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Chicago Bicycle
Accident Lawyer
In a city with flat roads, gridlock car traffic, and high gas prices and parking fees, it’s no surprise that more than 20,000 people choose to ride a bicycle to work each day in Chicago. But while new bike lanes have been added and cycling infrastructure has improved in recent years, bicycle accidents are still a major concern.
If you or a loved one was injured in a bicycle or pedestrian accident, a Chicago bicycle accident attorney may be able to help. Bicycle accident victims often suffer severe injuries, and may be unfairly blamed even when the driver was at fault. At Paul & Steve, we work hard to make sure injured bicyclists get the fair treatment and maximum compensation they deserve.
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Bicycle accident victims face many serious challenges. Severe injuries. Medical bills. Lost wages. Here’s another one you might not realize: anti-cyclist bias. More times than we can count, we’ve seen at-fault drivers try to blame riders for their own injuries. At Paul & Steve, we stand up for Chicago bicycle accident victims. We’ll help you get the medical treatment you need, and the compensation you deserve.
Due to the lack of protection and massive size differences, bicyclists are at increased risk of severe injury and death in crashes with motor vehicles.
According to the Illinois Department of Transporation’s crash statistics for 2021, out of 2,322 total reported bicycle accidents statewide, 2,112 resulted in at least minor injuries—or in other words, more than 90 percent of the time. There were 299 incapacitating injuries, and 35 people lost their lives.
In the city of Chicago, where it’s estimated that roughly 24,000 people bike to work every day, there were 1,685 reported bicycle crashes in 2022. Four of them were fatal.
Here are a few suggestions on what a bicyclist or pedestrian involved in an accident with a motor vehicle or another bicyclist should do:
After notifying the authorities and receiving appropriate medical care for your injuries, it may be in your best interest to contact an experienced bicycle accident attorney. Illinois is a fault state for car accidents, meaning the negligent party’s insurance is responsible for compensating those injured as a result of the accident.
While this may cover some of your medical bills, if you are seriously injured or are seeking compensation for additional damages such as lost wages or emotional trauma, a Chicago bicycle accident attorney with Paul & Steve can help ensure that the responsible driver and their insurance company don’t take advantage of you.
The amount and type of compensation to which you may be entitled will depend on the extent of your injuries and whether or not you may have been at partial fault for the accident. Like drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are also responsible for obeying traffic laws.
The most common bicyclist error which results in an injury crash is riding against traffic. If you were injured by another vehicle due to your own negligence or reckless behavior, your claim may not stand up in court. If you and the driver are both determined to be partially at fault, you may still receive damages in a smaller dollar amount.
Damages for bicycle and pedestrian accidents include:
Damages for bicycle and pedestrian accidents resulting in severe or permanently debilitating injuries may also include:
A Chicago bicycle accident attorney or pedestrian injury lawyer can review all the details of your case, including calculating the total cost of your economic and non-economic damages. Paul & Steve will fight for your right to fair compensation.
In most cases, bicycle accidents are caused by negligent drivers who fail to see that bicycle is approaching. Common accident types include “dooring” (when a driver of a parked car opens their door in the path of an approaching cyclist) and intersection accidents where a driver turns right in front of the bicyclist.
However, this reality doesn’t always make it easy for bicyclists to prove their cases to a skeptical insurance company. Sadly, drivers often have negative stereotypes about cyclists, and may try to shift the blame. If the cyclist has been severely injured or killed, and couldn’t collect evidence at the scene, it may turn into a “he said, she said” scenario.
The best way to protect yourself is by working with an experienced attorney. Paul & Steve’s Chicago bicycle accident lawyers dedicate themselves to helping their clients along every step of the journey. We know who the best doctors are and can ensure you get the best possible treatment. We’ll work with crash experts, life care planners, economists, and other professionals to obtain the truth about the crash, and calculate your damages accurately. We’ll negotiate aggressively with the insurance company on your behalf. And if necessary, we’ll take your case all the way to a trial, if that’s what’s needed to get you the best possible result.
Over the past 17 years, Paul Powell and Steve Pisman have recovered total settlements approaching $250 million. More than 75 of those cases involved amounts exceeding $1 million. Many of these court victories were on behalf of pedestrian and bike accident victims and their families.
When a negligent driver causes a bicycle or pedestrian accident, we work hard to get injured parties the compensation they deserve. Contact our Chicago bicycle accident attorneys today to go over the details of your case, develop a winning strategy, and get you on the path towards recovery. Call us at (312) 701-3333, chat with one of our representatives online, or submit a free case evaluation 24/7.
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