Victim of Dooring in Lincoln Park Receives Insurance Settlement

A Chicago bicyclist who was doored on Diversey Parkway in June of 2014 has received a substantial settlement from the insurance company for the driver that caused her injuries. The dooring occurred as the bicyclist was riding eastbound on Diversey towards its intersection with Sheffield Avenue in Lincoln Park. At the same time the driver had just parked her vehicle on Diversey and swung her driver’s door open into the designated bike lane where the bicyclist was unable to avoid the collision.

As a result of the collision with the door and the landing after the impact, the bicyclist suffered numerous injuries including a broken foot. It is troubling that bicycle accidents from doorings still occur in areas like Lincoln Park where there are designated bike lanes and consistent bicycle traffic. The law in Illinois generally and Chicago specifically make the act of dooring illegal. Section 11-1407 of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Section 9-80-035 of Municipal Code of Chicago address this issue with the same statutory language:

"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."

As with almost all doorings, this one could have been avoided had the driver simply checked over her shoulder and her mirror and looked for bicycles that could be expected down the dedicated bike lane. This seemingly simple failure resulted in a bad injury to a young student who ended up with a broken foot, a pile of medical bills, and missed time from work. This insurance settlement for the bicycle accident more than compensates the bicyclist for her medical bills and missed time from work and also compensates her for the pain and suffering she went through while recovering from her injuries. 

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights/Weekends). Our staff and operators are available around the clock. You can also email Mike@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.