Car Door Opened Into Path
A car door opening into the path of your motorcycle can be a heart stopping moment as you swerve to avoid the door. Sadly, these incidents can often lead to a motorcycle accident, injury and occasionally a fatality.
In this blog, we’ll look at how to go about making a compensation claim, if a car door opened into the path of your motorcycle.
Contact our Motorcycle Accident Claims Solicitors
To discuss making a motorcycle accident claim, please get in touch with our team today. You can call us on 01446 438151, fill in our online form or email info@bikelawyer.co.uk for support.
Car Dooring
Car dooring is a short way of describing an accident, where a motorist or their passenger opened a car door into the path of a motorcycle.
Many motorists think nothing of opening their door without carefully checking first or allowing their children to do so.
Car dooring and the law
Car dooring is illegal. Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to open the door of a vehicle on a road so as to injure or endanger any person.
Car dooring and the Highway Code
A car door opening into the path of other traffic is contrary to the Highway Code.
Rule 239 on parking says motorists:
- Must ensure they don’t hit anyone when opening their door and check for traffic by looking all around and using their mirrors
- Where able to do so, open their car door using the hand on the opposite side to the door they are opening. This manoeuvrer makes the motorist turn their head to look over their shoulder and reduce the risk of an accident
The Code also says it is safer for passengers (especially children) to get out of the vehicle on the side next to the kerb.
Claiming compensation for a car door opened into the path of a motorcycle
You may be able to claim compensation if you are a motorcyclist who has been the victim of car dooring.
All motorists owe their fellow road users and pedestrians a duty of care.
Motorist alleging contributory negligence for car dooring
A motorist may claim that you as a motorcyclist were the negligent road user and you were either fully or partially responsible for the accident and your injuries.
At Bikelawyer we’ll help investigate your compensation claim and can discuss responsibility or contributorily negligence.
We offer a free consultation to discuss your accident and the circumstances that led to it. If we think you have a claim, we can talk you through what is involved in the motorcycle injury claims process and the timescales to secure compensation.
At Bikelawyer we can represent you on a no win, no fee basis to help you secure compensation. This means you do not have to pay anything upfront to start a claim with us and you only need to pay our fees if you receive compensation.
Contact our Motorcycle Accident Claims Solicitors
At Bikelawyer, we are experts in motorcycle accident claims and we can assist clients across the country.
To discuss making a motorcycle accident claim, please get in touch with our team today. You can call us on 01446 438151, fill in our online form or email info@bikelawyer.co.uk for support.
