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Sandy Springs Dooring Accident Attorney
When a quiet bike ride through Sandy Springs turns into a painful accident caused by someone carelessly opening a car door, the aftermath can be overwhelming. A Sandy Springs dooring accident lawyer at Ashenden & Associates is here to help you understand your rights and take the next steps toward recovering financial compensation.
Dooring accidents often lead to serious injuries, including broken bones, nerve damage, and even traumatic brain injuries, leaving accident victims facing mounting medical bills, lost income, and emotional distress. Whether your personal injury claim involves neck injuries, internal injuries, or a tragic wrongful death, our legal team is ready to provide the legal representation you need.
Call 770-394-8909 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation with a Sandy Springs personal injury attorney at Ashenden & Associates.
What Is a Dooring Accident?
A dooring accident happens when someone in a parked vehicle opens a car door into the path of a cyclist, causing the rider to crash into the door or swerve into traffic. Most dooring accidents occur near sidewalks, in bike lanes, or alongside parallel-parked cars, usually because a driver or passenger failed to check for cyclists before opening their door.
These types of bicycle accidents are especially dangerous because riders have little time to react and no physical protection, making serious injuries more likely. Cyclists who have suffered head trauma, broken bones, or neck injuries in a dooring accident often face long recoveries and expensive medical care.
At Ashenden & Associates, our Sandy Springs bicycle accident lawyers help clients understand their legal options, identify the at-fault party, and seek fair compensation. If you’ve been struck by a car door while riding, you don’t have to handle the aftermath on your own.
Causes of Dooring Accidents in Sandy Springs
Dooring accidents in Sandy Springs often happen when someone in a vehicle opens a car door without paying attention to oncoming bicycle traffic. These incidents can lead to severe injuries such as broken bones, head trauma, and spinal damage. Poor visibility, distracted behavior, and weather conditions like rain or glare can increase the risk of these bicycle accidents.
In many personal injury cases, the other party may be held legally responsible for failing to check before opening the door. At Ashenden & Associates, our personal injury attorneys have experience handling these types of claims and helping victims pursue a fair settlement.
Common Injuries Caused by Dooring Accidents in Georgia
Dooring accidents can cause severe, often life-changing injuries for cyclists. At Ashenden & Associates, our Sandy Springs catastrophic injury lawyers understand how overwhelming the physical, emotional, and financial toll can be. Many accident victims suffer multiple injuries at once, leading to extended recovery periods or permanent disability. Our legal team has handled many personal injury cases involving the following dooring accident injuries:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Striking a car door or hitting the pavement can lead to serious brain injuries, such as concussions and lasting cognitive problems. Our Sandy Springs traumatic brain injury attorneys work with injured cyclists to pursue financial compensation for these life-altering conditions.
- Broken Bones: Cyclists involved in a dooring accident often suffer broken bones, including fractures to the wrists, arms, ribs, or legs.
- Road Rash: Being thrown from a bicycle during a dooring accident can cause the rider to slide across the pavement, resulting in painful skin abrasions that may bleed, scar, or become infected without proper medical attention.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: A hard fall caused by a dooring accident can result in serious damage to the spine or back, sometimes leading to nerve damage or long-term mobility issues. Our Sandy Springs spinal cord injury lawyers are committed to helping accident victims pursue compensation for these severe injuries.
- Facial Injuries: Striking a car door or the pavement during a dooring accident can lead to broken facial bones, eye injuries, and visible scarring that may require surgery or lead to lasting disfigurement.
Some injured cyclists also suffer internal injuries that may not be immediately visible but can be life-threatening without urgent care. In the most heartbreaking cases, these dooring accidents can lead to wrongful death.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries in a dooring accident, contact our Sandy Springs personal injury law firm today.
Legal Rights After a Dooring Accident in Atlanta
After a dooring accident in Atlanta, injured cyclists and their families have the right to seek compensation under Georgia law. Whether the crash led to painful injuries or a tragic wrongful death, the bicycle accident lawyers at Ashenden & Associates are here to protect your rights and help you take the next steps.
While the at-fault party may be held financially responsible, it’s common for the insurance company to deny liability or minimize the severity of the injuries. That’s why having strong legal representation is so important. Our Sandy Springs and Atlanta wrongful death attorneys work closely with clients to build a strong personal injury claim or wrongful death case and fight for the fair compensation you deserve.
Is a Dooring Accident Considered a Car Accident?
According to the nonprofit organization, Georgia Bikes, a dooring accident is considered a type of motor vehicle accident under Georgia law. Even though the bicycle may be the only vehicle in motion, opening a car door into traffic creates a dangerous situation and can make the driver or passenger liable for the injuries caused.
Georgia traffic laws require drivers and passengers to check for oncoming traffic, including cyclists, before opening a door. Failing to do so is considered negligent behavior and may make them legally responsible for the medical bills, non-economic damages, and other losses suffered by the injured cyclist.
At Ashenden & Associates, our Sandy Springs personal injury attorneys help victims of dooring accidents hold the at-fault party accountable, whether it is the driver, a passenger, or another third party.
Proving Negligence in a Dooring Case
Proving negligence in a dooring accident case depends on having clear evidence that shows how the accident happened and who was responsible. Important evidence may include police reports, witness accounts, and video footage from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, or other vehicles. Because Georgia follows comparative negligence laws, your financial compensation may be reduced if you’re found partially at fault for the accident.
This makes gathering evidence early in the process especially important. At Ashenden & Associates, our dooring accident attorneys work with clients to build strong claims against the at-fault party’s insurer, aiming to recover compensation for both economic losses, like medical bills, and non-economic damages such as pain, emotional distress, and long-term suffering.
Georgia Laws Protecting Cyclists
Georgia law includes several important rules designed to protect cyclists and reduce the risk of bicycle accidents. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-243, it’s illegal to open a car door on the side facing traffic unless it is reasonably safe and will not interfere with approaching vehicles or cyclists. This law is especially important in dooring accident cases, where a cyclist may crash into a car door that is opened without warning.
Another important protection is Georgia’s “Three-Foot Law” (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-56), which requires drivers to leave at least three feet of space when passing a bicycle. This helps create a safety buffer to prevent serious injuries caused by close or reckless driving.
Additionally, under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-294, cyclists must ride as close to the right side of the road as is practical, except when avoiding hazards, preparing to turn left, or when a lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle. This part of the law recognizes that cyclist safety sometimes requires more space and flexibility in how the road is used.
At Ashenden & Associates, our bicycle accident lawyers are well-versed in these statutes and are committed to advocating for the rights and safety of cyclists throughout Georgia.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Dooring Accident?
In a door-opening accident, the person who opened the door, whether a driver or passenger, can be held liable if their negligent behavior caused the crash. In some cases, the vehicle owner or a company may also share responsibility, mainly if the vehicle is being used commercially. Once liability is established, the insurance company for the at-fault party is typically responsible for covering damages.
How Our Sandy Springs Dooring Accident Attorneys Can Help
At Ashenden & Associates, our Sandy Springs personal injury attorneys are committed to helping victims of dooring accidents pursue the justice and compensation they deserve. We have years of experience handling dooring accident claims in Georgia, and we understand how overwhelming these situations can be, especially when dealing with serious injuries and mounting expenses.
Investigating the Circumstances of the Bicycle Accident
Our law firm conducts a thorough investigation into the circumstances of each bicycle accident to determine precisely how the dooring accident happened and who is responsible. We collect evidence, including police reports, surveillance footage, witness statements, and medical records, to support your claim.
Identifying Liable Parties and Preserving Evidence
Identifying who is at fault in a dooring accident is one of the first steps toward recovering compensation. At Ashenden & Associates, we take immediate action to preserve key evidence, including photos of the car involved, damage to the bicycle, and witness testimony.
This evidence is critical for proving liability and supporting your case. If you are injured due to a private driver or someone operating a company vehicle, we will work to hold the right party accountable and pursue a fair settlement that reflects the harm you have suffered.
Negotiating With Insurance Companies and Pursuing Maximum Compensation
When negotiating with the insurance company, our legal team fights for more than medical costs. Victims who have been injured in dooring accidents often suffer emotional distress, ongoing pain, and loss of enjoyment of life. These are non-economic damages that deserve full consideration.
Injured in a Dooring Accident? Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Sandy Springs Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a dooring accident, you do not have to deal with the legal process alone. At Ashenden & Associates, our dooring accident attorneys will evaluate your case, help determine who was at fault, and guide you through every step of your claim.
We are committed to helping you recover physically, emotionally, and financially. Contact our Sandy Springs bicycle accident lawyers today at 770-394-8909 or complete our online form to schedule your free consultation.