Dooring Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in California
Justice for Riders Hit by Careless Drivers
When a Car Door Opens Into Your Lane, It Can Change Everything
If you’re here, you probably already know how devastating a motorcycle dooring accident can be. Maybe it happened to you—one second you’re riding through traffic, staying alert, and the next second a car door swings open right in front of you. You have nowhere to go. No time to react. You’re on the ground, your bike’s wrecked, and you’re lucky to be alive.
Or maybe it wasn’t you—it was someone you love. And now you’re dealing with hospital visits, bills, lost wages, and the heartbreaking reality that this all could’ve been avoided if someone had just looked.
If this is your story, we’re so sorry. At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we represent motorcyclists hurt in dooring accidents all over California. Because these aren’t just accidents—they’re acts of negligence. And when someone else’s carelessness leaves you seriously injured, we help you fight back.
What Is a Motorcycle Dooring Accident?
A “dooring accident” happens when someone inside a parked or stopped vehicle suddenly opens their car door into the path of a moving motorcycle, bicycle, or scooter. For motorcyclists, the results can be catastrophic. There’s no room to maneuver, no time to brake, and no protection from the impact.
In many cases, the rider is thrown from the bike, crashes into traffic, or suffers serious injury from direct impact with the door. Some riders are pushed into moving traffic. Others crash trying to swerve. And tragically, some lose their lives.
This is one of the most preventable kinds of motorcycle crashes—and also one of the most frustrating. All the driver or passenger had to do was check their mirror. A quick glance. A second of awareness. That’s all it would’ve taken to prevent your injuries or your loss.
California Law Is Clear: Dooring Is Illegal
California Vehicle Code § 22517 says it plainly:
“No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”
In other words: If someone opens their door into a rider’s path, they are legally responsible.
This applies to:
Drivers opening their door while parked
Rear-seat passengers stepping out into a lane
Rideshare passengers (Uber/Lyft) exiting unsafely
Delivery drivers opening cargo doors
Anyone swinging a door open into traffic without looking
It doesn’t matter if the vehicle was stopped. It doesn’t matter if the rider was lane splitting. If you opened a door into a rider’s path and caused a crash, you’re at fault. Period.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Dooring Accidents
Most dooring accidents come down to one thing: someone not paying attention. We’ve helped riders injured by people who were:
Opening a car door without checking mirrors
Stepping out of Ubers or taxis without looking
Parked illegally or on busy city streets
Loading or unloading delivery vans in traffic
Letting kids exit the vehicle without guidance
These crashes often happen in urban areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego—but we’ve seen them in smaller cities like Fresno and Riverside and suburbs, too.
And while most of these crashes happen at lower speeds, that doesn’t mean the injuries are minor.
Dooring Accidents Can Cause Life-Altering Injuries
Motorcyclists have very little protection when it comes to sudden impacts—especially from a metal car door at close range. We’ve helped riders recover from:
Traumatic brain injuries (even with helmets)
Dislocated shoulders and hip fractures
Psychological trauma and PTSD
Many riders never see the door coming. The impact happens fast and violently—and even if you walk away from the crash, the long-term effects may follow you for years.
If you’ve been hurt in a dooring crash, we want you to know: you don’t have to go through this alone. You deserve answers. You deserve support. And you deserve full compensation for what you’ve lost.
What Riders Can Recover After a Dooring Crash
Under California law, motorcyclists injured by someone else’s negligence have the right to recover damages. This includes:
Emergency medical bills and hospital stays
Surgeries, physical therapy, and long-term treatment
Lost wages and diminished earning potential
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Damage to your motorcycle and riding gear
Loss of enjoyment of life—especially if you can’t ride anymore
And if you lost a loved one in a dooring accident, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit, which can include:
Funeral and burial costs
Loss of financial support from the deceased
Loss of companionship, guidance, and love
Grief and emotional suffering
Medical expenses incurred before death
Every case is different—but no matter how complex your situation, we’re ready to help.
What If the Person Who Opened the Door Blames You?
It happens all the time. The driver or passenger opens their door into a rider’s path and then claims:
“You were going too fast.”
“You were lane splitting.”
“I didn’t see you.”
“You came out of nowhere.”
“You should’ve stopped in time.”
Don’t let them shift the blame.
Lane splitting is legal in California. The law requires drivers and passengers to check their surroundings before opening a door. “I didn’t see them” isn’t an excuse—it’s an admission of guilt.
We’ll build a case that tells the real story. One backed by evidence, experts, and a deep understanding of how motorcycles work and how riders think.
What If the At-Fault Party Was a Passenger—Not the Driver?
In many dooring accidents, it’s not the driver who causes the crash—it’s a passenger. Someone stepping out of an Uber. A kid opening a backseat door. A delivery worker unloading gear. In those cases, the passenger may still be liable.
But don’t worry—you don’t have to figure this out on your own. That’s what we’re here for. At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we investigate every detail:
Who opened the door?
Whose vehicle was it?
Was it a commercial driver?
Was it a rideshare trip?
Was the vehicle illegally parked?
We track down every potential insurance policy and go after every responsible party. Because you shouldn't have to suffer because two people inside a car couldn’t be bothered to check for a motorcycle.
What to Do After a Dooring Motorcycle Accident
If you’ve been in a dooring crash, here are steps that can help protect your health and your case:
Call 911 immediately – Report the crash and request medical help.
Get witness information – Anyone who saw the door open or the crash happen can help your case.
Take photos, Videos and Make Diagrams– Document the position of the car, door, your bike, and your injuries.
Ask for a police report – Even if it seems “minor,” a report can go a long way.
Don’t speak to the insurance company – Let us handle that.
Get medical care – Even if you feel okay, some injuries (like concussions or soft tissue damage) take time to surface.
Contact a motorcycle injury lawyer – The sooner you reach out, the more we can do to help.
We Know the Roads. We Know the Risks. We Know How to Win.
This isn’t just a “motorcycle” practice area buried in a generic law firm website. We’re proud to be considered California’s Motorcycle Law Firm—built for riders, by someone who knows what it’s like to ride, what it’s like to lose people in crashes, and what it takes to get justice in a broken system.
We’ve helped riders injured in:
Downtown traffic in San Francisco and L.A.
Coastal rides through Monterey and Santa Cruz
Congested surface streets in San Diego
Rural roads in the Central Valley
College towns like San Luis Obispo and Chico
We know how motorcycles handle. We know how car doors can take out a rider in an instant. And we know how to explain that to a jury or insurance adjuster in a way that makes them take responsibility.
Why Riders and Families Choose McCarthy Motorcycle Law
We don’t just take motorcycle cases—we’ve dedicated ourselves to them.
You talk directly to an attorney (not a call center).
You can text, call, or email us anytime.
We investigate every case like it’s going to trial—because it might.
We’ve recovered millions for injured riders and grieving families.
We take fewer cases so we can give you more attention.
We care about your outcome—not just your case.
And we don’t charge anything upfront. If we take your case, we only get paid if you win.
If You Lost Someone You Love in a Motorcycle Dooring Accident, We’re So Sorry
There’s no preparing for the moment you get the call. There’s no way of knowing what comes next. Just grief, confusion, and a hundred questions no one seems to want to answer.
We’ve helped families pick up the pieces after fatal dooring crashes—parents, spouses, siblings, children. We help you understand your rights, pursue justice, and get the resources you need to carry on.
And we do it with compassion, respect, and a fierce commitment to holding the other side accountable.
Talk to a California Motorcycle Dooring Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve been hurt—or lost someone—in a dooring motorcycle crash, you don’t have to figure this out alone.
We’ll listen. We’ll investigate. And if we can help, we’ll fight like hell to make things right.
👉 Submit a Free Case Evaluation
It’s fast, confidential, and goes straight to our inbox. We usually respond the same business day.
You’re not just another rider. You’re not just another case. You matter. And we’ve got your back.