Chicago Bicyclist Doored on Damen Avenue

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a 25-year old bicyclist injured in a dooring on Tuesday April 2nd. The bicycle crash occurred when the bicyclist was traveling southbound down Damen Avenue in Bucktown after getting off of work. As the cyclist crossed the intersection of Webster and Damen, the driver of a 2007 Volvo XC90 SUV was parked curbside on southbound Damen. Just as the bicyclist approached on the bike lane, the driver suddenly opened the driver side door into the direct path of the cyclist. The cyclist was squarely in the designated bike lane at the moment of impact.

The cyclist was not able to stop prior to impact and was into and then over the steel-beamed door of the Volvo. The cyclist first struck his head, right shoulder, and neck upon impact with the Volvo's door and then had a hard landing onto the southbound motorist lane of Damen Avenue.

This case again highlights the dual danger that dooring collisions pose to cyclists. The collision with the car door itself is a serious and potentially lethal object as the car door is one of the most highly reinforced areas of the car. However, the collision with the door also can throw the cyclist off of his/her bicycle and into the motorist lane--into the direct path of incoming traffic.

Fortunately in the case of this 25-year old bicyclist, no subsequent collisions with any other motor vehicles occurred after the dooring. However, the bicyclist still required emergency treatment and was taken by ambulance to nearby St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital. As a result of the impact with the Volvo's door, he did suffer short-term memory loss in addition to his physical injuries. Medical treatment on behalf of the bicyclist is ongoing.