As bicycling becomes a more popular leisure activity and mode of transportation, drivers should be more mindful about sharing the road with cyclists. Despite many roadways around the city of Chicago devoting space specifically for cyclists in bike lanes, it’s not uncommon for a bicyclist to sustain serious, life-threatening injuries when involved in an accident with a motor vehicle.
At Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC, our lawyers fight for the victims of auto-bicycle crashes. One of our experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys at our law firm can help you pursue the compensation you and your family need to recover from your injuries.
Schedule a free consultation today to get the justice you deserve — call (312) 701-0090.
Injured in a Bicycle Accident?
Contact an Attorney at Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC Today
Why Choose Us For Your Chicago Bicycle Accident Claim?
- Our Chicago bicycle accident attorneys have a proven record of success, having secured numerous multimillion-dollar awards and settlements for our clients.
- We genuinely care about your well-being and helping you get back on track after a bicycle accident by working to secure maximum compensation for your damages.
- You will receive personalized attention and a legal strategy tailored to your specific case and priorities.
- We will handle your Chicago bicycle accident claim on a contingency fee basis and pay all upfront costs of pursuing your claim. You will pay nothing until we recover compensation on your behalf.
How Do Negligent Drivers Cause Bicycle Accidents?
Negligent drivers are often the cause of bike accidents. Although bicyclists are required to follow traffic rules, automobile drivers frequently fail to give cyclists room on the roadways and sometimes outright ignore the fact that cyclists are present. Drivers often cause accidents that seriously alter a cyclist’s life by:
- Driving while intoxicated
- Driving while distracted, such as texting or emailing while driving
- Using excessive speeds
- Running a red light
- Failing to fully stop at a stop sign
- Failing to yield the right of way
What Compensation Is Available For Severe Injuries To Cyclists?
As bicyclists increase around the city, it is important that people understand their rights if injured by a negligent motorist. Whether you are a cyclist who uses a bike to deliver food, a commuter who rides to work or school, or someone who simply rides for exercise, you need an accident lawyer who is not afraid to stand up to insurance companies.
Soon after the bike accident happens, you may be pressured to settle your case before you really know what your injuries are really worth. We stand up for injured bicyclists and will make sure that you have a clear picture of the value of your injury claims.
Because cyclists are not as protected as someone in a motor vehicle, they can sustain severe injuries when struck. A bicyclist may suffer:
- Broken bones and orthopedic injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries, concussions and other serious head injuries
- Spinal cord injury and paralysis
- Back and neck injuries requiring surgery
- Wrongful death
Serious injuries resulting from a bike accident will require extensive medical care and months or years of rehabilitation. You will likely need time off work and may be facing permanent disabilities. Our experienced attorneys can help you and your family pursue your legal case to recover the damages you need.
In a successful Chicago bicycle accident claim, you may be able to recover all your current and future economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial losses.
Non-economic damages are typically more challenging to prove, but may be even more devastating than economic damages. They include pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, scarring and disfigurement, disability, and other intangible costs and losses.
In rare cases, you could be awarded punitive damages in addition to economic and non-economic damages. Economic and non-economic damages are considered compensatory damages because they are designed to compensate an injury victim for their damages. Punititive damages, on the other hand, are intended not to compensate injury victims, but to punish the wrongdoer and to deter similar future behavior. Punitive damages are reserved for cases in which the defendant’s conduct is especially egregious.
At Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC, our Chicago bicycle accident attorneys diligently pursue all available types of damages to maximize your compensation.
Establishing Fault in Chicago Bicycle Accidents Under Illinois Law
Determining fault in a Chicago bicycle crash directly impacts your financial recovery. Under Illinois law, you can only receive compensation if you are 50% or less responsible for the collision, and any payout is reduced by your percentage of blame.
Insurance adjusters frequently try to shift liability onto cyclists by claiming they violated traffic rules or lacked visible gear. Proving driver fault requires gathering traffic footage, eyewitness accounts, and police reports quickly to demonstrate driver negligence.
Working with an attorney ensures your rights are protected against these tactics from day one. An experienced legal team can properly calculate your long-term medical costs and losses. This gives you the leverage needed to negotiate a fair settlement that reflects the true extent of your injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Illinois’ Bicycle Laws?
In Illinois, bicyclists have the same right to use the road as automobile drivers. You are entitled to use the full lane of a road when necessary, such as if a lane is too narrow for a car to pass you safely, or when you are making a left turn.
However, cyclists do have responsibilities. You must follow traffic laws, such as stopping at red lights and stop signs, riding with the traffic, not against it, and using appropriate lighting at night, such as a white front light visible from 500 feet and a red rear reflector.
Bicyclists must also drive as close to the right side of the road as is practicable. That does not mean you must ride as close to the right side as possible. When there are potholes, parked cars, debris, or other hazards in the road, you are allowed to move to the left to avoid them. If the lane is too narrow for a car to pass you safely, you are permitted to use the whole lane.
Automobile drivers owe you a duty of care. They have a legal obligation to watch for you, give you enough space, and check their mirrors and blind spots. If they breach that duty of care, they can be held liable for your damages.
What Makes Bicycle Accident Claims Different From Car Accident Claims?
Bicycle claims have unique challenges that most car accident claims do not. One major difference is the severity of injuries in most bicycle accidents. If you are riding a bike and are struck by a 4,000-pound vehicle, you will likely suffer severe injuries. Many bicycle accidents result in devastating injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, internal bleeding and organ damage, complex fractures, and permanent scarring.
Insurance adjusters often try to blame the cyclist for the accident. They may claim that the rider was not wearing bright enough clothing and that the driver could not see them. Other arguments they may use include that the cyclist was riding too fast, riding too close to the center line, or darting into traffic. They often argue that you violated a traffic rule, such as rolling through a stop sign or riding without lights at dusk.
Another difference is that minimum insurance coverage limits are usually insufficient for a cyclist’s damages. Because of the severity of injuries incurred during a bicycle accident, medical bills and other costs can quickly exceed the required minimum coverage that many drivers carry.
If you are injured in a bicycle accident, you need the help of an experienced Chicago bicycle accident attorney who can anticipate the unique challenges these cases bring and who knows how to help you secure the full compensation you are entitled to.
What To Do After a Chicago Bicycle Accident?
Taking the following steps after a bicycle accident can help protect your health and your right to recover compensation:
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- Call 911. Always call the police, even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt. You need an official police report documenting what happened. The responding officer will interview witnesses, examine the scene, and determine if anyone violated traffic laws. That report becomes a key piece of evidence.
- Get the driver’s information, including their license, insurance, and phone number. Take a photo of their driver’s license and insurance card with your phone. Obtain the vehicle’s make, model, and license plate.
- Don’t leave the scene. Even if the driver apologizes and says they’ll pay for everything, don’t let them convince you not to call the police or not to file a report. Their insurance company will deny liability later, and without a police report, it’s your word against theirs.
- Document everything. If you or a loved one were injured and may have a claim, take photos memorializing the condition that caused the injury. The damaged bike, your injuries, the vehicle that hit you, the road conditions, any skid marks or debris. Take wide shots showing the overall scene and close-ups of specific details.
- Identify witnesses. Get the contact information of anyone who saw what happened. Look for pedestrians, other cyclists, and people in nearby businesses. Don’t rely on the police to obtain all the witness information. Sometimes they don’t, and those witnesses can be critical later.
- Seek medical attention. Go to the emergency room, even if you think you’re okay. You might have internal injuries, a concussion, or fractures you’re not aware of yet. Plus, getting checked out immediately creates a medical record linking your injuries to the accident. If you wait three days and then go to the doctor, the insurance company will likely argue your injuries came from something else.
- Preserve the bike and your gear. Don’t repair or discard your damaged bike, helmet, or clothing. These items are evidence. The damage to your bike can help accident reconstruction experts determine how the collision happened. Your helmet might show impact points that support your version of events.
- Don’t talk to insurance adjusters without a lawyer. The driver’s insurance company may call you within 24 hours. They will sound friendly and concerned and ask you to give a recorded statement “just to get your side of the story.” Don’t do it. They’re trying to get you to say something they can use against you later. Tell them you’re retaining a lawyer and that your lawyer will handle all communications with them.
Contact Us Today
Contact the law offices of Mark L. Karno & Associates, LLC in Chicago for a free consultation with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer. Our law firm represents clients throughout the Chicago area.
Our attorneys take each case on a contingency fee basis.
We don’t get paid until you do — contact our firm today.