The evidence in the case showed that the driver, who was traveling eastbound on Roosevelt Road, attempted to make a illegal left turn into a parking lot and struck the bicyclist. The left turn was in direct violation of a "NO LEFT TURN" sign posted at the location of the bicycle accident.
As a result of the collision, the bicyclist was thrown off his bike to the street face first. Although the Chicago bicyclist was wearing a helmet, he sustained numerous abrasions to the right side of his face. The bicyclist also sustained a left knee injury which caused him to experience pain for weeks following the crash.
The driver was issued a traffic violation by the responding police officers for violating Section 9-16-050(b) of the Municipal Code of Chicago, which states that "whenever official signs are erected indicating that no right or left turn or turn in the opposite direction is permitted, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the direction of any such sign.”
The Illinois Bicycle Attorneys were able to use the citation as part of the pre-trial negotiation strategy and managed to obtain a successful settlement for the Chicago bicyclist. As part of the settlement, the bicyclist was compensated for the value of his Cannondale road bike that was totaled in the crash.
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.
