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Unfortunately, severe injuries are common in bike crashes. Riders have little protection, and the impact of striking the ground or a moving vehicle can cause serious damage. When these incidents occur due to another person’s actions, a dedicated personal injury attorney may be able to help.
You have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, and a civil lawsuit could cover your losses and out-of-pocket expenses. Let a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer review your case today.
Typically, bicycle accidents result from a motorist’s careless or reckless actions. Drivers can fail to keep a watchful eye out for bikes, especially when traffic is heavy. A motorist could be at fault if they strike someone traveling by bicycle after running a stop sign, failing to yield the right-of-way, or opening a car door in their path.
A cyclist can also share partial fault in a collision with a motor vehicle. This could occur when a rider veers into the path of a speeding motorist. However, the legal doctrine known as modified comparative negligence ensures that this scenario does not automatically bar an injured cyclist from compensation.
Under this standard, an injured party may still recover damages if they are less than 50 percent liable for the crash. That said, their degree of fault reduces the amount of compensation they recover proportionally. For example, a cyclist who is 20 percent responsible for a crash will only recover 80 percent of their total damages.
A bicycle accident attorney in Chicago could recover a wide range of damages from a negligent driver for their client. Some of the most common examples include the following:
Serious injuries can require extensive medical care. This often goes beyond the emergency treatment a person receives in an incident’s immediate aftermath. Long-term hospitalization or multiple surgical procedures can occur as a result of an accident. Recouping these expenses is common in a personal injury settlement.
Physical pain is often unavoidable after a significant injury. Because this suffering is a direct cause of an accident, pursuing a monetary award from the other party is possible. These damages typically scale based on the amount of medical bills received.
An injury in a bike crash can make it impossible for some people to return to their jobs. In some cases, it can take weeks or months before they are well enough to re-enter the workforce. This can mean a sudden and unexpected loss of income. A successful civil lawsuit can replace these lost earnings.
The cost of repairing a damaged bicycle can be significant, especially if it is valuable. Often, the damage to a bike in an accident is so severe that fixing it becomes unfeasible. In these scenarios, a settlement could cover repairs or replacement.
A hardworking cyclist lawyer in Chicago could look at the details of an accident to determine what types of damages are available to their client. With this information, they could develop a solid case for total compensation.
If you were hurt in a biking crash, the driver that struck you may be liable for your losses. Holding them accountable through legal action is difficult, especially without professional help.
Let a Chicago bicycle accident lawyer assist you with every step of your case. Call our office today to schedule an initial consultation to discuss the details of your accident and the possible compensation you could pursue.