Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Illinois

Countless bicyclists are injured or killed in bicycle accidents in Illinois every year. Bicyclists are required to adhere to the same injury laws as motor vehicle drivers, and if found at-fault in an accident, face the same consequences as a negligent motorcyclist, passenger vehicle driver, or truck driver, unlike pedestrians. For example, if a bicyclist hits a pedestrian, or is hit by a passing vehicle riding in an undesignated lane, Illinois bicycle laws allow the not-at-fault party to sue the negligent bicyclist for damages.

According to Illinois pedestrian accident statistics, in Chicago alone, there were more than 7,000 bicycle accidents and over 100 bicycle fatalities in 2016, and the numbers continue to rise year after year. As of 2014, Illinois is the fifth-leading state in the nation for bicycle deaths, with most accidents attributed to human error. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a bicycle accident, our Illinois Bicycle Accident Lawyers are ready to help.

Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C., has fought for Illinois residents for over six decades and can defend your bicycle crash claim against the other party’s insurance company and recover the maximum amount of damages that your case could be entitled to. Contact our Illinois Bicycle Accident Attorneys now for a free consultation.

Common Bicycle Accident Claims in Illinois

Pedestrian fatalities are at an all-time high. Whether caused by a bicyclist or passenger vehiclist’s negligence, countless bicylists are killed every year in Illinois bicycle-passenger vehicle crashes. The following are the most common bicycle accident claims in Illinois:

• Hit-and-Run Bike Accidents – between 2009 and 2016, there was a 62-percent increase in hit-and-run accidents in the U.S., with one of the top categories being hit-and-run bike accidents
• Speeding Bicycle Accidents – in 2018 alone, 857 bicylists were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Speeding, whether as a passenger vehicle driver or a bicyclist, limits a driver’s reaction time and can increase the likelihood of a crash occuring
• Turning Bicycle Crashes – turning accidents are a leading cause of bicycle-passenger vehicle accidents
• Riding a Bike Under the Influence – intoxication, especially while riding a bicyle or operating a vehicle, can limit a person’s judgement and make it challenging to stay alert to and aware of other drivers on the road. If a person is injured in an accident, whether due to a bicylist’s or passenger vehcile driver’s negligence, both parties are considered liable under Illinois’ Statute of Limitations
• Nighttime Bicycle Collisions – more than half of all bicycle collisons occur at night; wearing reflective gear while biking at night can significantly reduce the odds of a nighttime bike accident occurring, but negligent elements such as driving under the influence, speeding, or distracted driving increase the chances of a crash happening

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, under Illinois’ injury laws, if a person’s fault in an accident is 50% or less, you can recover damages from the responsible party. However, it’s best to consult an Illinois Bicycle Accident Lawyer, before filing a claim against the other party to determine your level of fault – if any.

Illinois Bicycle Accident Settlements

If you are thinking about filing a bicycle accident claim in Illinois, the first thing that you need to do after the accident is to consult an experienced attorney. In most bicycle accidents in Illinois, both parties involved can recover compensation commiserate to their level of fault, unless one person is more than 50% responsible.

For example, if one party is 70% at-fault in an accident, and the other person involved is 30% liable, the less at-fault party could recover up to 70% of their total damages from the crash, while the more at-fault party would receive 0% due to their percentage of liability. However, compensation for bicycle accident claims in Illinois can vary significantly based on factors including the amount of evidence available from the accident, if the accident was reported right away, and the quality of the victims’ demand letter and legal representation. Hiring an Illinois Bicycle Accident Injury Attorney to negotiate on behalf of your bicycle injury claim could be the difference in recovering partial or total damages in an Illinois bicycle accident settlement.

Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Illinois

If you have been injured in a bike accident, you need to stay calm, call 911, and discuss the situation as soon as possible with the experienced attorneys at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. Our Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers have represented personal injury claims in Southern Illinois for over 50 years and are devoted to recovering the highest settlements for workers compensation, medical malpractice, and bicycle accident claims in Illinois.

For a free case review by the Illinois Bicycle Accident Attorneys at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C., call (618) 244-5335, (800) 553-3125 (toll-free), or contact our personal injury firm in Southern Illinois today.