Imagine riding your bicycle down the street safely, while obeying all the laws and staying in the designated bike lane, then suddenly a door swings open in your path and your crash into it. You end up suffering various injuries and require medical attention.
Unfortunately, “dooring accidents” are one of the most common types of bicycle accidents in the United States. In most cycling injury cases related to negligence, injured cyclists must prove that a driver failed to exercise their lawful duty of care toward you. In dooring accidents, typically the motorist was negligent in causing the cyclist’s injuries since they owe a duty to exercise reasonable care to ensure the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.
Our experienced Mt. Pleasant personal injury attorney at Lawton Law Firm can investigate the circumstances of your accident and injuries, gather and analyze all of the evidence involved, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and help you obtain the medical treatment and compensation you deserve.
If you are riding your bike, here are a few tips to avoid dooring accidents:
- Ride outside of the door zone – if space permits.
- Never bike near parked vehicles
- If you are in an unprotected bike lane, stay toward the outside of the lane
- Remain aware of drivers in their cars, as well as their passengers
The following are several ways to avoid dooring accidents if you are in your car:
- Look behind you by using your mirrors or turning around to check for traffic prior to opening the door
- Open the door slowly, never swing or leave it open
- Open the door using your right hand, forcing you to look back
If you suffered an injury in a bicycle accident caused by a negligent motorist in South Carolina, contact our Mt. Pleasant personal injury attorney at Lawton Law Firm today.