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A dooring accident happens in a fraction of a second, but the consequences can last far longer. If this happened to you, you already know how frightening and disorienting it is. You also deserve to know that under Illinois law, the person who opened that door may be fully responsible for your injuries and your losses.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., our Chicago bicycle accident lawyers have been fighting for injured cyclists since 2002, recovering more than $100 million for everyday working people.
When you need a Dooring Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Chicago, we are ready. Choose Charlie.
How We Build Your Dooring Accident Case
Dooring accident cases can seem straightforward, but insurance companies do not always make them easy. Here is how our Chicago personal injury lawyers approach these cases:
Gathering Evidence From the Accident Scene
We move quickly to secure police reports, traffic camera footage, surveillance video from nearby businesses, and any other available documentation of the crash. Evidence disappears fast, and early action makes a significant difference.
Establishing Liability
Proving liability in a bicycle accident claim requires evidence and experience. We review Illinois traffic laws, the circumstances of the crash, and all available evidence to build a clear picture of who is responsible.
In some cases, more than one party shares liability, and identifying every responsible party can directly affect the compensation available to you.
Documenting Your Injuries and Losses
We work with your medical providers to document the full extent of your bicycle accident injuries, including future treatment needs and long-term impacts on your health, your ability to work, and your quality of life.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Before founding this firm, our lead attorney spent years on the other side of the table, working within the insurance industry and learning firsthand how carriers evaluate, negotiate, and minimize claims.
That inside knowledge now works entirely in your favor. When the insurance company tries to lowball your settlement or poke holes in your case, we already know what they are going to do before they do it.
Fighting for Full Compensation
We pursue every dollar of economic damages and non-economic damages you are entitled to, and we do not settle until we are confident the offer reflects the true value of your case.
What If I Was Not in a Designated Bike Lane?
You do not have to be riding in a protected bike lane or a designated bike lane to have a valid dooring accident claim in Chicago. Illinois law recognizes cyclists as legitimate users of the roadway and extends legal protections to them regardless of where they are riding.
The key question in a dooring case is not which lane you were in. It is whether the person who opened that door failed to check for oncoming cyclists before doing so. If they swung that door open without looking and you were hurt as a result, they may be held responsible, whether you were in a bike lane, a travel lane, or anywhere else on the road.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
If you were injured in a dooring accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for a wide range of losses. In legal terms, these fall into two categories:
Economic Damages
These are the financial losses you can directly measure, including:
- Medical bills for emergency care, hospitalization, and treatment you’ve already received
- Future medical expenses for ongoing care, surgery, physical therapy, or rehabilitation
- Lost wages for the time you missed from work during your recovery
- Out–of–pocket costs related to your injury and recovery
- Property damage to your bicycle and any other personal belongings damaged in the crash
Non-Economic Damages
These are the losses that do not come with a price tag but are just as real:
- Pain and suffering for the physical pain and emotional toll of your injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life if your injuries have affected your ability to ride, exercise, or do the things you love
Every personal injury case is different. Our dooring accident attorneys in Chicago will review every aspect of your situation and make sure your personal injury claim reflects the full scope of what you have been through.
Illinois Law and the Statute of Limitations
Under Illinois law, you generally have two years from the date of your dooring accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is called the statute of limitations. Missing it can permanently take away your right to seek compensation, regardless of how strong your case is.
Two years can feel like plenty of time, but dooring accident cases benefit enormously from early action. Traffic camera footage gets deleted. Witnesses become harder to locate. Physical evidence disappears. The sooner you get a bicycle accident lawyer involved, the stronger your case will be.
If a government entity may share responsibility for your accident, the deadline to take action can be even shorter. Do not wait to reach out.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries in Dooring Cases
Because cyclists have no protective barrier between themselves and a vehicle door, bicycle accident injuries from dooring crashes can be serious and long-lasting. Some of the most common injuries we see include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): When a cyclist is thrown from their bike and strikes their head on the door, the pavement, or another vehicle, the result can be a traumatic brain injury ranging from a concussion to permanent cognitive damage. Even helmeted cyclists can suffer TBIs in severe dooring crashes.
- Spinal cord damage and spinal injuries: Impact with a vehicle door or a subsequent fall can cause serious damage to the spinal cord, resulting in chronic pain, limited mobility, or, in the most severe cases, partial or complete paralysis.
- Broken and fractured bones: Wrists, arms, collarbones, and ribs are commonly fractured when a cyclist tries to brace for impact or is thrown to the ground.
- Soft tissue injuries: Ligament tears, muscle strains, and tendon damage can cause significant pain and long recovery times, even when they do not appear on imaging.
- Internal organ damage: The force of a dooring impact or a subsequent collision with the ground or another motor vehicle can cause internal bleeding and organ damage that may not be immediately obvious.
- Road rash and lacerations: Sliding across pavement after a bike crash causes painful skin injuries that can lead to infection and scarring.
- Wrongful death: In the most tragic dooring cases, particularly those where a cyclist is thrown into oncoming traffic, the accident can be fatal.
Contact Our Dooring Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Chicago Today
Before starting this firm, our lead attorney spent years working within the insurance industry. That firsthand knowledge of how carriers think, negotiate, and look for ways to minimize claims gives us a genuine edge at the negotiating table and in the courtroom, one that most law firms simply cannot offer.
We work on contingency, so there are no upfront costs and nothing out of your pocket unless we win your case. And because we know your time and energy belong with your recovery, we make it easy to stay connected without unnecessary trips to the office.
If you’ve been in a cycling accident, you have legal rights. Contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., today for a free consultation.
