Case study: compensation for cyclist injured in hit-and-run ‘dooring’ accident

‘Dooring’ occurs when a passenger or driver of a car opens their vehicle door, without looking properly, into the path of another road user, such as a cyclist or pedestrian. With growing numbers of cyclists, dooring has become a major cause of accidents.

Our personal injury solicitors recently helped a cyclist claim compensation after a dooring accident left him with serious injuries.

Injuries after dooring accident

Our client, Mr W, was cycling along a road when a driver, who was parked on double yellow lines, opened their car door into our client. The Defendant driver drove away after the accident, but a witness managed to get a photograph of his vehicle.

As a result of the dooring accident, Mr W sustained the following injuries:

• A head injury which required 9 stitches;
• Soft tissue injuries to his neck, left shoulder and right hip; and
• Various cuts and bruises.

He also sustained financial losses, including damaged clothing, and had paid for some private medical treatment.

Claiming for personal injury

Our personal injury lawyers ran a search on the Defendant’s vehicle registration number and found that the vehicle was not insured at the time of the accident. Therefore, we submitted the claim to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) under their Uninsured Drivers’ Agreement, which allows road accident claims to be pursued by Claimants against Defendants who do not have valid insurance at the time of the accident and can claim compensation.

The MIB conducted their investigations and agreed to deal with the claim but as the Defendant driver died before their investigations could be finalised, the claim was dealt with under the Untraced Drivers’ Agreement. This process allows road accident claims to be pursued by Claimants against Defendants who are unidentified at the time of the accident, i.e. a ‘hit and run’, and can claim compensation.

To assist in assessing the compensation, the MIB did the following:

• Arranged for a witness statement to be taken from our client about the accident and his injuries;
• Obtained Mr W’s medical records; and
• Instructed a GP and a Plastic Surgeon to examine our client and prepare a report on his injuries.

The GP report suggested that Mr W’s ongoing soft tissue injuries would resolve within 15 months of the accident date. A report from a Plastic Surgeon to provide further comment on his scarring was also recommended.

The Plastic Surgeon’s report noted that Mr W’s scars had healed well and will continue to fade, but they are ultimately permanent and would be visible upon close inspection.

Offer of settlement

Following receipt of the medical evidence, the MIB made an offer of settlement of £7,500, which was accepted by our client.

Contact our personal injury solicitors

Although car dooring incidents tend to lead to relatively minor injuries, they can unfortunately lead to serious injury or death. Dooring can be easily avoided by drivers and passengers looking properly and being diligent about how they treat fellow road users. Read more about dooring accidents in our blog.

If you’ve been injured in a dooring accident or another road traffic incident, contact our personal injury lawyers on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online form.