A 69-year-old man was critically injured in a bicycle accident after being struck by an open car door and thrown into the path of an oncoming school bus. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the bicyclist was heading north on 21st Avenue near 83rd Street in Bath Beach the afternoon of May 8 when he hit the open door of a parked car, police said.
The man was thrown from the bicycle and onto the northbound lanes of traffic where he was struck by a school bus. Medics rushed the man to a local hospital in “extremely critical condition.” The driver of the bus remained on the scene and did not face any charges at the time. It is also not clear whether the person who left the car door open will face charges. The investigation is ongoing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the seriously injured bicyclist.
What is Dooring?
Dooring refers to a traffic collision in which a bicyclist or motorcyclist is struck by the door of a parked or stationary vehicle. It typically occurs when a driver or passenger of a parked car opens their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist or motorcyclist, causing a collision or forcing the bicyclist to swerve into traffic to avoid the door.
These incidents can result in serious injuries or fatalities for the cyclist or motorcyclist, as they often have little time to react to the suddenly obstructed path. Injuries can be catastrophic or fatal when a bicyclist gets struck by a door and gets thrown into the path of oncoming traffic, as the victim was in this case. Dooring accidents are a significant concern in urban areas with heavy traffic and dense parking, where cyclists and motorcyclists share the road and are in close proximity to parked vehicles.
To prevent dooring accidents, many cities have implemented measures such as designated bike lanes, education campaigns for drivers and cyclists, and laws requiring drivers to check for oncoming cyclists before opening their doors. The New York City Traffic Rules and Regulations §4-08(e) specifically address this issue, stating that, “No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”
Injuries and Liability Issues
Dooring accidents can result in major injuries for the victims including head injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, etc. These accidents may also result in fatalities, particularly in situations where the victim, on impact, is thrown on to the street and struck by an oncoming vehicle.
When a motorist fails to look before opening a vehicle door on the traffic side, that amounts to negligence (carelessness). In personal injury lawsuits, plaintiffs (victims) must prove that the defendant was negligent (careless) and that the negligence (carelessness) caused the victim’s injuries, damages and losses.
The value or worth of your case will depend on the nature and extent of the injuries you have sustained as well as the extent of negligence (carelessness) on the part of the driver. In such cases, negligent (careless) motorists or passengers can be held responsible for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitative treatment, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased victims can also seek compensation for their losses by filing a wrongful death claim.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 52 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/05/08/elderly-cyclist-critically-injured-in-crash-with-school-bus-in-brooklyn/