Psychological Consequences of Road Rash Scarring from a Florida Motorcycle Accident

Many motorcycle riders have experienced “road rash:” abrasions to legs, arms, face, and other exposed skin as a biker slides across the ground.

While usually less serious than head trauma and broken bones, road rash injuries to the face and other parts of the body can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement, which may result in innumerable losses for years to come.

Road Rash Causes Both Physical and Emotional Scars

The scarring and disfigurement from road rash injuries can cause suffering that is far more than skin deep. For example, road rash scars have been known to result in:

• Depression. An article published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing in 2004 found that even patients with relatively small scars can suffer major psychological effects, including loss of self-confidence, and loss of enjoyment of life that led to clinical depression.
• Stress and anxiety. Scars are a persistent reminder of a traumatic event, forcing a victim to relive the accident every time he or she looks in the mirror. In addition, many victims feel daily stress caused by strangers’ reactions to their appearances and the rejection they perceive from society.
• Ongoing pain and discomfort. Victims can suffer significant pain throughout recovery and may need to undergo several plastic surgery reconstruction sessions, especially if the accident caused bone fractures and loss of soft tissues in their faces. Each surgery needs a separate healing time and an additional medical expense, forcing the victim to recover from the accident all over again.
• Lost opportunities. Not only can facial scarring ruin the livelihoods for people whose jobs depend on their appearance, such as actors, it can also affect hiring decisions, personal relationships, and the loss of other experiences.

If you or someone you know has suffered severe scarring in a motorcycle accident, we can help you get compensation for the full extent of your suffering. Contact one of our experienced attorneys today by filling out the quick contact form on this page to tell us your story.