For a cyclist, riding on the road where cars are parked to the side can be extremely dangerous, and puts the cyclist at risk of becoming a victim of a ‘dooring’ accident. That is exactly what happened to a 62-year-old Santa Barbara homeless man, one Mr. Lopez, on a late Saturday afternoon. Mr. Lopez suffered physical injuries as a result of the accident, and filed suit against the party who opened the door. Recently, a Santa Barbara County jury issued a verdict of $85,000 to Mr. Lopez, who pursued civil action with the help of his Ventura personal injury lawyer.
A Dooring Accident Leading To Injuries
Mr. Lopez was riding his bike along State Street at approximately 5:00 p.m. after finishing his shift at Chick-fil-A. Without warning, the passenger of a parked vehicle—Lisa Wicklman—opened her car door without looking. Mr. Lopez hit the car door while traveling at a speed of approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour, and was immediately taken to the hospital by paramedics.
Mr. Lopez suffered an obvious clavicle fracture at the scene of the accident. Later, he also claimed knee injuries, although these were not originally recorded in his initial hospital visit. Five months after the incident, Lopez underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for a meniscus tear related to the accident; he has since healed fully.
The Plaintiff v. The Defendant
The plaintiff (Lopez) in the case of Lopez v. Wicklman alleged that the defendant in the case (Wicklman) was liable for the plaintiff’s injuries based on the fact that the defendant opened her door without looking, as a result of impatience, and that her actions as such were the direct cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. The defendant, on the other hand, claimed that had the plaintiff been riding at a more reasonable speed, he could have avoided the door. Further, the defendant also claimed that the knee injury suffered by the plaintiff was not related to the door accident.
The plaintiff requested $125,000 in damages; the defendant offered $44,400. While only $44K was offered, $85K was awarded during the verdict.
Attorney Trevor Quirk Can Help You, Too
The attorney for Mr. Lopez was Trevor Quirk of the Quirk Law Firm, LLP. Ventura personal injury lawyer Trevor Quirk is passionate about helping accident victims, regardless of their past history – for example, Mr. Lopez was not only homeless, but also had been charged with three past felony charges. Regardless of who you are, if you have been injured, you deserve justice. And at the Quirk Law Firm, LLP, our attorneys have more than 20 years of continuing legal experience representing victims like you. To learn more about our services, call our skilled Ventura personal injury lawyers today at 805-650-7778.
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