Chris Hammons | November 21, 2025 | Personal Injury
One of the most common injuries victims can suffer in motorcycle accidents is road rash. Although it may seem minor, road rash can result in both short- and long-term complications that could leave you with significant health issues. Learn more about this type of injury and why it could be more serious than you may think.
What Is Road Rash?
Road rash is a type of abrasion injury that happens when the skin scrapes against a hard surface like asphalt. This friction generates heat, causing burns, while the forcefulness of the scraping can shred the skin, potentially damaging the vulnerable tissues underneath.
Road rash has three main severity levels, each of which has its own symptoms. Superficial and partial-thickness road rashes tend to be extremely painful, but full-thickness road rashes might not hurt at all because the nerve tissue within the skin is completely destroyed. The area around the injury will be sore and inflamed, however.
People with lighter skin can develop reddish or pink hues with road rash, while darker-skinned individuals typically have a reddish tinge in the affected area. Full-thickness road rash can leave you with pale, ashy, or charred-looking skin.
Road rash can also cause you to develop blisters, just as you would if you suffered a thermal burn. These blisters fill with fluid and may burst on their own.
Short- And Long-Term Complications Of Road Rash
Some of the most common short-term complications associated with road rash are bleeding, swelling, oozing, and pain. Because the friction can damage the nerves in the skin, superficial road rash tends to cause as much pain as a thermal burn.
You can also develop infections. When the skin is torn or punctured, debris can enter the wound. This problem can still arise even if you receive prompt medical care.
If road rash impacts a large area of your body, you could also develop hypothermia. Your skin helps your body regulate its internal temperature, so leaving the underlying tissues exposed can cause you to become too cold.
If you suffer a catastrophic injury like full-thickness road rash, the complications can be more serious and longer-lasting. Scarring is a distinct possibility. Even if you receive skin grafts to help the impacted area heal, you can end up with severe scarring that requires reconstructive procedures.
There’s also a risk of developing sepsis if the injury causes infection. This is an extreme reaction that the body can have to an infection that goes untreated. Sepsis requires emergency medical care to prevent the development of gangrene, which could require amputation of the affected limb.
It’s also possible to suffer permanent nerve and muscle damage due to road rash. The friction can destroy nerve endings, resulting in everything from loss of sensation to tingling, stiffness, and chronic pain.
Fighting For Fair Compensation After A Motorcycle Accident
Even if you stay vigilant and follow all recommended motorcycle safety tips, you could still be involved in an accident on the streets of Oklahoma City. If you’ve suffered road rash in a preventable mishap, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim against the fat-fault party.
A personal injury claim allows you to seek economic and non-economic damages to cover your losses. However, these legal actions are far from simple, so it’s always a good idea to have an attorney ready to assist you. With reliable legal help, you can focus on getting the medical care you need while your legal team handles your personal injury claim.
We proudly serve Oklahoma County, OK and its surrounding areas:
Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers – OKC
1332 SW 89th St,
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
(405) 703-4567