A degloving injury is a severe traumatic injury in which the skin and soft tissue are torn away from the underlying muscles, bones, or connective tissue. These injuries can cause extensive tissue damage and may require emergency surgery, skin grafts, rehabilitation, and other long-term medical treatment.
Degloving injuries often occur in serious accidents involving significant force, including motor vehicle crashes, workplace accidents, and incidents involving heavy machinery. When another person or company causes the accident through negligence, the injured person may be entitled to pursue compensation for their medical expenses and other losses.
What Causes Degloving Injuries?
Degloving injuries generally occur when substantial pulling, crushing, or shearing forces affect part of the body.
They may result from accidents such as:
- Car, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents
- Commercial truck crashes
- Construction accidents
- Industrial and manufacturing accidents
- Accidents involving heavy machinery
- Falls from significant heights
- Agricultural accidents
- Accidents involving conveyor belts or other equipment
Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians may be particularly vulnerable because they have relatively little protection when struck by a vehicle or dragged across pavement.
The circumstances that caused the injury can be important when determining whether someone else may be legally responsible.
Where Do Degloving Injuries Occur?
A degloving injury can affect many parts of the body. The hands, fingers, feet, legs, and arms may be vulnerable because they can become trapped in machinery or injured during a collision.
Degloving can also affect the scalp, torso, and other areas. The severity of the injury depends on factors such as the amount of tissue involved, damage to blood vessels and nerves, and whether the injury affects bones or internal structures.
How Are Degloving Injuries Treated?
Treatment depends on the location and extent of the injury. Because degloving can interfere with blood circulation and expose tissue to infection, prompt medical treatment is important.
Treatment may include:
- Cleaning and removing damaged tissue
- Repairing blood vessels, nerves, or tendons
- Reattaching viable skin
- Skin grafts or reconstructive surgery
- Treatment for broken bones
- Antibiotics and infection management
- Physical or occupational therapy
- Pain management
Some patients require multiple operations. In especially severe cases, doctors may be unable to preserve the affected tissue or limb, making amputation necessary.
Even after the initial injury heals, a person may need rehabilitation or additional reconstructive procedures.
What Complications Can a Degloving Injury Cause?
The effects of a degloving injury can extend far beyond the initial wound. Significant tissue trauma can create both immediate and long-term medical complications.
Possible complications include infection, tissue death, nerve damage, chronic pain, reduced mobility, scarring, loss of sensation, and permanent disfigurement. An injury affecting a hand, arm, foot, or leg may also make it difficult to work or perform everyday activities.
Severe injuries can have emotional consequences as well, particularly when they result in visible scarring, amputation, or permanent physical limitations.
Who Can Be Liable for a Degloving Injury?
Liability depends on how the accident happened. Generally, a personal injury claim requires evidence showing that another party’s negligence contributed to the injury.
Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties could include a negligent driver, trucking company, property owner, contractor, employer, equipment manufacturer, or another business.
Some cases involve more than one responsible party. For example, a truck accident could involve questions about the actions of the driver as well as the trucking company’s practices. A machinery accident could raise issues involving maintenance, workplace safety, or a defective product.
Investigating the accident can help determine what happened and identify the parties that may bear responsibility.
What Compensation Is Available for a Degloving Injury?
Degloving injuries can generate substantial financial and personal losses, particularly when the victim needs multiple surgeries or cannot return to work.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation may be available for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage
The compensation available in a particular case depends on the applicable law, severity of the injury, available insurance coverage, degree of fault, and other case-specific factors.
How Much Is a Degloving Injury Case Worth?
There is no standard settlement amount for a degloving injury. Two people with similar injuries can have very different claims depending on how the accident happened and how the injury affects their lives.
Factors that can influence the value of a claim include the severity and location of the injury, number of surgeries required, permanence of scarring, ability to return to work, future medical needs, strength of the evidence, and available insurance coverage.
Because these injuries may have lifelong consequences, future losses can be especially important when evaluating a claim.
How Long Do I Have to File a Degloving Injury Lawsuit?
In Texas, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
Different deadlines may apply in certain cases, including claims involving government entities. Missing the applicable deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation, so it is important to act promptly.
Contact a Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer at Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
A degloving injury can require extensive medical treatment and cause lasting physical and financial challenges. If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal options and pursue compensation.
Contact our Dallas personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.
