An e-bike rider can suffer catastrophic injuries without ever being struck by a moving vehicle.
A driver or passenger who opens a car door into the path of an approaching e-bike can cause the rider to slam into the door, fall onto the pavement, or be thrown into moving traffic. A seemingly simple dooring accident can result in a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, multiple fractures, or permanent disability.
For an injured rider and their family, the consequences can extend far beyond the initial emergency room visit.
How E-Bike Dooring Accidents Happen
Dooring accidents typically occur when a vehicle is parked along a street and someone opens a door without adequately checking for approaching traffic.
An e-bike rider may have only seconds to react.
The rider may:
- Strike the vehicle door
- Be thrown over the handlebars
- Fall directly onto the roadway
- Swerve into another lane
- Be struck by another vehicle
Miami’s busy streets and areas with substantial bicycle and pedestrian traffic can create particularly dangerous conditions for these collisions.
Catastrophic Injuries From E-Bike Dooring Accidents
An e-bike rider has virtually no physical protection from a collision.
A dooring crash can cause:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Broken bones
- Pelvic injuries
- Internal injuries
- Severe lacerations
- Permanent nerve damage
DDRB focuses its personal injury practice on representing people whose lives have been fundamentally changed by catastrophic injuries. The firm identifies catastrophic injuries as those involving permanent impairment, disability, disfigurement, or scarring.
A serious brain or spinal cord injury may require extensive rehabilitation, ongoing medical treatment, assistive equipment, or long-term care.
Who May Be Responsible?
Liability depends on the circumstances of the accident.
The person who opened the door may have failed to take reasonable precautions before doing so. But another vehicle, roadway condition, or other factor may also have contributed.
Evidence can include:
- Surveillance video
- Witness statements
- Photographs
- Police reports
- Vehicle damage
- E-bike damage
- Accident-scene evidence
If the rider swerved to avoid the door and was then struck by another vehicle, the investigation may need to determine whether multiple parties contributed to the injuries.
The Long-Term Cost of a Catastrophic Injury
A catastrophic injury claim cannot necessarily be evaluated by looking only at medical bills received immediately after the accident.
A spinal cord injury may require lifelong care. A traumatic brain injury may affect memory, cognition, communication, employment, and independence.
A claim may therefore need to account for:
- Future medical treatment
- Rehabilitation
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Long-term care
- Permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
DDRB has specifically addressed the hidden lifetime costs associated with catastrophic injuries and the risk that insurance settlements may fail to account for future expenses.
Talk to a Miami E-Bike Accident Lawyer
A dooring accident can permanently change a person’s life.
If you suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, or another catastrophic injury in an e-bike dooring accident, our Miami E-Bike injury lawyers can investigate the collision, preserve evidence, identify potentially responsible parties, and pursue compensation for your immediate and future losses.
DDRB represents catastrophic injury victims throughout Miami and Florida.