What Is A Degloving Injury?

Key Highlights

• What is a degloving injury? A degloving injury is a severe type of avulsion in which the skin is forcibly pulled off the underlying structure (bone) and the blood supply is immediately cut off to that portion of the skin. 
• Open injuries have exposed tissue loss; in contrast, closed injuries are located within the body and can occur in 30% of victims in high energy pelvic crashes. 
• The vast majority (96%) of patients with degloving injuries suffer their injury in either a motor vehicle or an industrial accident, and the increase in “ring avulsions” is becoming a significant threat to workers in North Carolina. 
• Combined with the initial costs of over $250,000, patients often require specialized legal assistance to ensure their settlements will cover long-term reconstruction of the lost skin or to prove negligence.

A lot of people wonder what is a degloving injury? The answer is it’s a devastating form of shearing injury because they occur when the skin and surrounding soft tissue are forcibly separated from the muscles and bones beneath. Avulsive injuries result in a rapid, violent, and complete loss of blood supply within the skin. It causes a life-threatening situation, by causing extensive blood loss and excruciating pain, and has the potential to cause limb loss, regardless of whether the injury is open or closed.  The long-term effects, both physically and medically, are often irreversible.

The recovery process from a degloving injury is complicated and involves undergoing very difficult or painful surgeries with immense financial costs. The North Carolina Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm has a strong commitment to providing help to families in NC by providing not only the medical treatment needed due to the injury but also very aggressive legal representation.

If you or a family member has suffered from an injury caused by a traumatic or catastrophic degloving injury, contact Tatum and Atkinson at (800) 529-0804 and ask to have your case reviewed free of charge.

What Is a Degloving Injury And Degloving Injury Ring in NC?

A degloving injury is considered a more severe form of avulsion in that it completely removes the top layers of skin and adherent tissue from the deeper structures of the body (i.e., muscle, bone). This is caused by intense pressure or friction on the body, in which tissue is lifted or pulled in one direction and bone remains stationary, resulting in shearing off of the blood vessels responsible for perfusion (blood flow) to the skin. De-gloving injuries are considered to be surgical emergencies. Therefore, early intervention can help prevent the spread of infection or widespread necrosis. 

According to the trauma data published, the following statistics reflect the severity of these types of traumatic injuries:

• 96% of documented cases were associated with high-impact motor vehicle collisions or accidents involving industrial machinery
• 76% of traumatic degloving injuries via trauma are related to motor vehicle or traffic accidents, especially if the injury involved the extremities being pinned to the ground or dragged along again.
• “Ring avulsion” also known as finger degloving injury, is caused when jewelry gets caught in machines and causes a finger to be “degloved”. This is an increasing problem in North Carolina workplaces. 
• Morel-Lavallée lesions (closed degloving injuries) are now a significant proportion up to 20% to 30% of all pelvic injuries caused by high-speed biking and motorcycle riding. 

Common Causes and High-Risk Industries in North Carolina

In North Carolina, various industries have an increased risk for shearing injuries.

Industrial and Manufacturing Machinery

Heavy machinery with rotating components such as conveyor belts, rollers, and industrial presses that can pull clothing, tools or limbs into the machine. This causes traumatic degloving incidents, such as degloving hands or limbs. 

Motor Vehicle and Pedestrian Collisions

In addition, high-speed vehicle and pedestrian accidents (especially involving motorcycles and dragged pedestrians) cause a shearing force resulting in degloving injuries. The shearing forces created from a vehicle colliding with a pedestrian and the friction created by the vehicle tires and the body of the pedestrian remove the skin from the body and leave the bone exposed.

Agricultural Equipment Accidents

In North Carolina, grain augers and PTO shafts cause a lot of injury in rural areas due to their ability to pull in loose clothing and create degloved leg injuries (the skin becoming detached from an arm/leg). These types of accidents occur in remote areas where the emergency response time will be much slower, leading to much greater harm.

High-Altitude Falls

If construction workers fall off scaffolds or ladders, the snagging of the skin against the structure during the landing could lead to partial degloving. Combining the weight of the person with the force caused by snagging can result in a severe tissue rupture.

Animal Attacks and Crush Injuries

Dog bites or crush accidents such as having a heavy truck run over a person’s foot, cause degloved foot injuries by applying a downward force onto the tissue being torn from the fascia by the lateral movement.

What Are the Symptoms of a Degloved Foot, Degloving Hand And Other Injuries? 

Proper identification of a degloving avulsion helps in determining how to save the individual’s life. Not all signs will be present immediately and some signs may only be found under the surface of the skin.

• Exposed Deep Structures: In an open degloving (visibly exposed), the muscles, tendons, and bone will be visible. This means that the entire epidermal layer of the skin has separated from its supportive anatomical structure. 
• Signs of Systemic Shock: When a person has suffered a significant amount of tissue loss through degloving, they exhibit signs of systemic shock such as rapid pulse, shallow breaths, and pale skin. When these signs appear, know that the person is experiencing tremendous pain and has lost a considerable amount of blood due to extensive tissue tears.
• The “Fluid Pocket” Sensation: Closed degloving injuries may present only with bruising initially. However, you may also notice the area as having a “fluid pocket” sensation if the skin appears to be moving independently from the underlying tissues because it’s floating on top of an accumulation of blood and lymph.
• Skin Discoloration and Coldness: If the degloved tissue remains attached to the underlying tissues or muscles but appears blue, purple or is cold to the touch, chances are that it has an absence of blood supply. If surgical intervention is not performed immediately, tissue will die within hours.

The Medical Roadmap to Recovery: Degloving Injury Management

Recovering from what is a degloving injury is complicated due to the number of medical procedures that span over months or sometimes years

Emergency Debridement and Stabilization

The first step in this process is debridement, which is to remove infected or necrotic tissue and stabilize the degloved area. It is done by cleaning the area to prepare the degloved area for further surgical interventions, such as infection control or reconstructive surgery.

Advanced Surgical Interventions

Once the area has been cleaned, the surgeon may choose to use skin grafts from a donor site, or they may also choose to perform a skin flaps procedure. This involves taking living tissue with its own blood supply and moving it to the degloved area.

Management of Long-Term Degloving Complications

External and internal degloving injury can have long-term complications that the victim may have to suffer. It can lead to issues like Compartment Syndrome, where there is increased pressure within muscles, lymphedema, which is swelling of the body because of lymphatic fluids, and even contractures that can limit your ability to move your body or limb.

“Your degloving injury in North Carolina does not just create a medical situation; it is a legal situation affecting your future. In NC, your comprehensive life care needs must be documented and proven so that your legal representatives can protect your right to receive reimbursement through either Workers’ Compensation or personal injury claims for all medical expenses relating to the injury.” – Robert Tatum, Lawyer at Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm

Understanding Legal Recourse: Personal Injury vs. Workers’ Comp

The factors that influence your rights following a deglove injury primarily involve where the injury occurred and who was responsible for providing a safe place to work. 

Scenario A: The Workplace Accident

If your limb injury or finger degloving occurred while you were working, either in a factory, farm, or construction site, your injury will probably be covered under the North Carolina Workers’ Comp. system.  Workers’ Comp provides several types of benefits to you as a worker, including:

• Medical Coverage: 100% of all authorized treatments, including any necessary skin grafts; physical therapy to help you recover after your injury occurs
• Wage Replacement: Two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you are unable to return to work
• Disability Ratings: Compensation for the permanent loss of use (or function) of a body part

Scenario B: Third-Party Negligence

If you were involved in an auto accident or require degloving injury treatment because of a faulty machine, you can bring a lawsuit for personal injury against the at-fault third party. Unlike Workers’ Compensation, a personal injury lawsuit allows an injured person to recover:

• Pain and Suffering: Compensate the injured person for physical pain and emotional trauma.
• Full Wage Recovery: All of your lost wages will be compensated, rather than just a percentage of them.
• Punitive Damages: If the negligent party acted with gross negligence, punitive damages may also be awarded in addition to compensatory damages in those situations. 

Why the Statute of Limitations Matters in 2026

The statute of limitations for many personal injury cases in North Carolina is three years following an accident. In 2026, however, the pace at which we obtain legal evidence has changed so much that if you don’t start collecting evidence soon after your injury, you could lose valuable electronic evidence such as dash cam records, for example, as well as data from workplace sensors. Many electronic devices are overwritten approximately once every 30 days.

In addition, initial medical records are essential to any legal claim. Receiving immediate and proper medical care will aid in expert medical testimony and forensic accident reconstruction, which will establish your degloving injury definition before the NC courts.

Calculating the True Cost of Your Injury (Economic vs. Non-Economic)

How Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm Prevents Lowball Insurance Offers in NC 

Understanding what is a degloving injury is very important as it is a serious injury that has many significant long-term consequences. The injury will require specialized medical treatment and legal expertise. These cases do not fall under a personal injury standard category; they represent catastrophic claims, which require an understanding of both long-term tissue viability and future surgeries, as well as the permanent mental impact and disfigurement of the injured person.

 At Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm, we specialize in these complicated cases that arise from this degloving injury; we strive to ensure that victims’ settlements are not being lowballed by insurance companies when the individual is most vulnerable, so that their settlement covers the costs of care for as long as necessary. 

Don’t let the insurance adjuster dictate your future. Contact Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm for a free consultation (800) 529-0804 to get the representation that you deserve. 

Frequently Asked Questions About What Is A Degloving Injury

What does degloved hand mean? 

A degloved hand is a serious injury wherein the skin has been removed from the fingers or palm and resembles the removal of a glove. Usually, this injury completely destroys the blood supply to the skin.

What does a degloving injury look like? 

In open cases, the skin has flaps hanging off and the raw muscle mass, bone, and tendon can be seen; however, in closed cases, the skin itself appears intact, although it will show all indications of bruising, swelling or being loose.

Is degloving injury painful? 

Certainly, while these types of injuries can be very painful, with a lot of nerve damage and tissue damage. They can also result in isolated parts of the body becoming numb because of extreme damage to the nerve.

How does a degloving injury occur? 

This happens when the skin is pulled in a different direction than the body remains still due to intense pressure or friction. Degloving injuries can occur with hands being caught in industrial rollers or limbs being pulled after a car crash. 

How long does a degloving injury take to heal? 

Recovery can take months or even years. While surgical grafts typically heal in a matter of weeks, full recovery of functional use and sensation generally will require multiple reconstructive surgeries and prolonged physical therapy.

About the Author

Robert Tatum

Robert Tatum is the founding attorney at Tatum & Atkinson. He is licensed to practice in all North Carolina state and federal courts and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2002 and his B.S. from the University of Virginia in 1999. His practice focuses on personal injury law. Connect with him on LinkedIn.