This week we obtained another $100,000.00 (full policy limits) recovery for cyclist "doored" on 19th Street in Manhattan. Our client was traveling West on 19th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. As vehicular traffic was stopped, our client attempted to pass traffic on the right. As he was traveling along side the defendant's vehicle, a door swung open into his path. Our client attempted to avoid the opening car door, swerved, and crashed. No contact was ever made between the cyclists and the door. As a result of the fall our client sustained a severely fractured wrist.
This case is an important illustration that contact between a bike and a vehicle is always not necessary in order to establish negligence on behalf of a driver or exiting passenger. It was the act of improperly opening the car door that was the proximate cause of the crash making the Defendants responsible. We were extremely happy to help out another NYC cyclist get justice for their injury and hold the defendant responsible for this dangerous and negligent act.