Have you been the victim of a ‘dooring’ accident?

Riding bikes, whether for weekend exercise or your daily commute, is an admirable practice. It provides exercise, reduces your environmental impact and can make you feel awake and alert. The downside, however, is that you can be severely injured in an accident. Most bicyclists know to watch out for cars and other motor vehicles that could turn into their path or cut them off. A large number of potentially serious accidents are likely prevented by the diligence of those on bikes, as opposed to those in motor vehicles. Sadly, there are some kinds of bike accidents that are harder to prevent.

One of the most insidious kinds of bicycling injuries is “dooring.” A dooring happens when a person in a motor vehicle opens the door of the vehicle into the flow of traffic, causing a person on a bike to hit the door. This is almost always the result of negligence on the part of the person in the motor vehicle, but sometimes it has been done intentionally. Regardless of why it happens, when someone in a vehicle causes a dooring accident, they should be held accountable. The injuries that negligence causes could completely change you life, making you unable to work or fully care for yourself in the future.

Injuries from dooring accidents can be severe

When a bicyclist falls off a bike by accident, many times contusions, scrapes and road rash are the extent of the injuries.

Being thrown from your bike after an impact with a stopped vehicle can have much more catastrophic results. People on bikes may experience severe blunt force trauma from the sudden stop when they hit the door. Broken bones, head injuries, neck and spinal injuries and even death are all possible when a person on a bike slams into an open car door. Depending on the speed of the bike at the time of impact, you may not just slam into the door and stop.

In some cases, cyclists get thrown over the door and into traffic by their own momentum at the time of the crash. These accidents can have catastrophic results. Other vehicles may not be able to stop in time. The person who was on the bike could get struck or even run over by a moving vehicle, compounding the injuries from the initial impact. Dooring injuries are often very serious. In some cases, these kinds of accidents prove to be fatal. Even the best safety gear and a cautious attitude when biking can’t completely protect you from the negligence and mistakes of other people.

An attorney can help you get compensation after a dooring

If you or someone you love has suffered injuries in a dooring accident, chances are that you incurred serious medical expenses. In addition to medical bills, you will be dealing with lost wages while you recover. You shouldn’t be the one who suffers financially for someone else’s mistake. Working with an attorney can help you hold the responsible party accountable for the damages he or she caused you. From filing a civil lawsuit to negotiating with an insurance company, an experienced Connecticut personal injury attorney can help you after a dooring accident.