When an unexpected motorcycle accident occurs, the motorcyclist is usually the most injured out of all parties involved.
Motorcyclists are exposed and vulnerable to serious injury, as they don’t have the same protection as a driver in a car. The trauma you experience in a collision can be permanent. However, you have a right to recover compensation from the party that caused those injuries.
If you suffered a road rash from a motorcycle accident or a burn injury, compensation is your right. Read on to learn more about the compensation you can get for burn and rash injuries after a motorcycle accident.
If you have questions or would like to speak with an experienced California motorcycle accident lawyer, please contact us today.
How Much Compensation Do You Get For a Burn Injury?
Victims injured in motorcycle accidents can recover compensatory damages from the party responsible for their injuries and losses.
Compensatory damages are divided into economic and noneconomic damages and are awarded to place the victim in the position they were in before their accident.
Economic damages are directly calculable and result from the financial losses caused by the accident. These losses include the following:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Loss of future earnings, and
- Property damage.
Documentation, including pay stubs, invoices, and bills, supports your claim for economic losses and also assists your attorney in calculating their value.
Noneconomic damages represent the subjective losses associated with your injuries. These include the following losses:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of consortium,
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and
- Permanent injury or disfigurement.
These losses are typically intangible and are not easily quantified because they affect each victim differently.
Proving non-economic damages is challenging without a qualified attorney, but should never be overlooked as they can positively affect a victim’s outlook as they move forward after their accident.
Common Types of Road Rash From a Motorcycle Accident
Road rash refers to skin abrasions caused by friction burns. When skin slides against a rough surface, like asphalt or concrete, the friction scrapes away some or all of the skin.
Road rash can lead to severe infections if not treated immediately by a medical professional. There are three main common types of motorcycle accident road rash.
- Avulsion. Avulsion is the most common type of road rash. This injury usually results when the road surface peels skin away from the body and exposes fat, bone, or muscle tissue.
- Compression. This type of road rash causes bruising and serious tissue damage. Compression most commonly occurs when the body is trapped between the motorcycle and another hard surface or car.
- Open wound. Open-wound road rash injuries usually require surgery, resulting in nerve damage and permanent injury.
Seek medical attention promptly after a motorcycle accident to maintain an accurate record of your treatments and prognosis. Road rash injuries should never be underestimated. They can cause substantial scarring and cause long-term pain and discomfort.
Common Burn Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident
California categorizes burns by degree levels. The severity of a burn resulting from a motorcycle accident impacts the amount of damages you may be entitled to receive.
First-Degree Burn Injury
A first-degree burn injury damages the outermost layer of a motorcyclist’s skin. The recovery time for these injuries is usually days to weeks.
The most common symptom is swelling, redness, and pain. It’s essential to seek proper medical care to avoid infection complications.
Second-Degree Burn Injury
Second-degree burns, such as a second-degree motorcycle exhaust burn, damage the outermost and underlying layers of skin.
Symptoms include pain, blistering, and swelling, and there is a greater risk of infection if you do not seek immediate medical attention. While these injuries eventually heal, they take longer than first-degree burn injuries and may leave scars.
Third-Degree Burn Injury
A third-degree burn injury typically destroys all layers of a motorcyclist’s skin. Nerve endings may also be permanently damaged.
These burns usually leave extensive scarring and may require multiple surgeries, including skin grafts. Additionally, if third-degree burns happen to a motorcyclist’s face, they may cause permanent disfigurement, affecting a victim’s mental and emotional health.
Fourth-Degree Burn Injury
Fourth-degree burns are the most serious burns. These injuries are often life-threatening and may require amputation to save a victim’s life. Due to their severe nature, these burns usually result in permanent disability and lengthy rehabilitation.
Recovering compensation for burn injury claims is vital, mainly when a victim receives a lengthy rehabilitation or permanent injury prognosis.
While compensation can never take away your pain or injuries, it can assist you and your family in moving forward with more financial security.
Who is Responsible for My Injuries?
Your attorney works immediately to determine who was responsible for your injuries. In most cases, a negligent driver is at fault.
Many drivers collide with motorcyclists when they don’t pay close attention to who may be traveling around them. Many drivers are distracted and don’t notice or hear a motorcyclist who may be legally splitting a lane, or they merge into a lane without noticing a motorcyclist in their blind spot.
However, other parties may also be responsible for your injuries, so your attorney investigates all possible angles to hold the right people accountable.
It’s important to know that California operates on pure comparative negligence when you may be partly at fault for your accident.
Under this theory, a victim may recover damages even if they were 99% at fault for their accident. Their percentage of fault reduces their total recovery.
Contact a California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
Getting compensation for burn injury claims and road rash injuries is a serious business.
At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we understand how important it is to obtain justice for our clients, even in the most unique and challenging personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Our strong record of success has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for our injured victims when they need it most.
We are committed to helping accident victims protect their rights, so they can get the compensation they need to move forward with their lives. Our attorneys partner with our clients to achieve the best possible outcome in their cases.
Contact us today by phone or email for a free case review and learn how Wells Call Injury Lawyers can help you.