foreign objects trapped in the wound do not come out with washing, if the wound bleeds profusely, or if the road rash is on your hands, feet, face, or in the genital area, get professional care.
Healing Timeline for Psychological Wounds
Severe road rash often results from traumatic events, for example:
- Motorcycle or cycling accidents
- Skateboarding accidents
- Jogger or pedestrian accidents
- A fall-and-drag situation when walking a dog
- Rough falls on pavement
Experiencing these accidents can leave victims with psychological wounds along with road rash and other physical consequences. In some cases, those injured may experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), feel extreme anxiety, or become depressed from their constant physical pain.
Victims left disfigured by a road-rash injury may feel self-conscious and isolate themselves, feeling uncomfortable in skin that does not feel or look like their own. Healing from psychological injuries takes time, and to move that recovery along, victims should seek professional help.
How an Attorney Can Support Your Recovery
When you sustain a road rash or another injury because of someone else’s carelessness, and you are less than 50% responsible for the accident leading to your injuries, you can hold the at-fault party accountable for damages under the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code, Chapter 33.
You need a legal advocate to give yourself the best chance of collecting the compensation you need to cover your medical costs and income lost during recovery. In addition, you need financial acknowledgment for your pain, suffering, disfigurement, and reduced enjoyment of life. It’s vital that you partner with an experienced Texas motorcycle accident lawyer from J.D. Silva & Associates to meet these critical goals.
A skilled attorney can gather evidence to prove the at-fault party’s negligence caused your injuries and losses, value your losses with precision, and negotiate a fair settlement. And if the opposing side does not make a fair offer, our team will prepare to fight them at trial if a courtroom battle is in your best interests.
We Are Dedicated to Fighting for You
J.D. Silva & Associates is committed to protecting the rights of injury victims, and we are ready to fight for you. Injuries come with costs–physical, emotional, and financial–and our goal is to get you compensated for those costs. Connect with us by phone, through an electronic message, or by engaging in our live chat feature.
We will review your case for free, so there is no risk in reaching out. Once we take your case, we will handle all the details so you can put all your energy into reaching maximum recovery.