Bicycle Crashes Frequently Lead To Injuries
The bicyclist was traveling eastbound on West School Street at the time of the crash, heading to his job as a bartender and waiter at a popular restaurant in the Lakeview neighborhood. The collision occurred when the driver attempted to accelerate northbound through the intersection of North Racine Avenue and West School Street and collided directly into the bicyclist’s entire right side.
The bicyclist was physically crushed due to the force of the impact. This collision knocked the bicyclist off of his bike and threw him to the ground. Before hitting the ground, the bicyclist instinctively put out hand and the impact broke his wrist. Due to the severity and speed of the crash caused by the driver, the bicyclist suffered what doctors refer to as an acute, comminuted intra-articular fracture of radius bone in the right wrist.
Chicago Bike Law Requires Drivers To Drive Carefully Near Bicyclists
Chicago's Municipal Code makes moves like the one by this driver illegal. Chicago generally requires all motorists to "exercise" due care around bicyclists. Here is the language of the ordinance regarding a driver's responsibility to "exercise due care":
9-40-160 Drivers to exercise due care.Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, or any person operating a bicycle or other device propelled by human or animal power, upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary…Chicago, Illinois Bike Law Attorneys
As a result of the attorneys at Keating Law Offices protecting the rights of bicyclists in Chicago and throughout Illinois, we were able to demonstrate to the insurance company for the at-fault driver that this was a significant claim. Ultimately, this insurance settlement compensated the injured bicyclist for all of his medical bills, lost wages from having to miss work, pain and suffering, and loss of a normal life from being unable to use his right wrist for a number of weeks. This out-of-court settlement allowed this claim to be resolved without lawsuit and still for the optimal outcome for the bicyclist.
Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights/Weekends). Our staff and operators are available around the clock. You can also email Mike@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.
