Houston Degloving Accident Attorney
Advocating for Degloving Accident Victims in Houston
Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of degloving injuries in Houston. Some of the most dangerous intersections for motorcycle riders in Houston include Main Street and Montrose Boulevard, Pease Street and Fannin Street, and Bissonnet Street and Westchester Avenue.
If you’re suffering from degloving injuries from a Houston accident, contact DK Law right away. With over a decade of experience, Darius Khosravian, founding attorney of DK Law, stands fully prepared to champion your rights. His accolades, including his selection for The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, attest to his legal ability and skill.
Your dignity and livelihood matter. Don’t let uncertainties loom when support is at hand. Whether it’s a degloving injury or any serious injury, seek the compensation and protection you deserve with DK Law. We are here to navigate the legal process and serve as your dedicated advocates.
Call (281) 402-8856 to schedule a FREE consultation with a skilled Houston personal injury attorney today. Let’s see how we can help.
What Are Degloving Injuries?
A degloving injury is an extreme form of soft tissue damage where the skin and underlying layers are forcibly torn away from the bone, muscles, or other tissues. This type of injury results in the separation of the skin from the connective tissues underneath, exposing muscles, tendons, or bones.
Degloving injuries are often caused by motorcycle collisions, where the force of impact pulls the skin and tissues apart. These injuries commonly result from collisions where the rider is thrown from the bike and skids across the pavement, causing the skin to be forcefully stripped away.
Beyond motorcycle accidents, other causes include industrial accidents, where limbs may be trapped and pulled by machinery, or severe falls where the skin is caught on an object during the descent.
Degloving injuries are often severe. One example is an avulsion injury, where the skin is completely torn off, leaving muscles, tendons, and bones exposed. These injuries often occur in motorcycle accidents, where a rider's limb is dragged across rough surfaces. A circumferential degloving injury is typically seen when an arm or leg gets caught in machinery, causing the skin to peel away in a ring-like fashion.
Degloving injuries involve extensive tissue damage, and they can lead to significant complications, including infection, extensive scarring, and long-term disability. Immediate and specialized medical treatment is vital to manage these injuries, as delayed care can result in severe, irreversible damage to the affected areas.
Life After a Degloving Injury Accident in Houston
The consequences of degloving injuries can be devastating, impacting various aspects of an individual’s life in the short and long term. These consequences can range in severity from discomfort to permanent disability:
- Pain and discomfort: Immediately following a degloving injury, victims often experience intense pain and discomfort due to the severity of the trauma.
- Loss of functionality: Depending on the location and extent of the injury, individuals may experience a loss of functionality in the affected area, limiting their ability to perform daily tasks.
- Psychological trauma: The psychological impact of a degloving injury can be profound, leading to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as individuals cope with the physical and emotional aftermath.
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement: Degloving injuries often result in extensive scarring and disfigurement, which can have a lasting impact on a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.
- Long-term medical costs: Treating degloving injuries typically requires extensive medical intervention, including surgeries, skin grafts, and rehabilitative therapy. The costs associated with these treatments can be substantial, placing a significant financial burden on victims and their families.
Scarring and Disfigurement Caused by Degloving Injuries
Due to the extensive damage to skin and underlying tissues, degloving injuries pose a significant risk of permanent scarring and disfigurement. When the skin is forcibly separated, it often results in severe wounds that require surgical intervention, such as skin grafts or flap surgeries, to repair. Even with advanced medical treatments, the healing process can leave prominent scars and altered skin texture.
Degloving accident injury scars can be physically destructive. These injuries may lead to chronic pain, restricted movement, and functional limitations, particularly if they involve joints or limbs. The extensive tissue damage and subsequent surgical repairs often result in prolonged recovery periods, during which everyday activities may become challenging.
The visible scars and disfigurement can lead to significant emotional distress. Victims may experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the trauma of the injury and its lasting effects. Social interactions and self-image can also suffer, as individuals cope with altered appearances and potential stigmatization.
For individuals affected by the scarring and disfigurement from degloving injuries, cosmetic procedures offer a pathway to improving physical appearance and boosting psychological well-being. Scar revision surgery is one common option, aiming to reduce the visibility of scars by making them blend more naturally with surrounding skin. Techniques such as laser therapy can also help by smoothing out scar tissue and reducing redness. Skin grafts and flap surgeries can address larger areas of damage, using healthy skin from other parts of the body to repair and cover extensive wounds.
Pursuing Compensation for a Houston Degloving Injury
If you have suffered a degloving or road rash injury due to the negligence or wrongful actions of another party, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Recovering compensation for a degloving injury can be complex, but a skilled Houston personal injury lawyer can help guide you through the process and provide the following assistance:
- Determining liability: Your attorney will investigate the circumstances surrounding your injury to identify who is legally responsible for your damages.
- Calculating damages: Damages in degloving injury cases may include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future medical costs. Your lawyer will work to ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for all your losses.
- Negotiating with insurance companies: Dealing with insurance companies can be challenging, but your attorney will handle all communications and negotiations on your behalf to secure the best possible outcome.
- Litigation, if necessary: If a fair settlement cannot be reached through negotiation, your attorney will be prepared to take your case to court and advocate for your rights in front of a judge and jury.
The High Risk of Injury for Motorcyclist Riders and Their Passengers
The biggest threat to motorcycles is unsafe drivers. Drivers who speed, make sudden lane changes, or fail to signal their intentions create unpredictable environments that are hazardous for motorcyclists. When drivers fail to check blind spots before switching lanes, it can result in devastating collisions with motorcycles or force motorcycle riders off the road.
Distracted driving, whether due to mobile phone use or other in-car distractions, leads to slower reaction times and increased likelihood of accidents. Drivers who run red lights or fail to yield at intersections pose a serious risk to motorcycle riders. Intoxicated drivers are another significant hazard because their reflexes, judgment, coordination, depth perception, and other key skills are seriously impaired.
Motorcycle riders and their passengers face a high risk of injury due to their limited protection. Unlike cars and trucks, motorcycles offer minimal physical protection, as riders have no seatbelts or protective barriers to absorb impact during a crash.
Steps to take After Suffering Motorcycle Accident Degloving Injuries
Immediately following a motorcycle accident, it’s important to take the correct actions. Check yourself and others involved for injuries and call 911 right away. Avoid removing any protective gear, as this could exacerbate injuries. While waiting for medical professionals to arrive, try to keep the injured person calm and still.
Contacting emergency services promptly ensures that injured individuals receive the necessary medical attention and that the incident is officially recorded, which is crucial for any insurance or legal claims that may follow.
It’s essential to seek medical attention immediately after a motorcycle accident. Degloving injuries often require specialized care, including surgery to repair damaged tissues and prevent infection. Delayed treatment can lead to complications such as severe infections, extensive scarring, and long-term disability.
Obtaining medical documentation provides a clear record of the severity of your injuries and the treatments received. This will strengthen your personal injury case if you decide to seek compensation.
Document your injuries and preserve evidence after a motorcycle accident. Start by taking photographs of the accident scene from various angles. If you require immediate medical assistance, you can ask a friend to take the pictures for you. You’ll want to save copies of all medical records, including doctor's notes, treatment plans, hospital bills, and receipts for related expenses such as travel costs and parking.
Preserving the clothing and gear worn during the accident, without cleaning or altering them, can also offer valuable evidence, such as bloodstains or tears, that corroborate your account of the incident. If witnesses are present, collect their contact information.
You Deserve Justice for Your Injuries
If you’ve suffered a degloving injury in Houston, put your trust in a reputable personal injury lawyer by contacting DK Law. We want to hear what happened, and we’re here to help.
Your recovery is our top priority—call a Houston degloving injury lawyer at (281) 402-8856 today.