Bicycle accidents often have serious consequences. Injuries from these accidents can be severe and costly due to the lack of protection bicyclists have between themselves and the road or other vehicles.
A skilled DuPage County bicycle accident lawyer could help you establish who is liable for your accident and attempt to get you the compensation you may be entitled to. If you and your hardworking personal injury attorney are successful, you could receive money to help you heal, pay your bills, and hopefully get back on your bike one day as good as new.
Common Causes of Bike Accidents
Bicycle accidents happen far more often than they should. Unfortunately, most cases can be traced back to driver inattentiveness or some other form of negligence. Common causes include:
- Aggressive driving
- Distracted driving due to eating, technology, texting, or applying makeup
- Not being aware of surroundings
- Not obeying stop signs, stop lights, or other rules of the road
- Not yielding the right of way
All drivers have a duty to act with care while operating a motor vehicle. When they fail to do so, they likely breached their duty. If this breach causes an accident that leads directly to physical damages to another party, they have satisfied all the elements of legal negligence, which means a DuPage county bicycle accident attorney could work with that driver’s injured victim to file suit for damages.
Deadline for Filing
The deadline for filing a civil claim in Illinois is known as the statute of limitations. As per 735 ILCS 5/13-202, potential plaintiffs in DuPage County bicycle accidents have two years from the date of their crash to file a claim for damages.
A statute of limitations serves two primary purposes. First, it ideally ensures lawsuits are not based on outdated information and evidence that is several years old and likely not accurate. Second, it allows potential defendants to live without having to worry for years about a claim being filed against them.
Victims in a bicycle accident case may feel like two years is plenty of time. However, waiting until the last few months prior to the deadline to consult with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in DuPage County is rarely in their best interests and can be detrimental to their case.
Even attorneys who have represented hundreds of bicycle accident victims may need several months or more to properly conduct research, gather evidence and witness statements, and prepare a case prior to its filing. If a case is filed past the statute of limitations, the court would likely dismiss the case at the request of the defendant, and the plaintiff would not be able to seek recovery of their damages from this particular accident.
How a DuPage County Bicycle Accident Attorney Could Help
When you hire a qualified DuPage County bicycle accident lawyer, you are not just another case number. You are a valuable member of your own legal team, and your attorney could respect and support your needs and wants as you work together on your case.
A personal injury lawyer’s job is to provide you with the best possible legal advice and representation and to let you make educated decisions regarding how your case will proceed, all with the goal of reaching a positive outcome. To schedule an initial consultation and get started on your case, call today.