One of the many accident risks that threatens the safety of bicyclists in Albuquerque is dooring. A dooring accident occurs when a cyclist strikes the open door of a motor vehicle, typically due to vehicle occupants failing to check before swinging their doors open.
Dooring accidents can cause serious injuries and significant related losses for the bicyclist. Find out your rights and recovery options after a dooring accident by consulting with a bicycle accident attorney in Albuquerque.
What Is a Dooring Accident?
A dooring accident happens when a motor vehicle driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of an oncoming bicyclist where the cyclist does not have enough time to stop or safely maneuver away, resulting in a collision with the open door. Dooring accidents are especially dangerous because cyclists often have no time to slow down or react to reduce the force of the collision.
What Injuries Can Arise From Dooring Accidents?
If a biker is traveling at a high or even moderate speed, colliding with a metal car door can inflict severe, catastrophic or life-threatening injuries:
- The sharp metal of the vehicle door can act like a blade, slicing the cyclist and causing deep wounds.
- The victim could suffer impact injuries from contact with the door as well as the asphalt if he or she is thrown from the bike.
- If the bicyclist’s body is pulled across the pavement, it can lead to a painful pattern of friction burns known as road rash.
- A cyclist could suffer extreme harm if he or she is thrown beneath the tires of a nearby vehicle after being tossed from the bike, such as crush injuries or amputations.
Injuries from a dooring accident can include broken bones, soft-tissue damage, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and internal damage.
Who Is Liable for an Albuquerque Dooring Accident?
When it comes to determining liability or who pays for a bicycle accident in Albuquerque, it is necessary to look to the state’s at-fault laws. In New Mexico, an injured bicyclist can file a claim for financial compensation with the insurance company of the at-fault motor vehicle driver. The driver’s insurance will pay for the cyclist’s losses if it is shown with evidence that the driver was at fault.
Drivers have a responsibility to prevent dooring accidents by checking for oncoming cyclists before opening their doors, especially when parked in areas such as downtown Albuquerque or near a bicycle lane. Best practice is to use what is called the “Dutch Reach,” where a driver uses the hand furthest away from the door to open it, causing the head to rotate toward the window so they can check for oncoming bikers.
If a driver carelessly throws open a car door without looking, keeps a door open for an unreasonable amount of time or illegally parks in a bicycle lane, these acts of negligence can make the driver liable or financially responsible for the victim’s losses. The cyclist may be entitled to compensation for related injuries, medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and bicycle repairs.
How a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Albuquerque Can Help
If you were recently hurt in a dooring accident in Albuquerque, contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer to help you identify your options for making a financial recovery. At the Fine Law Firm, an attorney can help you hold a driver accountable for a preventable dooring accident that has left you with painful injuries and mounting medical bills. Contact us today for a free consultation about your individual case.