A Chicago bicyclist who originally had his claim "denied" by an insurance company has ultimately received a substantial settlement from the same insurance company. The situation began early last winter when the Chicago bicyclist was riding on Lincoln Avenue. As the bicyclist was riding along Lincoln Avenue, a car traveling in the same direction "right hooked" the bicyclist. A "right hook" is when a motor vehicle traveling in the same direction as a bicycle turns right over the bicyclist as a part of the motor vehicle making a right-hand turn.
As a result of the bicycle accident, the bicyclist was thrown from his bicycle and forcefully struck his body on the front passenger quarter-panel of the car. The bicyclist then violently landed on the pavement on his right side. The majority of the impact with the pavement was sustained by the right side of the bicyclist's head and jaw.
The bicyclist was transported to the emergency room at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital where he was diagnosed with a head injury, facial contusion, left knee sprain and multiple body contusions. The facial injuries required follow-up care with a specialist and the body injuries left the bicyclist unable to ride for a month. Perhaps worst of all, due to the jaw injuries, he was forced to only eat soft foods while his jaw healed.
Despite the fact that the driver of the motor vehicle caused the crash, the insurance company for the driver denied the claim when they were contacted by the bicyclist. An insurance company "denies" a claim when they feel that either their driver was not responsible for the bike accident or that the injuries claimed are not related to the crash. In this case, the insurance company tried to shift the blame to the injured bicyclist.
The injured bicyclist then contacted the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices who agreed to represent the bicyclist in his claim. The firm was able to quickly engage the insurance company and present the bicyclist for a sworn statement where he was able to clarify that the bicycle accident was in no way his fault. Soon thereafter, the insurance company resolved the claim.
The injured bicyclist, who we will identify as only M.V. due to attorney-client confidentiality, was kind enough to send the firm an email thanking us for our efforts and the result. With his permission, he expressed the following:
"I did get the final settlement in the mail today and just wanted to thank you again. As you are aware, I originally thought that this incident would work itself out, and was something that I'd be able to handle on my own, but after an insurance company tried to blame me for the accident, and the back and forth over so many seemingly minor details, I'm confident in saying that I couldn't have gotten through this without you. You were thorough, responsive and most importantly, became someone that I trust.In the end, justice was served, and on top of it, our client was pleased with the result. Righting wrongs and helping injured bicyclists is the fundamental mission of this firm. It is always rewarding to come through for the client.
With any luck, there won't be a need for me to work with you again, but wanted to wish you all the best in the future. Thanks again."
Keating Law Offices is one of the nation's leading firms that concentrates its practice in representing bicyclists injured in a bike accident. The firm represents more bicyclists in cases pending in Illinois courts than any other law firm in Illinois.
If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, 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.