Bicycle dooring accidents are increasingly common as more people are choosing the healthier and greener option of riding a bike versus piling into their car. Dooring accidents occur when a person in a motor vehicle opens their door without checking for approaching bicyclist, causing the bicyclist to either hit the open door or swerve into traffic to avoid it. Although many localities have bicycle-dooring laws, many motorists still recklessly open their vehicle doors into the path of these unsuspecting bicyclists.
Jimmie Kang Law Firm has experience with bicycle dooring cases involving injured cyclists– around Orange County and in Southern California.
If you were injured when a motorist opened their vehicle door into your path of travel we can help you get compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages.
California Dooring Law Blames Motorists:
This law clearly places the liability for dooring crashes on the person opening the automobile door, not on the bicyclist, even when there is little traffic.
“Without this type of law, bicyclists and other people in traffic have to show that they could not avoid an opening or opened door in order to recover for injuries caused by the open door,” an American League of Bicyclists article states.
But with the law in California, courts usually place the liability on the person in the vehicle opening the door rather than on the bicyclist.
Talk to a San Bernardino bicycle-accident attorney at Krasney Law if you’ve been injured in a dooring crash.
Two Types of Dooring Accidents:
Dooring accidents can happen in two ways: The bicyclist either smashes directly into the car door, or, more commonly, in an attempt to avoid the opened door swerves into traffic and gets in a crash.
Bike riders, unprotected by a metal automobile, airbags or restraint systems, face dangers every time they get on the road. Add the fact that some bicycle riders move along at a pretty good pace, and it can get pretty hairy on the roads. The last thing riders need is for a door to be flung open at the last second right in their path.
Dooring Collisions Happen Frequently:
Traffic studies have found dooring collisions in various jurisdictions in the United States range from about 5 percent to about 20 percent of bicycle crashes, says the League of American Bicyclists. Another study from Australia found dooring accounted for 17.6 percent of bicyclists’ crashes with autos. Two states, Wisconsin and North Carolina, had fewer incidents.
If you ride a bicycle on California roads, be certain to report any dooring incidents to the authorities. As of 2016, California levies a fine of $146 plus fees and possible assessments for opening a car door when it is unsafe. A finding of motorist’s fault in any dooring incident you are involved in, as evidenced by a traffic ticket for the motorist, can only help with any legal action that you may consider.
Legal Action may be Advised:
The defendant in a dooring lawsuit could be held liable to pay considerable damages, depending on injuries and other losses. Some dooring collisions have resulted in traumatic injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or organs, broken bones and lacerations and bruises.
If you’ve been in a dooring crash, consider calling an Inland Empire bicycle-accident attorney at Jimmie Kang Law Firm: Personal Injury Specialists for a free consultation. We will assign a legal expert to discuss the facts of your dooring incident, California laws concerning bicycling, how to proceed with an insurance company and whether you should consider bringing a lawsuit or other legal case. We can even give an estimate of how much you might be expected to collect in damages.
Dooring Injuries Commonly Sustained By California Cyclists
According to accident statistics collected by the State of California for bicycle accidents from 2010 and 2011, over 60% of dooring accidents that were reported caused an injury to the bicyclist. These injuries can leave the bicyclist with medical bills, lost time from work and in a great deal of pain. In almost all dooring accidents, the person in the motor vehicle that opened the door is to blame and should be responsible for any financial costs of the accident.
Bicycle Dooring Injury Lawyers Serving Orange County, Southern California Victims
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a bicycle dooring accident, you deserve to be compensated for the costs of the accident. Even if the perpetrator flees the scene, you may be able to be compensated through your own uninsured motorist insurance policy. At Jimmie Kang Law Firm, we will fight for your rights to receive a fair financial award for the pain and suffering you have had to endure due to the recklessness of someone else. We offer a free consultation to discuss your case and will not charge you a fee unless you receive a monetary payout.
