Tulsa motorists can swing their doors open suddenly, creating a frightening hazard for a cyclist who may be approaching. When riders are hurt in a collision with a car or a car door, they can seek support from careless drivers and passengers. A car insurance provider would be liable for medical bills, lost time at work, and other damages.
Having a Tulsa bicycle accident lawyer handle your case can be an important safeguard. It’s critical when unhelpful insurance adjusters look for ways to avoid having to provide support.
Dooring Accident Hazards for Tulsa Bicyclists
The hazard that an open car door presents to those on bicycles is something most Tulsa drivers don’t think about. But “dooring” crashes happen every day in the U.S., and they target the most vulnerable people using the road, riders.
Dooring accidents occur when motorists park alongside a road or bike lane and swing their doors open without looking out for riders. The door is an obstacle of metal and glass, and cyclists can ram it at full speed. Victims can either be stopped suddenly and dropped ot the pavement or, in some cases, they can flip over the car doors to absorb even more force.
The Independent profiled an Olympic cyclist who has started a dooring awareness campaign after suffering a devastating accident in Belgium. In 2024, Remco Evenepoel had the frame of his bicycle broken when he struck an open door on a post office vehicle. The champion cyclist suffered a dislocated collarbone and a bruised lung.
Cyclists of all ages can be hurt in these frightening collisions. Some victims may need only a trip to the emergency room at Ascension St. John Medical Center and to wait a week for soreness to go away. Others could suffer broken bones and head trauma. They may be out of work for weeks and need expensive physical therapy to have a chance to return to the rides they love. Cyclists should never have to face these costs alone when a car occupant’s mistake is to blame.
Who Is Responsible After a Dooring Accident?
Drivers and passengers don’t intend to hurt anyone when they exit their vehicles, but they are still liable for their actions and lack of care, even when the vehicle is turned off. Their car insurance companies are accountable.
Unfortunately, insurance adjusters may resort to blaming cyclists or questioning the level of injuries, simply to get away with offering much less in compensation than victims need. They can also find excuses to reject injury claims and get away with providing no support at all.
If you don’t have a skilled bicycle accident lawyer on your side, insurers often get away with these shady tactics. A lawyer will be fully investigating what happened to you and will gather evidence to force insurers to accept financial responsibility. A lawyer can often secure much more for your claim than you could by taking on insurance companies yourself.
Support for Tulsa Dooring Accident Victims
Your attorney will be asking for support for every hardship you’ve been through.
Your lawyer may also seek money or things you didn’t know could add to your bicycle accident settlement check:
- Compensation for all medical bills and physical therapy costs
- Long-term compensation for victims who suffer permanent physical disabilities or disfigurements
- Support for the physical pain victims are forced to endure
- Support for the emotional trauma that bicycle collision victims must often cope with
- Support for the loss of enjoyment of life when victims can’t ride their bikes
- Money to pay for transportation costs to get to doctor’s appointments
- Compensation for the lost income and benefits victims lose while out of work
- Money to replace a bike and other property that’s been damaged
Contact a Tulsa Bicycle Accident Lawyer If You’ve Been Hurt In a Dooring Accident
We have an extensive background in safeguarding bicycle accident victims. At Ylla | Gosney Attorneys At Law, we want safe bicycle rides for every rider. We also want to fully protect victims if they are forced into a serious accident by careless drivers in dooring collisions. We offer a free, no-obligation case review with a real Tulsa Bicycle Accident Lawyer.
If you need our help, you don’t have to worry about finding the money to pay a bicycle accident lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your case against the city for you. Then our fee comes out of the support the city is forced to pay you.
