Bicyclists in New York City face a number of dangers as they navigate traffic and
pedestrians on streets and roadways. One of the safety hazards that bicyclists face every time on city roadways is the danger of getting “doored.” This essentially means that a driver or passenger in a parked car opened the vehicle’s door into the path of a bicyclist.
In such cases, the bicyclist often doesn’t have the time to stop and he or she ends up colliding with the open door. Such accidents have always been a problem in New York City, and have only increased with the popularity of ridesharing programs such as Uber, Lyft and electric bicycles. The growing numbers of these types of collisions are a cause for concern because they can result in major or even fatal injuries.
Carelessly opening a door in the path of traffic is an offense under New York’s Vehicle & Traffic Law Section 1214, which states: “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.”
You’ve Been Doored: What Next?
If you are a bicyclist who has been involved in a dooring accident, you are probably in a state of shock. It is important, however, to remain at the scene and get all of the driver’s information including their name, date of birth, driver’s license number, insurance information, license plate, and the make/model of the car.
It is important that you call 911 and request a police officer to the scene. Be sure to get a copy of the police report later. Your New York bicycle accident lawyer can also help you get this report. If you have been injured — even if you are not feeling its effects right away — it is important that you see a doctor and get evaluated.
In such cases, the sooner you retain the services of an experienced New York bicycle accident lawyer, the better your chances to maximize your compensation. You also need someone to fight for your rights every step of the way.
Injuries and Liability Issues
Bicycle dooring accidents can result in major injuries for the bicyclist including head injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, etc. These accidents may also result in fatalities, particularly in situations where the bicyclist, 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 through a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was negligent (careless) and that the negligence caused the plaintiff’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 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 nearly 50 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 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 in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident. 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 and/or medical malpractice 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