Being involved in a bicycle accident can be incredibly frightening due to the lack of protection cyclists have while in their vehicle. Bicycle crashes can result in even more traumatic injuries than other vehicle accidents on the road. The best course of action for bicycle accident victims to take is to contact the best bicycle accident lawyer Chicago has to offer as soon as possible.
Insurance will likely try to give you a settlement that is much smaller than what you actually deserve. Many people just take what they are offered because they do not realize that going to court is another option.
An experienced bicycle accident attorney in Chicago, IL from Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, will be able to evaluate your case to see whether or not it is worth pursuing greater compensation.
Table of Contents:
- Bicycle Accident Injury Statistics in Chicago, IL
- Why Do Bicycle Accidents in Chicago Occur?
- What Kind of Injuries Are Common in Bicycle Accidents?
- What Types of Damages Are Available for a Bicycle Accident?
- Contact a Chicago Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
- Chicago Bicycle Accident FAQs
Bicycle Accident Injury Statistics in Chicago, IL
While Chicago has made several efforts to make the streets safer for bicycling, the risk of injury or fatality remain high in the Chicago area. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were at total of 1,596 crashes involving cyclists in Cook County in 2021. Of those crashes, 1,443 resulted in injuries and 23 resulted in fatalities.
Why Do Bicycle Accidents in Chicago Occur?
Bicycle accidents can occur for any number of reasons. Sharing the road with cars, trucks, and other vehicles can be dangerous for bikers. With cell phones and other technology, it’s easier now more than ever for drivers to be distracted while driving.
Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Chicago with a motor vehicle that often require hiring a lawyer are due to:
Dooring. This occurs when a driver fails to check their mirrors for cyclists before opening their door into the bike lane.
Side-swiping. This common cause of bicycle accidents is when the driver fails to check for bicyclists in the bike lane before making a right hand turn.
Rear-ending. Rear-ending is pretty self-explanatory. This occurs when the driver gets too close to the cyclists and rear ends them.
Left-hand turns. A bicycle accident can often occur when a driver is makes a left hand turn but fails to yield a bicyclist’s right-of-way going straight.
Bicycle accidents in Chicago may also occur due to:
- speeding
- objects in the road
- construction
- improper lane changes by either the driver or cyclist
- user error by bicyclists
- improper backing
- falls
- distracted driving (i.e. cell phone use)
- rolling stops
What Kind of Injuries Are Common in Bicycle Accidents?
Due to the lack of protection, when a bicycle accident occurs, the biker typically sustains more severe injuries than in other motorized vehicle accidents. This can translate into incredibly high medical bills. Some of the most common injuries people see in bicycle accidents include the following.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Even if a cyclist was wearing a helmet, there could still be a great amount of damage done to a person’s brain, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. If there was enough force, it could cause permanent damage.
This could be a concussion that turns into something more problematic, it may cause swelling in the brain that causes damage, or it could crack the skull, causing severe blood loss. Helmets can only do so much to protect the rider’s head from damage. It is always important to wear one, but it does not mean the cyclist is completely safe.
Broken Bones
It is easy for a bicyclist to break a bone or multiple bones if they are thrown from their bike. If a car hits a cyclist, it will be unlikely that they walk away unscathed. A car can easily break a person’s bones by hitting them, as the vehicle is incredibly heavy and likely going at a high speed.
Bruises, Scratches, and Road Burn
The most common injuries in bicycle accidents are often external scratches and scrapes. Road burns can happen if a cyclist is thrown from their bike and flies across the ground. It can be incredibly painful and leave scars.
Internal Bleeding
This can be a problem in more serious bicycle accidents. You cannot tell from the outside that a person is injured this way, which is why it is so important to go see a medical professional if you are injured in a bicycle accident.
You should always see your primary care physician after a bicycle accident, even if you feel fine. Not only will he or she be able to check for common injuries, but your doctor can also take notes in case you decide to go to court regarding the accident at a later date.
Psychological Distress
These injuries can cause a lot of trauma for the body as well as the mind. Not all injuries are visible, as survivors of bicycle accidents may suffer from mental and behavioral problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression following an accident.
If victims are experiencing any mental, behavioral, or physical ailments they should seek professional medical treatment. It is also best to contact Chicago bicycle accident lawyers who can help you receive compensation for your health expenses.
What types of damages are available for a bicycle accident?
If you are a bicycle accident victim, you have likely suffered some type of loss, injury, or trauma. For this, you deserve compensation. By hiring a bicycle accident lawyer, you will have the best chance of receiving fair compensation for any damages caused by the accident.
Bicycle accident victims may be entitled to economic damages (i.e. medical bills) as well as noneconomic damages (i.e. emotional distress). Some examples include:
- lost wages
- medical bills
- mental health treatment
- physical therapy
Contact a Chicago Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
Whether or not you think you have a bicycle accident case against someone, you need to contact one of the experienced bicycle accident lawyers from Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers right after being involved in an accident. This will allow you to see if someone was at fault for your accident or needs to help you pay for any injuries and other damages sustained. We offer FREE consultations, so do not wait!
Chicago Bicycle Accident FAQs
If you or a loved one have been involved in a bicycle accident it would be in your best interest to contact a Chicago, IL bicycle accident lawyer clients can trust at Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers.
What should individuals do following a bicycle accident?
If you ever find yourself involved in a bicycle accident, the first thing to do is call 9-1-1 and wait for emergency medical response and law enforcement to arrive. Once you have received the medical attention you require and ensure the police have taken your report, it’s important to remember several actions to take following the incident.
- Document everything you can remember from the accident. As soon as you feel ready, write down everything you remember from the accident, big or small. You never know what detail may be useful down the line.
- Keep any evidence from the accident. Try not to wash or throw out any damaged clothing and avoid repairing your bike until you have collected and documented any evidence that can help your bike accident case.
- Never negotiate with the other party. Do not make any agreements or admit any fault with the motorist(s) involved. Remember that you just experienced something traumatic and it is easy for the mind to feel clouded. Your attorney is there to make sure you are not taken advantage of, so wait until you have spoken with one before agreeing to anything.
- Do not sign a settlement agreement with the insurance company until you’ve spoken with an attorney. At the end of the day, insurance companies are for profit and their goal is to pay as little as possible. An experienced bike accident lawyer can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
- Call a bicycle accident attorney. It is easy to feel overwhelmed following an accident. The last thing you want is to say something you regret or sign a document you do not fully understand. An attorney, like one at Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, can advocate for you during can be a very difficult and confusing process.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in Illinois?
It is best to contact an Chicago bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to file a bike accident lawsuit. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for bike accidents is similar to other personal injury cases. You have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim for your injuries and five years to file for property damage.
However, keep in mind that a significant amount of evidence may be required to prove your case. The last thing you want is for too much time to pass before you are able to collect the evidence you need to win your case.
Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers would be here for you every step of the way to give you the best chance to win your case.
How Can a Chicago Bicycle Accident Lawyer Help?
Bicycle accident lawyers are extremely beneficial to their clients. During an initial consultation, the lawyer will learn as much as they can about the accident, and their client’s injuries, and start working on a legal strategy. Many clients have questions regarding the legal process of seeking justice, accountability, and compensation for their injuries.
Thankfully, a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer can help as they provide answers, clarity, and support to their clients every step of the process. Clients should focus on what is truly important following an accident, their recovery, treatment, and overall health.
How May a Bicycle Accident Case Be Resolved?
Not all bicycle accident cases end in a trial before a judge or a formal lawsuit. Some cases can be settled outside of court with an insurance company. However the outcome of an accident case, attorneys will provide helpful insight, counsel, and support to their clients.
One of the experienced Chicago bicycle accident lawyers at Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers will be able to provide their clients with the pros and cons of legal decisions and whether it is worth negotiating a settlement or going to trial. Start your journey toward justice and contact a Chicago bike accident lawyer today.
When a collision occurs between a bicycle and a motor vehicle, the bicyclist is often the worse off of the two involved parties. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and even paralysis are just a few of the serious injuries that could occur, and when they do, cyclists often do not know how to respond. Sometimes, they do not even realize they may be able to file a lawsuit against a negligent driver.
Fortunately, if you are injured while riding your bike because of a negligent driver’s actions, you may have a valid claim that could get you the compensation you need to pay for medical bills and more. The first step to getting the full recovery to which you may be entitled, though, should be hiring a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer to manage your case and provide professional legal assistance.
Liability in Chicago Bicycle Accidents
Determining who is liable for a bicycle accident typically relies on finding out who was negligent in the accident. Legal negligence is defined as a lack of due care that caused the accident. Everyone on the road owes everyone else on the road this duty of care to ensure that everyone is kept safe.
When someone is found to be negligent, they could then be considered to be liable for the accident. Furthermore, they may be held responsible for paying compensation to injured victims if those individuals decide to file a lawsuit. In bicycle accident cases, this liable party is often the motor vehicle driver who was involved in the accident, but this is not always the case.
In some cases, other parties can be held liable for a bicycle accident. For example, if a bicycle was defective and part of it broke while the cyclist was riding, the cyclist may fall off the bike and into traffic. When that is the case, the bicycle manufacturer or a repair shop that just worked on the bike may be held responsible.
Compensation Available in Bicycle Accident Cases
The primary type of recovery bicycle accident victims often pursue is compensation for their medical expenses. Given the severity of potential injuries a bike crash may cause, these costs can be enormous, often to the point that the accident victim cannot pay them on their own. Reasonable medical costs as identified by an insurance claim process or at trial may be covered and sought as restitution in a lawsuit.
In addition, compensation may be available for lost income if the cyclist is left unable to work, and in the same vein, rehabilitative costs may also be claimed. If the accident caused damage to the victim’s bicycle, compensation for this property damage may be sought as well. Furthermore, if an accident victim is left in a great deal of physical or mental pain after their incident, intangible losses such as pain and suffering may be included in a settlement demand.
Finally, the court may even award the cyclist punitive damages if the liable party acted particularly erroneously or recklessly—for instance, if they were drunk at the time of the accident. This type of compensation is meant to punish the liable party for their egregious behavior.
Let a Chicago Bicycle Accident Attorney Help
There are many reasons why you may want to hire an attorney to help with a bicycle accident case in Chicago. In addition to offering legal advice and bringing their experience to the case, skilled counsel could take care of all the legal legwork while you and your family focus on recovery. They could collect police reports, gather medical documents pertaining to the accident, and even speak to the insurance companies on your behalf.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident, speak to a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer today. There is help available, and you may be entitled to compensation. Call today to schedule a consultation and start exploring your options.
Larry Wins Bicycle Accident Cases
With over $1 Billion in recoveries for our clients, Larry Disparti knows how to win! Plus, there is no fee unless we win your case. Contact our Chicago bicycle accident lawyers today. Come join the thousands who say “Larry Wins!”
Chicago Bicycle Accident Lawyer (312) 600-6000.
121 W Wacker Drive, Suite 2300, Chicago, IL 60601
