Attorney Mike Keating Named "Top 40 Under 40" by the National Trial Lawyers Association

Press Release:

Attorney Michael S. Keating of Keating Law Offices in Chicago, Illinois has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Association's "Top 40 Under 40" listing of the top trial lawyers in Illinois under the age of 40. This is the second such accolade Mr. Keating received in 2011. Earlier this year he was named a "Rising Star" in Illinois by SuperLawyers and Chicago Magazine. In addition, Mr. Keating's verdict in February in the matter of Sullivan v. Twelve Pins, Inc. was eligible for inclusion in the National Jury Verdict Reporter.

Mr. Keating, who practices with the Chicago-based firm of Keating Law Offices, P.C., has rapidly ascended through the competitive ranks of the Chicago personal injury field. In less than a decade of practice he has successfully handled hundreds of cases and in the process recovered millions of dollars for his clients. Mr. Keating has a reputation for being a skilled litigator in the courtroom and has made a reputation early in his career as an attorney who is not afraid to handle difficult and complicated cases.

Keating Law Offices, P.C. may be found on the internet at www.KeatingLegal.com.

Pfizer Donates Equipment to Clear Snowy Bike Lanes

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, makers of such products as Advil, recently came to Chicago as part of an ongoing advertising campaign. Pfizer representatives appeared with Chicago Bears legend Richard Dent on Wednesday to help with the promotion. Pfizer has donated snow removal trucks and equipment designed specifically for the new bicycle lanes being installed throughout the city. Also, Pfizer gave away 100 new all-terrain bicycles that are specifically built to handle inclement weather.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel hopes the addition of this snow removal equipment will encourage cyclists to continues to bike throughout the winter months. The Mayor and CDOT officials also hope that the increased use of bicycles during the winter will help alleviate traffic during bouts with snow. Clear, snow and ice free bike lanes should reduce the number of crashes and collisions experienced by the hardy souls that brave Chicago's winters on bike.

Source: Wall Street Journal

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Is it a coincidence that NYC and Chicago's Transportation Czars Support Biking?

New York’s Transportation Comissisioner, Janet Sadik-Khan was recently profiled on NBC’s news magazine program, Rock Center with Brian Williams. Sadik-Khan is leading a transformation of the way New York deals with traffic and safety in their streets. One of Sadik-Khan’s first initiatives was closing a full lane of traffic in Times Square to make it safer for the thousands of pedestrians that traverse it each day. However, she is making her biggest headlines for her plans to get more New Yorkers to ride bicycles.

In four short years as Transportation Comissioner, Sadik-Khan has overseen the implementation of over 260 miles of bike lanes throughout New York. While some New Yorkers detest the bike lanes, Sadik-Khan has the full support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg and Sadik-Khan have helped double the amount of people using bicycles in Manhattan in the last few years. While that number has doubled, Sadik-Khan still hopes more will make the change, as only 0.6% of New Yorkers choose to bike in Manhattan. In anticipation of increased biking, Sadik-Khan has installed over 12,000 bicycle racks in New York City.

Another supporter of Sadik-Khan is Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein. Klein, like Sadik-Khan, is an avid cyclist who uses his position to help make Chicago more bicycle-friendly as well. Klein agrees with Sadik-Klein that encouraging their residents to use bicycles can help on many levels stating, “There’s the congestion problem.The pollution problem. The obesity problem. The gas problem.”

It is no coincidence that the transportation commissioners of two of the biggest cities in the United States have dedicated their agendas to bicycle proliferation. With more cities likely to follow suit, Sadik-Khan and Klein are two visionaries that can help provide a bright future for cyclists.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

8-Year-Old on Bike Killed in Hit-and-Run on Dangerous Street

View Larger MapThe Chicago Tribune is reporting on a particularly tragic and unfortunate story of 8-year old Mariella Crisostomo who was killed while riding her bike in front of her house in the Chicago Lawn Neighborhood. According to reports, Mariela was killed when she was struck by a gray or silver SUV who then fled the scene. The driver of the SUV was a female who then fled east on West 62nd Place.

Equally troubling are new reports from the Chicago Sun-Times that neighbors had petitioned the city for speed bumps to slow traffic in the 3300 block of West 62nd Place on the Southwest Side. Neighbors report that the narrow residential street has been part of a traffic pattern in vehicles circle the neighborhood while waiting to pick up shoppers on 63rd Street.

Speed bumps are a type of what are known as "traffic control" or "traffic calming" measures. Not only do speed bumps cause the vehicles to slow down, but they also act as a visual warning and reminder for vehicles to be alert and aware. Attorney Mike Keating of Keating Law Offices successfully representing an Aurora family whose son was killed in the parking lot of the apartment building where the family lived. Just like in this instance neighbors had complained of traffic problems and requested speed bumps. That case resolved in a financial settlement for the family in 2009.

The City of Chicago has some difficult questions to answer in light of these developments. Speed bumps, signs, marking on the street and other traffic calming measures are neither expensive nor difficult to install. These measures can transform entire neighborhoods. Given the warnings, it is difficult not to ask if this tragic collision would have been avoided with traffic calming measures in place.

As a parent and an attorney representing victims of collisions, this is a particularly sad story. Mariella did nothing wrong and was merely doing what she loved, riding her bike in the neighborhood. Also troubling is that reports reflect that the Chicago Police were slow in responding to the scene. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Keating Law Offices is with the Crisostomo family.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Crosswalk from Buckingham Fountain to Lakefront Installed

After nearly six years, the City of Chicago has finally opened back up the crosswalk that connects Buckingham Fountain to the lakefront. The crosswalk, named “Queen’s Landing” after Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Chicago in 1959 had been closed since 2005. Back then, City officials installed bollards and chains in order to improve vehicular traffic on Lake Shore Drive.

The project began on November 10, and was completed early Thanksgiving morning. The City removed the bollards and now pedestrian and bicycle traffic can once again cross Lake Shore Drive between Buckingham Fountain and the Lakefront. The City also placed pedestrian light buttons and lowered the curbs for wheelchair access. In all the project cost only $125,000 and the removed bollards are to be used at different locations.

City officials originally planned to create a pedestrian bridge over the traffic lanes much like the one near North Avenue Beach, but planning costs piled up too high and the plan was scrapped. While the crosswalk may slightly impede vehicular traffic, the safety it will provide to thousands of pedestrians and cyclists will far outweigh any inconvenience it may cause.

In representing pedestrians and bicyclists who are the victims of collisions in crosswalks, the attorneys at Keating Law Offices have seen the need for traffic control measures such as these are obvious. The cost is minimal when considering the drastic increase in safety for those crossing Lake Shore Drive from the fountain to the Lakefront.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorneys at Keating Law Offices at 312-239-6787 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Bike 2015 Meeting on 12/14 at City Hall

Back in 2001, Bicycling Magazine named Chicago the best city for bicycling in North America. Instead of standing still and lauding this accomplishment, city officials saw this as an opportunity to do more for cycling. In 2002, Mayor Daley began to formulate the Bike 2015 plan. Bringing civic groups, cyclists and government agencies to the table, the plan was officially instituted by the City Council on September 1, 2005.

Since Mayor Emanuel took office, Bike 2015 has been of prime importance in his agenda. In the mere months Mayor Emanuel has been in office he has already overseen Chicago’s largest bike path on Kinzie Street, increased numbers of bike rental stations, and the recent 18th Street bike path. Mayor Emanuel has stated on numerous occasions that he plans to build 25 miles of protected bike lanes each year in the city.

The Bike 2015 plan however is far more ambitious. In May of this year, Mayor Emanuel reorganized the Bicycle Advisory Council in order to focus more time and energy on Bike 2015. Since May, there have been monthly meetings at City Hall to gauge the progress of the plan, and to bring new ideas to the Council.

For more information on Bike 2015, visit their website. The website is full of information about the goals and plans of Bike 2015, and provides information on past meeting of the Bicycle Advisory Council.

The next meeting of the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council is December 14, 2011, at 3:00 P.M. in room 1103 at City Hall. All are invited to the meeting and representatives from Keating Law Offices will be in attendance.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact the Illinois Bicycle Attorneys at Keatinjg Law Offices at 312-239-6787 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Chicago Suburbs Follow City's Lead in Becoming "Bike Friendly"

Chicago has made great strides in recent years to make the city bike-friendly. On the heels of those successes, many suburbs and towns near Chicago are beginning to follow suit.

Earlier this week, Gary, Indiana Mayor Rudy Clay opened Gary’s first government built bike trail. The trail, which had been in the works for over six years, hopes to be the first of many in Gary. City officials hope that the trail will eventually link up to trails in eastern Illinois. Mayor Clay also laid out a plan that would build a bike trail that would completely surround Gary. Gary has been in contact with numerous bicycle enthusiast groups and planners in order to make their city more bike friendly.

Illinois Congressman Dan Lipinski recently teamed up with the Illinois Department of Transportation to pave the shoulder of Lemont Road for bicycle traffic. With the shoulder now paved, bicyclists can now easily gain access to downtown Lemont.

In Elgin, town officials are proposing a bike path be part of the multi-million dollar plan to create a riverfront plaza near Riverside Drive. Governor Pat Quinn hopes to invest more than $13 million to revitalize the area. Elgin, like Gary, is working with Naperville company Hitchcock Design Group to help design the bike path.Sources: Gary Community Times, Courrier News, Suburban Life Publications.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Blackstone Bicycle Works Teaches Woodlawn Youths About Bikes. And life.

Blackstone Bicycle Works, located on 6100 S. Blackstone on Chicago’s South Side, has become a haven for many of the area’s youth. The shop has instituted a program that both helps keep kids off the streets and also gives them real-world experience.

The Woodlawn-located shop began an after school program for kids ages 9 to 16 that allows them to do bike repairs, gain safety knowledge, do web design, and train them in entrepreneurial skills. The main draw of Blackstone it allows the kids to build a bike of their own. Once you have completed 20 hours of bike repair work, you are allowed to pick a bike frame and construct your own bicycle. After your 25th hour, the bike is yours. The bikes that do not go to the kids are sold each Saturday at a discounted price to members of the Woodlawn community.

Blackstone generally has 20 kids in their after school program every day and over 150 different kids per year. They also operate a full program during the summer months. The company was started in 2006 by local non-profit The Experimental Station which focuses on community building on Chicago’s South Side.

Blackstone Bicycle Works is one of a growing number of inspirational youth-oriented bicycle programs originating in Chicago. The knowledge and experience gained by the participants in the bicycle shops not only helps kids remain out of trouble, but can give them something to put on a resume. If you would like more information more information on The Experimental Station and Blackstone Bicycle Works, or would like to make a donation, please visit their website.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Protected Bike Lanes to Be Installed on 18th Street

The Chicago Journal is reporting that Alderman Danny Solis of Chicago’s 25th Ward recently helped create a safe path for cyclists who traverse 18th Street in the City’s Pilsen neighborhood regularly. “I am very excited to have these newly piloted protected bike lanes in the 25th Ward,” Solis stated, “this is a great opportunity to improve the health and safety of our community.”

Announced back in September, the route has already been completed and includes protected bike lanes on 18th street from Clark to Canal. Many cyclists in Chicago’s burgeoning Pilsen and South Loop areas complained that riding on 18th Street was very dangerous due to the heavy amount of traffic and the grating in the large metal bridge that runs across the area. With the protected bike lanes already in place, next year the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) plans to install a protective surface over the metal grating in the bridge.

Making Chicago a bicycle-friendly city has been one of the top priorities for Mayor Rahm Emanuel since he took office earlier this year. Mayor Emanuel hopes to install over 25 miles of protected bike lanes each year. The 18th Street plan is the second of Mayor Emanuel’s initiative with the protected bike lines on Kinzie Street between Wells and Milwaukee. CDOT stated that since the installation of the protected bike lanes on Kinzie, 48% of traffic on the street has been bicycles.

Keating Law Offices applauds the actions of both Alderman Solis and Mayor Emanuel in installing the 18th street bike route in a swift and efficient manner. In light of the recent tragedy on 18^th Street, this bike route was necessary for the community.

If you have any questions about this blog post or have been involved in an accident while on your bicycle, please contact Keating Law Offices at mkeating@keatinglegal.com or 312-239-6787. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Source: Chicago Journal