Bicycle Accident Lawyers Helping Dooring Victims

Chicago car crash attorneys who know how to get the job done right

A car parks on the side of the street. A bicyclist is approaching. Suddenly, the car door opens wide. The bicyclist has no time to react and crashes into the open door, resulting in injuries. This kind of incident is called a “dooring.” The bicycle accident lawyers at Keating Law Offices, P.C. hold negligent parties accountable.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 302 reported cyclist doorings in Chicago during 2015. This was a 50% jump from 2014 when only 203 doorings were reported. But in the three years before 2014—2011, 2012, and 2013—all reported higher numbers than in 2014 with 336, 334, and 270 doorings reported in each of those years.

It seems like it would be common sense for motorists to check the street before opening a car door. It is also a responsibility for them to do so under state and city law. Section 5/11-1407 of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Section 9-80-035 of the Municipal Code of Chicago both state:

“No person shall open the door of a 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.”

These laws exist for a good reason. Dooring accidents can cause very serious injuries. These include broken bones, dental injuries, head and neck injuries, nerve damage and cuts and bruises. A bicyclist may try to avoid the door by entering a traffic lane, risking a collision with a car or truck.

Lawyers committed to helping you get the best outcome

If you’ve been injured in a dooring accident, you deserve financial compensation. Recovering compensation is not a simple process. The motorist who opened the door may deny doing anything wrong and refuse to accept any responsibility. They may even say that the crash was somehow your fault.

Don’t expect much help from the insurance company. They want your claim to go away as quickly as possible while paying you as little as possible. They might offer you a settlement soon after the crash, saying it’s the best they can do. It will far short of covering the damages you have suffered.

That is why you need an experienced bicycle accident attorney on your side. Our firm has helped hundreds of injured bicyclists recover the financial compensation they deserve. We know the ways that insurance companies often try to avoid their responsibility. We help you fight back.

We start by investigating your crash to get the facts for ourselves. Our legal team gathers evidence, such as accident reports, medical records and traffic camera footage. We identify witnesses and interview them ourselves. Our lawyers build a strong case to hold negligent motorists accountable.

Our lawyers will fight for your rights

Insurance companies have many tactics they use to try to reduce the value of your claim. They’ll question the extent of your injuries, or argue they were pre-existing. They’ll try to argue that you could have prevented the crash. We are very familiar with their tactics and we do not put up with them.

When insurance companies see that we have built a strong case and are prepared to fight for you in court, they usually become much more open to a settlement. We’re only interested in a resolution of your case that meets your needs. This includes compensation for all the damages you have suffered.

Learn more about how one of our bicycle accident attorneys can help you with your case. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll review the details of your crash and answer your questions. Then we’ll go over your legal options.