Motorcycle Accidents Caused By Open Doors

Injury Lawyer Helping Victims Nationwide

Motorcycle accidents are a dangerous and potentially fatal tragedy that happen every day. Unfortunately, so many of these accidents could be prevented with a little more caution and common sense by pedestrians and other drivers. Accidents involving car doors left hanging open as other drivers leisurely gather their belongings or wait to get out of the car are some of the most common in cities and are likely to cause serious injury or even death to both the rider and the other party. When accidents like these happen, having a good Houston personal injury lawyer is important to help you maximize your financial compensation for the incident and maintain your reputation as a safe rider.

Sadly, one of the reasons that accidents involving open doors are so common is that many metropolitan areas are highly congested. With hundreds of cars and bikes shooting down a main drag in any given hour, the potential for accidents in general grows ever higher. In tightly packed cities, residential areas often get highway level traffic and residents rarely have dedicated parking. This means attempting to parallel park on an already busy street and, depending on which side of the street the driver chooses to park, exiting their car into traffic.

One of the main things to remember about this type of accident is that is is preventable. For drivers parking street side, if they are able to park so that they may exit onto the sidewalk, they are in far less danger. Additionally, it is wise for the parked individual to gather their belongings before they begin to exit the car; when they are prepared to exit, they should scan the area thoroughly and then exit their car quickly and safely. Bikers can take a role in preventing open door accidents too. When possible, avoid heavily populated city roads with a great deal of residential traffic. If you see someone lingering with their car door open, begin to slow down at a safe rate to give the driver a chance to shut the door or get out of the way. These courtesies can go a long way in preventing serious, life threatening, and potentially fatal incidents.

There are other causes for accidents of this type that are more difficult to prevent. Sometimes, visibility conditions are not ideal for driving but motorists still need to travel from place to place. A slick spot in the road or a driving rain could certainly stop a biker from being able to see an open car door. A dark night with a lot of fog could make everything in the distance look exactly the same. On a bright day, someone parking their car might have a glare of sunlight shining in their eye from the rear view mirror, disabling them from seeing the biker traveling down the road. Motorcycle riders are always advised to be extremely aware of the conditions of the road to prevent slick roads, fog or bright light from causing a preventable incident.

The damage caused by open car door motorcycle accidents is often irreversible. The neurological system of the victim may be damaged beyond repair, causing the receptors that make them feel pain to go into overdrive. This leaves the victim in constant and terrible pain, which can prevent them from working and going to school. It can cause depression, anxiety and even suicide. Cranial injuries are also extremely common. External injuries such as road rash or friction burns and cuts are expected. The victim may bleed internally and has a serious chance of spinal injury, up to and including total paralysis. Victims of open car door motorcycle accidents may face serious physical scarring or disfigurement, including partial or full limb amputations. These are just the most common of the many serious injuries that can result from these tragic accidents.

Recovery from open car door motorcycle accidents is often slow and painful. If loss of motion or limb is sustained, the victim will need to go through extensive physical and occupational therapy to even have a chance of living a normal life again. Broken bones, lacerations and friction burns have to be carefully monitored to prevent infection. Certain neurological defects caused by these accidents are completely irreversible, leaving the victims in agonizing pain for the rest of their lives. Worse yet, while struggling with injuries from which they may never fully recover, accident victims are losing time and money, unable to work. Even with the best insurance, they are still accumulating an unbelievably high figure in medical bills. Legal representation is absolutely necessary in these situations to make sure that the accident victim and their family get what they deserve.

Facts About Motorcycle Accidents

From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• In 2013, the federal government stated that an estimate that 26 times the number of motorcyclists were killed per mile traveled than traditional auto drivers
• Helmet use for motorcyclists is only legally mandatory in the District of Columbia and 19 additional states
• in 2013, 42% of accidents involving a motorcycle were single vehicle incidents

If you or a loved one have been involved in an open car door motorcycle accident in Texas, The Doan Law Firm is here to help you get the compensation you deserve. It’s never too late or too early to contact us about your accident, because we are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our goal is to help you seek justice for you and your family, and we don’t see a cent unless you win. We would love to give you a free phone consultation to help you better understand how we can work with you to get the compensation you need for your accident. At The Doan Law Firm, we pride ourselves in being number one in customer service. Helping Texans is our business, and we won’t stop working for you until you get the results you deserve. Our accomplished personal injury lawyers are waiting by the phone to give you the help you need and talk about how we can proceed with your case. Call us today to see how we can help you!