You can be injured in a motorcycle accident in many different ways when you are on a motorcycle. You do not have to collide with a moving vehicle to be seriously injured. Although it is rare, “dooring” occurs when someone opens a car door into the path of a moving motorcycle. These collisions will still cause serious injuries. You can hold the party who was responsible for your dooring accident injuries legally liable in a claim or lawsuit with the help of an experienced lawyer.
What Happens During a Motorcycle Dooring Accident?
In a motorcycle dooring accident, “an occupant of a motor vehicle opens a car door into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist.” The biker is unable to anticipate a door opening in front of them when they think that they have a clear traveling path. The motorcyclist may collide head-on with the car door. Even if the car door gives way, the biker will still be seriously injured from the collision.
Where Do Motorcycle Dooring Accidents Occur?
Dooring accidents typically happen when there are cars parked on the side of the road. These accidents often occur when there is parking on both sides of the street. The motorcyclist is passing these cars in the right or left-hand lane in direct proximity to them. Dooring accidents are more likely to happen in high-density urban areas, such as Philadelphia and its surrounding areas.
Dooring accidents may also happen in parking lots when people are often opening doors. Even if these accidents happen at low speeds, there is still the potential for the biker to sustain a serious injury.
Why Are Motorcycle Dooring Accidents So Dangerous?
Motorcycle dooring accidents can be every bit as dangerous as crashes involving moving vehicles. The hazard lies in the fact that a motorcyclist is completely unprotected from any type of impact. Here, they are colliding with a fixed object that impedes their path. Not only is the motorcyclist likely to be seriously injured by the car door itself, but there is a high likelihood that they would be thrown from their bike, too. Then, they would suffer serious injuries from being thrown to the pavement during the course of the accident.
Who Is Liable for a Motorcycle Dooring Accident?
Reliability for a motorcycle dooring accident depends on the facts and circumstances of your case. The most common defendant in these cases is the driver of the car who opened the door into your path. You may be able to file a legal action against the passenger in the car if they were the one who opened the door. In addition, you could file a legal action against the local government if poor roadway design contributed to the dooring accident.
In any type of motorcycle accident case, you must be prepared to contend with insurance company allegations about your own conduct. They may try to blame you for the accident. For example, they may claim that the motor vehicle’s occupant should have had more than enough time to open their door, but they did not because you were speeding. They may argue that you were not paying enough attention, and you at least shared part of the blame for the accident.
It is crucial that you fight back against any of these allegations because they can keep you from receiving financial compensation if you are found to be more than 50% to blame for the accident. Even if your share of the blame was less, your compensation would still be reduced.
Contact a Montgomery County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Bikers Have Rights to Get the Compensation You Deserve
If you have been injured in any type of accident while you were on your bike, speak to a Montgomery County motorcycle accident lawyer at Bikers Have Rights. To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call today at 877-333-0300. Located in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, we proudly serve clients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.