Dooring Bike Accidents

Dooring accidents are sometimes dismissed as minor because the car itself was parked or stopped. The reality is that my law firm has seen some terrifying injuries resulting from these crashes. Bicyclists can be thrown over the handlebars or even into traffic. This kind of collision can produce the same kinds of orthopedic and head injuries seen in much larger collisions.

With decades of litigation experience in New York’s state and federal courts, The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel works closely with clients throughout the legal process while building strong cases designed to withstand aggressive defense tactics. For decades, Mark A. Siesel has been an active member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) and the American Association for Justice (AAJ), two prominent organizations serving trial lawyers who advocate for injured individuals.

If you’ve been injured in a dooring accident, schedule a free consultation with the firm today.

What Does New York Law Say About Opening Car Doors Into Traffic?

Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1214 indicates that a person may not open a motor-vehicle door on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and the door can be opened without interfering with that traffic. The statute also prohibits leaving a door open on the traffic side longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

The wording means the person inside the car is supposed to determine that opening the door is safe before the door enters the cyclist’s path.

New York appellate courts have applied this rule in bicycle cases. In Garcia v. BLS Limousine Service of New York, for example, the Appellate Division affirmed summary judgment for a cyclist where a driver opened a vehicle door when it was unsafe and struck the bicycle.

What If a Passenger Opened the Door?

The most useful word in Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1214 may be “person.” The statute does not say only a driver must check for traffic before opening a door. A passenger stepping out of the rear seat can violate the same rule.

That becomes especially important in taxi, car-service, and rideshare accidents.

Courts have treated opening a vehicle door to exit as part of the vehicle’s “use and operation” in circumstances involving New York’s vehicle-owner liability statute. In a 2025 New York County case involving a cyclist and a car-service vehicle, the court considered claims arising after a rear passenger opened a door into the rider’s path. The identity of the driver, owner, and passenger all mattered.

That is why photographing the license plate can be more valuable than arguing with the passenger on the sidewalk. The plate gives an investigator a path back to the vehicle.

Can the Insurance Company Still Blame the Cyclist?

Yes. An insurer may argue that the rider was moving too fast for the conditions, was distracted or had enough time to avoid a door that had already been standing open. Whether those arguments have merit depends on the evidence and usually on an investigation.

Current New York law also makes comparative fault more consequential in motor-vehicle cases governed by Article 51 of the Insurance Law. Under the present version of CPLR § 1411(b), a claimant’s conduct can bar recovery if it exceeds the culpable conduct of the defendant or defendants against whom recovery is sought.

Speed, visibility, reaction time, and lane position may eventually become part of a percentage-of-fault argument. In a current Article 51 case, those percentages can matter much more than they once did.

The right response is to determine whether there was actually enough time and distance to avoid the door. This is where video evidence is very important.

What If I Was Riding Outside the Bike Lane?

Being outside a bicycle lane does not automatically mean a cyclist was riding unlawfully. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1234 generally directs cyclists toward a usable bicycle lane when one is provided and otherwise toward the right side of the roadway. But the same statute recognizes that a cyclist may move away from that position when reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions.

If the lane runs directly beside parked vehicles, a cyclist may be exactly where the street markings say to ride when a driver’s door suddenly occupies most of that space. A rider may also have moved left because hugging the parked cars created the greater danger.

Who Pays the Medical Bills After a Dooring Accident?

A cyclist injured through contact with a motor vehicle can fall within New York’s No-Fault system even though the cyclist was never inside the vehicle. New York courts have recognized cyclists injured by motor vehicles as persons covered by Article 51 in appropriate circumstances.

That means the vehicle’s No-Fault coverage may become the first source of payment for qualifying accident-related medical expenses and portions of lost earnings, regardless of who ultimately proves responsible for opening the door.

Basic economic loss under New York’s No-Fault law is generally capped at $50,000 per person, subject to the statute’s rules and available additional coverage.

In addition, written notice of the No-Fault claim generally must be submitted to the proper insurer within 30 days after the accident unless there is a clear and reasonable justification for the delay. Medical providers generally have their own 45-day submission deadline for bills.

A cyclist with a fractured collarbone may understandably spend those first weeks thinking about an orthopedic appointment, but deadlines keep ticking away.

Do I Have to Prove a “Serious Injury”?

In many dooring cases involving an insured motor vehicle, yes, if the cyclist seeks compensation for pain and suffering.

New York Insurance Law § 5104 generally prevents a covered person from recovering non-economic damages from another covered person for injuries arising from negligence in the use or operation of a motor vehicle unless the injury satisfies the statutory “serious injury” requirement.

Some dooring injuries meet that threshold plainly. A fracture is specifically included in New York’s definition of serious injury.

Other cases require more medical development. A shoulder injury may produce a significant limitation without appearing dramatic on the first emergency-room X-ray. A cervical injury may be diagnosed only after symptoms persist and additional imaging is performed.

What If the Open Door Threw Me Into Another Vehicle?

The person who opened the door may bear responsibility for creating the initial emergency. The driver involved in the second impact may have separate questions to answer about speed, following distance and opportunity to react. The facts determine whether responsibility rests with one person or several.

Those distinctions now matter even more because of New York’s current comparative-fault framework in Article 51 cases. Identifying every potentially responsible person is not simply about finding another insurance policy. Fault allocation itself may affect whether and how much the injured rider can recover.

Frequently Asked Questions About New York Dooring Bike Accidents

Speak With The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel About a New York Dooring Accident

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel represents injured people in White Plains, Westchester County, the lower Hudson Valley and throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The firm has served New York accident victims for more than four decades and provides direct representation from the beginning of a case through settlement, alternative dispute resolution, or trial.

If you were injured because a driver or passenger opened a vehicle door into your path, don’t assume the accident was unavoidable simply because it happened quickly. New York law specifically regulates the act that caused the collision.

Contact The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel for a free consultation about your dooring bicycle accident.