Award-Winning Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Chicago, IL
Willens Injury Law Offices is a top-rated law firm with an award-winning team of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers and Bicycle Accident Attorneys who can help you when you have been injured in a bicycle accident. Since we charge no legal fees, unless and until we succeed in obtaining a monetary recovery for you, you can count on us fighting hard to get you the compensation you need and deserve.
We know that an injury case has the potential to take over a person’s life, making it difficult to move forward. People turn to us for the dedicated, caring help they require, regardless of the type of accident they were in or the type of injury sustained. We want to help them take control of their situation so they can focus on what matters most — getting back on track. This is also why many of our firm’s cases are referred to us from other lawyers and law firms who trust us to handle their friends, family members and clients’ personal injury cases.
Why Let Willens Injury Law Offices handle your Chicago Bicycle Accident Case?
Willens Injury Law Offices will fight your legal battles so you can focus on recovery. Our professional experienced lawyers will be with you every step of the way.
Call (312) 957-4166 For a Free Consultation
Millions in Case Verdicts & Settlements
Over the past two decades, Mr. Willens and his team of Chicago personal injury lawyers have been instrumental in obtaining numerous million-dollar-plus recoveries on behalf of clients in a wide variety of injury cases. One of the personal injury verdicts he was involved in was recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the Top 100 Verdicts in the country in the year in which it was tried. One of the verdicts he helped secure set a state record.
Need an Experienced Chicago Bicycle Accident Attorney?
To begin with, make sure you get medical treatment after any bicycle injury. Many cyclists don’t, perhaps feeling better than they are due to the adrenaline coursing through their system. Some symptoms like traumatic brain injury (TBI), may reveal themselves only days or weeks after an accident. Get checked by a medical professional and get that visit documented. With this important point established, let’s turn to the state of bicycle injuries in Chicagoland.
For many in Chicago, bicycling is a preferred way of traveling. Chicago hosts over 200 miles of bike lanes and there are plans to increase these lanes by 445 miles by 2020. Even with lanes dedicated to bicyclists, accidents involving vehicles will still occur. When a car hits your bike, damage to the car is minor, while the damage to your bike and your body will be severe. Cars come equipped with seat belts and airbags. The only airbag you have as a cyclist is the space between you and the ground. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2012 there were 726 bike accidents resulting in death.
Bicycle Accident Facts
- Dooring is illegal in Chicago. If a driver opens their door causing an accident, the motorist is liable.
- Unobservant driver. If a driver is unfocused, forgot to look both ways, and hits you, they are liable for damages to you and your bike.
- A motorist failed to yield. When you are cycling you have the right of way over merging vehicles.
- Distracted Drivers. Motorists preoccupied with their cell phones are a threat to anyone in their vicinity. If a driver is on their phone and hits you, they will be liable for damages and suffering.
- Driver inattention. Many accidents are caused when a motorist pulls out in front of a cyclist. You can claim compensation.
Chicago’s Most Dangerous Roads For Cyclists
Chicago has repeatedly been named one of the best US cities for cyclists. Biking is such a big part of our culture that cyclist safety is consistently prioritized by our transportation agencies. Yet bike crashes continue to plague the metro. NHTSA data shows us that Chicago pedestrian and cyclist fatalities still occur at a steady rate, accounting for 4.1 percent of all traffic deaths in 2016 and 2017. Statewide, the cyclist fatality rate has actually increased, from 1.8 percent in 2016 to 2.4 percent in 2017.
There are certain roads in the area that are notorious for bike accidents. A recent survey named Milwaukee Avenue, between North Avenue and Division Street, as the most dangerous Chicago road for bike riders. This confirms an earlier five-year study by the Chicago Department of Transportation, which lists the following streets with the most bike accidents per mile:
- Milwaukee, from North to Division – 70.1 crashes per mile
- Clark, from Racine to Fullerton – 48.6 crashes per mile
- Milwaukee, from Fullerton to Armitage – 48.1 crashes per mile
- Halsted, from Diversey to North – 29.9 crashes per mile
- Damen, from North to Chicago – 27.8 crashes per mile.
The CDOT also reports that the majority of the crashes occurred at intersections, particularly on Halsted, Fullerton, and Milwaukee Avenues. For Chicagoans, this comes as no surprise, as these are complex intersections where thousands of cyclists pass every day.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that bicyclists invite accidents. The CDOT report reveals that more than 40 percent of injury and fatal bike crashes involved a car driver that failed to yield.
For bike riders in Chicagoland, it pays to take note of the city’s dangerous intersections when planning a bike route. Further, practice extra caution when sharing the road with other motorists in this bustling metro.
Bike-sharing And Dockless Bikes: Who Is Liable In An Accident?
The Divvy Bike-share program, run by the CDOT, is a popular system of bike rentals in Chicago. In 2018, bicyclists also welcomed the city’s pilot program for dockless bikes, which can be rented without the need for docking stations. But while these bike-renting models are convenient and affordable, there have been concerns as to the safety of these systems and how victims can make a claim when a bike-share accident happens.
In general, Divvy bikes and dockless bikes are still covered by Chicago accident laws. If a motorist caused a collision with any of these bikes, the injured rider may make a claim against the at-fault motorist. If it was a bike rider that caused a crash by riding on the wrong lane, for instance, that rider would be held liable. If a bicycle is found to be inherently defective and accident-prone, a case could be brought against the manufacturer or distributor.
There could be additional challenges for victims of bike-sharing accidents, especially if they are claiming against a bike-share operator. For one, in case of a Divvy accident, it may be difficult to hold the government accountable for an injurious bike or bike station. States and city governments have considerable tort immunity, which means the City of Chicago may be exempt from injury claims arising from Divvy crashes.
Further, the City’s contract with its Divvy private partner (a company called Motivate, formerly Alta Bicycle Share) indemnifies the City for bike-related injury losses. If an injured party decides to sue Divvy, the City Hall may likely be off the hook, leaving the plaintiff to deal only with the private contractor.
This is an uphill climb, as private bike-share operators are well-equipped with insurance policies and legal defense teams. Their very first layer of defense could be as simple as Divvy’s waiver form, which disclaims their responsibility for accidents.
This is true with dockless bike rental companies as well. Vendors like LimeBike, Pace, and Jump have comprehensive Terms of Use that users have to agree to before they can ride. Bike-share crash victims can expect a company will use this user agreement as well as other legalities to avoid liability in the accident.
But despite these facts, it is still possible to pursue a successful claim for your bike-share injury. Again, accident laws still very much apply, so you can hold the at-fault party liable. If a powerful bike rental company or government entity is involved, you’ll want to consult an experienced and up-to-date accident attorney for your best chance of winning.
Willens Injury Law Offices: Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you have been in a bicycle accident, you need a professional lawyer on your side. You need the experienced services of Willens Injury Law Offices. We have lawyers dedicated to legal cases involving bicycles. We understand all of the laws and rules involving bikes and motorists. You will need money to repair your bike and heal your body. The costs of hospital visits, recovery, and long-term physical therapy can be astronomical. If you have been hit by a car or truck, we will make sure you get the compensation you deserve. In more drastic cases of accidental death, nothing will be able to replace your loved one, yet we will work hard to ensure that you are justly compensated for such a dramatic situation.
Child Bicycle Accident Injuries in Chicago
While cycling is a favorite activity of many children here in Chicago, there are risks parents and children should be aware of.
Cycling is an activity that promotes health and helps develop a child’s gross motor skills. Learning to ride a bicycle is a great milestone in a child’s life and gives them the joy of having a level of independence. Cycling, though, comes with its own inherent risks, and it is important for parents and children to recognize these risks. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 59 percent of individuals who reported to emergency rooms for treatment of bicycle injuries were children under the age of 15 years. Every year, close to 300,000 child bicycle injuries is reported.
Motor Vehicle-Bicycle Accidents Involving Children
Most reported injuries from a child falling from the bicycle. However, accidents and injuries involving motor vehicles and bicycles are not uncommon. When a motor vehicle hits a kid riding a bicycle, the injuries that occur are often severe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children under the age of 14 years account for almost 18 percent of motor vehicle-bicycle accident crashes. These types of accidents cause over 9,000 injuries and about 55 deaths each year.
In the case of an accident involving a child bicycle rider and motor vehicle, liability is not always easy to establish. Children may not always know the traffic rules and may also disobey them; however, motor vehicle drivers are also responsible to watch out for bicyclists or pedestrians they are sharing the road with. Determining whether the bicyclist or the motor vehicle driver is at fault can become complicated. Consult an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer from Willens Injury Law Offices.
Common Injuries Caused by Child Bicycle Accidents
While a bicycle accident may cause a wide variety of injuries, the most serious injuries are brain injuries. A properly fitting helmet is essential for any child. Resist the temptation to get a cheap helmet in a department store and instead buy one from an established bicycle shop whose staff rides and who knows which helmet will be right for your child and can fit it. In addition to brain injuries, the other more serious types of injuries that a child can suffer in a bicycle accident are broken bones and lacerations.
Traumatic brain injuries are a common cause of disability and death among children, according to the Brain Injury Association. Every year, more than a million children suffer some type of brain injury. One of the biggest problems involving brain injuries is that the symptoms are not always immediately felt, taking hours and even days for the symptoms to present themselves. Parents may feel that their child has recovered from a head injury, but the effect of the brain injury may be felt even years later. A child who suffers a brain injury in a bicycle accident may face cognitive difficulties or lower IQ, behavioral difficulties caused by damage to the frontal cortex, emotional problems, and memory and attention problems.
A personal injury case refers to a legal dispute that results when an individual suffers harm or sustains an injury from an accident that someone else may be legally responsible for. Such cases are often caused by the carelessness or negligence of another. In some instances, multiple parties may be responsible, and so the victim may choose to sue all involved parties to recover the full amount of both economic and non-economic compensation needed for his or her injuries.
Auto accidents are among the leading causes of death in the United States, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities each year and serious injuries in the hundreds of thousands. Rollovers, head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, and T-bone car wrecks can lead to life-changing injuries such as loss of limbs, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain damage, and severe burns.
When a passenger vehicle is involved in an accident with a massive truck, the damage can be catastrophic or even fatal due to the truck’s weight and size. Many factors can cause truck accidents to occur, such as truck driver fatigue, driver recklessness, driver inattentiveness, lack of driver training, following another vehicle too closely, speeding, unsecured cargo, poor truck maintenance, manufacturing defects, poor weather, or inclement road conditions.
Motorcycle accidents that happen all too often on U.S. roads and highways are often a result of negligent and careless drivers who do not recognize the road rights and privileges of motorcyclists. Some causes of this type of accident are speeding, distracted driving, failure to yield, driving while fatigued, road defects, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
When an accident with a motor vehicle and a bicycle takes place, disaster is likely to result—particularly for the rider who is more likely to sustain serious and even fatal injuries. Bicyclists can suffer injuries such as head trauma, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, internal injuries, damaged limbs, and road rash. The most common cause of bicycle accidents is the motor vehicle driver’s carelessness or negligence. Sadly, these accidents are often deemed minor incidents, and so local officials discount the cyclist’s side of the story.
With thousands of workers either sustaining serious injuries or being killed in construction accidents each year, it is no wonder that jobs in the industry are among the most dangerous in the country. Even with strict safety regulations and standards in place, construction workers must face high risks of injury every single day from accidents such as falling materials, excavation accidents, lifting injuries, scaffolding accidents, cutting and welding accidents, ladder accidents, machinery and heavy equipment accidents, explosions, and exposure to toxic materials. As a result, workers sustain injuries such as fractured or broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, electrocution, burn injuries, and wrongful death.
No matter how friendly a dog may be, it is important to remember that any dog breed can attack a human. Hundreds of thousands of victims are brought to the hospital each year due to dog bites—though thankfully most injuries from this type of accident are not fatal.
Property owners have a duty to ensure the safety of all their guests and visitors and must therefore keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. This includes fixing dangers or warning visitors of slippery floors, uneven surfaces, and icy walkways. Liability may also extend to dog bites, elevator or escalator accidents, accidents due to insufficient security, poor lighting, or poor ventilation.
Assisted living facilities and nursing homes are meant to be safe havens for the elderly—a place where they can be given quality short-term or long-term care, protected from all types of harm, and treated with utmost dignity. Unfortunately, all too many nursing homes are focused on earning a profit as opposed to providing the quality of care required by their patients. As a result, nursing home patients suffer from serious illnesses or injuries due to their caregivers’ negligent actions.
As a consumer, you have the right to assume that each product you purchase is safe and that it will function as it is intended to. However, thousands of individuals are injured from dangerous or defective products every year, including automobiles, toys, sporting goods, prescription drugs, medical devices, household appliances, machinery and workplace equipment, and so much more.
As a patient, you place your life into the able hands of medical professionals and healthcare facilities, rightfully expecting to be provided a certain standard of care. In some instances, however, the negligence or error of a medical professional may cause your condition to worsen or result in additional injuries.
The process of pregnancy and giving birth can be extremely challenging, particularly since there are numerous things that can go wrong. Sometimes, a baby is born with a life-altering condition that health providers had nothing to do with. Other times, however, a birth injury may result from a poor decision made by a health care provider during delivery.
