You could sue for a bicycle accident if another party caused your injuries. You may seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
Who Can You Sue for a Bicycle Accident?
If your bicycle accident was not your fault, you deserve help paying for your injury-related expenses. You could sue for a bicycle accident if the person who caused your crash did so because of their negligent or reckless behavior.
Potentially liable parties and examples of negligence include:
A Vehicle Driver
According to Ride Illinois, state law allows bicyclists to ride on the roadway, and the same traffic laws apply to bicyclists as motorists. Vehicle drivers must:
- Watch out for bicyclists
- Allow them at least three feet of space while passing
- Avoid traveling too close to cyclists
Drivers also have a duty to avoid:
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Driving distracted
- Engaging in other dangerous driving behaviors
This is for their safety and the safety of everyone on the road, including other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Another Bicyclist or a Pedestrian
Injuries can occur because of a collision between two bicyclists. Accidents can also happen when bicyclists must make defensive maneuvers to avoid hitting other cyclists or pedestrians.
Your lawyer could answer any questions you have about bicycle safety.
The Owner of the Roadway
Dangerous conditions, like large potholes, inadequate lighting, or bad intersection design, can lead to bicycle accidents. You may have grounds to sue a government entity or private roadway owner for your injuries.
A Manufacturer
Blown tires, faulty brakes, and other problems with your bicycle (or another vehicle involved in your crash) can contribute to accidents. You could have a case against a bicycle or a vehicle manufacturer or parts maker.
What Types of Compensation Can You Seek for a Bicycle Accident in Illinois?
You can pursue compensation for your accident-related expenses, as well as how your injury affects your quality of life.
In Illinois, you can seek:
Economic Damages
Economic damages award you for your actual, calculable expenses. They include:
- Your past and future medical care
- Medical equipment
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity (if you cannot return to work)
- Property damages
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as the cost of household services, transportation, and medical travel
Non-Economic Damages
These damages compensate personal injury victims for their injuries’ impact on their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. They may include awards for:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of mobility or paralysis
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Physical pain
- Mental anguish
- Depression
- Stress
Wrongful Death Damages
According to 740 ILCS 180/, you can seek awards for their wrongful death if your loved one died because of someone else’s negligence. A representative of your family member’s estate can take action to recover compensation for:
- The decedent’s final medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Other damages related to the fatal injury
The representative can also seek awards on behalf of surviving family members for:
- Loss of the deceased’s financial support, consortium, guidance
- For their own pain and suffering
What Is the Statute of Limitations in Illinois?
The statute of limitations outlines how long you have to file a lawsuit. Generally, if the statute expires, you would not be able to bring your case to court. In Illinois, you have two years from the time of your accident to pursue a personal injury case, according to 735 ILCS 5/13-202. The wrongful death statute allows two years from your loved one’s death to file suit.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
You can try to handle your bicycle accident case alone, but hiring an attorney gives you a legal ally. Your team can put their personal injury knowledge and case experience to work for you. Retaining representation also frees you up to focus your time and energy on your recovery.
Your bicycle accident lawyer can:
- Identify liability for your accident
- Collect evidence and prove negligence
- Calculate your economic damages
- Estimate the value of your future medical care
- Pursue fair compensation for your pain and suffering
- File your claim or lawsuit
- Manage your paperwork and deadlines
- Negotiate on your behalf
- Represent you at trial if necessary
Bicycle Accidents Result in Thousands of Injuries and Deaths
Bicycle accidents, especially when they involve a collision with a motor vehicle, can cause devastating and fatal injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015, there were over 465,000 bicycle-related injuries in the United States.
In the same year, more than 1,000 bicyclists died. If you were involved in a bicycle accident, you could suffer from:
- Back, neck, and head injuries
- Severe bruising, cuts, and lacerations
- Strains and sprains
- Broken bones
- Spinal injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
Call The Kryder Law Group, LLC for a Free Consultation
We could help you seek justice if you suffered a bicycle accident injury. Contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC today at (312) 598-0982.
(312) 223-1700