Following the collision, the injured bicyclist was admitted to the emergency room at Resurrection Medical Center. The hospital took several x-rays and the bicyclist was diagnosed with a shoulder separation and an injury to his tailbone. This settlement fairly compensated the injured bicyclist for his medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages from his time off of work, and provided money to repair his damaged bike.
Illinois law expressly prohibits the behavior of the driver in this case. Section 5/11-1407 of Illinois Vehicle Code states:
"No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers."Despite efforts to raise awareness, dooring remains a serious concern in Chicago. In 2012, doorings caused approximately 250 bicycle collisions within Chicago limits. To combat this problem, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel recently imposed an ordinance that will require all Chicago taxicabs to place a sticker on the rear passenger window that reads, "Look! Before Opening Your Door." In addition, in June 2013 the Chicago City Council approved the 2013 Bicycle Safety Ordinance which increases the fine for dooring a bicyclist.
Keating Law Offices has represented numerous victims of doorings not only in Chicago, but throughout Chicagoland and the rest of Illinois. While doorings most typically happen in congested urban areas, the Illinois law that prohibits doorings applies throughout the state of Illinois.
