A bicycle crash can be difficult to recover from, physically, emotionally, and financially. Because bicycles offer little protection, injuries can be catastrophic, especially in crashes involving passenger cars or trucks. If you suffered injuries from a bicycle crash and believe negligence contributed to the situation, contact a lawyer from Clifford Law Offices.
Our attorneys have years of experience representing clients in personal injury lawsuits, and our firm has recovered more than $3 billion in compensation for clients since 1984. We practice open communication and treat all our clients as if they were family.
Chicago Bicycle Crash Statistics
In Chicago, our relatively flat city streets and beautiful parks make cycling a popular alternative to driving a car or taking public transit. However, this bike-riding culture leads to many crashes involving cyclists and motor vehicles. In a 2018 report, a bicyclist was killed almost every third day in the greater Chicago region. 8,414 bike crashes accrued across the state and 6,098 in Cook County.
Common Causes of Bicycle Crash in Illinois
Bicycle crashes often occur between a cyclist and a motor vehicle. They can occur because one or both parties involved violated a traffic law, confusion about the right of way, or perhaps because the motorist simply did not see the cyclist.
Common types of bicycle crashes include:
- Side-swiping: when a motorist traveling in the same direction as a cyclist hits the cyclist with the side of the car.
- Dooring: when a motorist opens the car door into the path of the cyclist and the cyclist hits the door.
- Rear-end crashes: when a motorist hits a cyclist from behind.
- Left-hand turn impacts: when a motorist making a turn fails to see a cyclist in the bike lane or crossing the street and hits the cyclist.
Common crashes occur at stoplights, stop signs, and right-hand turns as well. Often, the cause of these crashes is:
- Speeding
- Ignoring traffic signals
- Poor visibility
- Failure to yield
- Confusion over right-of-way
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Distracted driving such as texting and driving
Personal Injury Lawsuits for Bicycle Crash
Your compensation may include the following damages:
- Medical expenses for treatment and medication to heal your injuries
- Lost wages, if you had to stop working to recover from your injuries
- Pain and suffering, including emotional trauma suffered due to the crash
- Property damaged in the crash, including bicycle repairs or replacement
- Disability, if any of your injuries permanently or temporarily limited your mobility or quality of life
Under Illinois state law, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. If your claim involves property damage, you have five years to file. During the case, the jury will determine the liability of each party involved in the crash to arrive at the final settlement amount.
To prove that the at-fault driver is liable for the crash, the court will examine the facts of the case and review the evidence presented by both counsel. Illinois operates under a pure comparative fault standard, which means that if you are not 100% liable for the crash, you can receive compensation. However, the basis of your final settlement amount relates to your share of liability.
Our Bike Crash Results
- $6,000,000 for a six-year-old boy who was killed by a garbage truck while riding his bicycle. The truck driver did not see him because his vehicle was not equipped with proper side and back mirrors to spot children nearby.
- $3,000,000 for a young girl on a bicycle struck by a police car in a residential neighborhood. She is now quadriplegic.
- $700,000 for a 58-year-old who sustains a serious shoulder injury when his bicycle hits a pothole on the Lake Shore Drive bike path.
View more of our results here.
Contact Clifford Law Offices Today
If you suffered injuries in a bicycle crash, you deserve fair compensation for your financial losses. We will work diligently to recover the maximum possible compensation, handling the litigation process so you can recover. To schedule a free case review at our Chicago offices, contact us today.
