What Steps Can You Take to Treat Abrasions and Cuts After a Motorcycle Accident?

Motorcycle accidents often result in devastating injuries for those involved. The reality is that motorcyclists do not have the same level of protection that those inside traditional passenger vehicles have when a crash occurs. Sometimes, though, motorcyclists only sustain cuts and abrasions after a crash occurs. However, these injuries must be treated properly. If motorcycle accident cuts and abrasions are not promptly treated, this could lead to several long-term complications, including infections, for the motorcyclist.

Road Rash – What is It?

Road rash is a type of friction burn or skin abrasion that happens anytime a person’s skin rubs against something rough (i.e. the road). This type of injury can occur in a number of ways but will typically be referred to as road rash in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident or a bicycle accident.

After a motorcyclist is struck by a vehicle or otherwise crashes their motorcycle, any exposed skin that makes contact with the roadway can suffer from a friction burn or skin abrasion. Even though this is considered a superficial injury to the skin, it can still be incredibly painful and lead to serious infections as well as scarring and disfigurement. Road rash causes the outer tissue of skin to be rubbed away. Sometimes, an accident can take away several layers of skin and even require skin grafting surgery to help proper healing.

Treating Road Rash After a Motorcycle Accident

It is important to properly treat road rash or any other type of skin abrasion or laceration in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident. First, we strongly encourage every motorcycle accident victim to seek immediate medical care from a doctor. Often, the signs and symptoms of motorcycle accident injuries are not immediately apparent, only showing up in the hours or days that follow the crash. By seeking prompt medical attention, a motorcycle accident victim is ensuring their well-being by allowing the doctor to conduct an evaluation and hopefully rule out any hidden injuries.

For relatively minor road rash injuries, these can be treated without going to a hospital. However, even after treating the injuries with the steps listed below, this situation needs to be monitored for signs of infection or additional damage to the body.

1. Wash hands thoroughly. Before treating any type of wound, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly. You should use an antibacterial soap to ensure that you do not transfer any bacteria from your hands to the wound.
2. Wash the injury. As painful as it may seem, the road rash, abrasion, or cut needs to be washed. Do not scrub the injury or use a lot of pressure because this could cause further damage and bleeding.
3. Remove any debris. If there is any debris in the wound, this has to be removed. Often, there is debris left behind in a wound after a motorcycle accident. Use tweezers if necessary to remove rock, dirt, or grass.
4. Use antibiotic ointment. There are various types of antibiotic ointments that can be bought at local stores. These should be sprayed or wiped onto the wound to kill any bacteria that may be there.
5. Cover the rash. It is important to cover the injury to help promote healing and prevent any additional bacteria from coming into contact with the open wound. Keeping the area moist will encourage the skin to heal. It is important to use a non-adhesive pad or other type of lightweight medical covering.
6. Use fresh bandages. You wanted to change the bandage at least once or twice a day after the initial injury. This is incredibly important if you get the bandage wet or relatively dirty.
7. Check for infections. The wound should be monitored for any signs of infection. This can include redness that continues to extend around the wound, as well as increased pain or pus draining from the injury. If you see any of these occur, you need to go to the doctor.

Contact our Denver personal injury lawyers today.