Keating Law founder Mike Keating was a featured speaker at the American Association for Justice’s Annual Convention in Seattle. Mike’s presentation was on the explosion in the number of bicyclists and cycling injuries since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Keating Law Offices are the premiere personal injury lawyers representing bicyclists injured in an accident in Illinois. The firm offers free consultations and there are no fees unless we win for you. Our attorneys have a long history of success representing clients injured in bike accidents in Chicago, the suburbs and throughout Illinois. The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers are committed to advocating for the rights of bicyclists and fighting for bicyclists injured in bike accidents.
Illinois Bicycle Law Pages
Saturday, August 6, 2022
Keating Law's Mike Keating A Featured Speaker At Trial Lawyer's Continuing Legal Education Seminar
Keating Law founder Mike Keating was a featured speaker at the American Association for Justice’s Annual Convention in Seattle. Mike’s presentation was on the explosion in the number of bicyclists and cycling injuries since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Jury Awards $213,000 To Chicago Bicyclist Doored in Chicago's Loop
A Cook County Jury has awarded a Chicago cyclist nearly $213,000.00 for injuries she sustained when she was doored in Chicago's Loop. The crash itself coincidentally happened on the Washington Street bike lane - across the street from the Daley Center courthouse where the jury trial was held.
The jury found the driver and his passenger who doored the cyclist 100% at fault for the crash. In the end the jury’s verdict forces State Farm to face an excess verdict that is over 400% of their offer on the courthouse steps to settle last week and is more than double the policy limits that the cyclist was willing to settle for years ago.
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
All Keating Law Attorneys Named Super Lawyers for 2022
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Winter Solstice Brings Winter And A Reminder To Use A Bike Light
- A lamp on the front that emits a white light that can be seen for 500 feet; and
- A red reflector visible from 100 to 600 feet by a car with its headlights on.
625 ILCS 5/11‑1507)
(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1507)
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Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
Keating Law Offices’ experienced bicycle accident lawyers have a long record of case results for clients and are considered national leaders in bicycle law. We are also bicyclists who are very active in Chicago’s cycling community. We put a lot of milesA on our bikes, support bike advocacy groups, and sponsor road bike and cyclocross bike races in Illinois.
Sunday, December 12, 2021
Chicago Cyclist Killed In Crash With Semi-Truck On Ashland Avenue
“When a motor vehicle and a bicycle are traveling in the same direction on any highway, street, or road, the operator of the motor vehicle overtaking such bicycle traveling on the right side of the roadway shall not turn to the right in front of the bicycle at that intersection or at any alley or driveway until such vehicle has overtaken and is safely clear of the bicycle.”
- 49 C.F.R. Section 383.111 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires a professional driver to recognize and avoid potential hazards at all times.
- Section 11-1003.1 of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code states that every driver of a vehicle must 1) always exercise care to avoid colliding with pedestrians and bicyclists, and 2) sound their horn to provide warning of an impending impact.
Thursday, August 19, 2021
$300,000.00 Settlement for Injured Triathlete Shows Importance of Fighting for Underinsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
Last spring on a beautiful day a local bicyclist and her adult daughter went on a bicycle ride through Naperville. Their pleasant day was cut short when a motorist failed to notice them and turned immediately in front of the bicyclists. The daughter was able to avoid the driver but the other bicyclist slammed into the side of the motor vehicle and was thrown off of her bicycle. She landed hard and struck her head in the process.
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Chicago Bicyclist Killed In Collision With Van In Jefferson Park
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that a 59-year-old man named Thomas Travers passed away on Monday July 26, 2021 after being struck by a van on North Milwaukee Avenue. The collision occurred in the northwest side neighborhood of Jefferson Park. Mr. Travers spent two days at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois after the crash where he sadly passed away due to the multiple injuries he sustained from the accident.
"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 and shall exercise proper precautions upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway."Stated differently, drivers are required to be extra cautious and give a warning in order to avoid a collision with a pedestrian and a bicyclist in ALL situations and take extra care if the person appears to be confused or incapacitated.
Friday, July 16, 2021
Chicago Boy Killed in Collision with Modified Truck Driven by Chicago Police Officer
- Section 11-1003.1 states: “[E]very 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 power and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary . . . .”
- Section 5/11-1002(e) states: “Whenever stop signs or flashing red signals are in place at an intersection or at a plainly marked crosswalk between intersections, drivers shall yield right-of-way to pedestrians as set forth in Section 11-904 of this Chapter.”
- Section 11-904(b) requires drivers approaching a stop sign to come to a complete stop before entering a crosswalk at an intersection and to yield to the right-of-way of any vehicle that has entered the intersection.
- Section 11-601 requires drivers to reduce the speed of their vehicle to avoid a collision.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Victim of Right Hook in Des Plaines Bike Lane Receives $405,000.00 Settlement
- Section 9-16-020(f) of the Municipal Code of Chicago is the "Right-Hook Law." It states that “When a motor vehicle and a bicycle are traveling in the same direction on any street or road, the operator of the motor vehicle overtaking such bicycle traveling on the right side of the roadway shall not turn to the right in front of the bicycle at that intersection until such vehicle has overtaken and is safely clear of the bicycle.” (See also 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.)
- Section 11-804 of the Illinois Vehicle Code also states that, “No person may turn a vehicle at an intersection unless the vehicle is in proper position upon the roadway or otherwise turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.” (625 ILCS 5/11-804).
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Kevin Clark, Chicago Cyclist and Noted Musician, Killed in Bicycle vs. Car Crash
Multiple news agencies are reporting that Chicago cyclist and noted musician Kevin Clark was killed in a bicycle crash early Wednesday in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. Kevin was riding eastbound on Logan Boulevard across Western Avenue when he was struck by a Hyundai Sonata travelling southbound on Western Avenue. Early reports indicate that the light for eastbound Logan Boulevard was red at the time of the crash and the driver was proceeding through the intersection on a green light.
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Six Figure Settlement for Cyclist Who Suffered Broken Leg Because of Distracted Driver
Early last fall a Chicago cyclist was riding in Lakeview when a motorist's distracted driving led to a broken leg for the cyclist. The collision occurred at the intersection of Pine Grove an Sheridan Road in north Lakeview. Both the cyclist and the driver came to the four way stop and stopped at the stop signs.
The cyclist, who had the right of way due to being at the intersection first, proceeded in to the intersection. The driver unfortunately was not paying attention and did not see the cyclist. She struck the bicyclist as she was attempting to turn left onto Sheridan Road from Pine Grove. In doing so, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way to the bicyclist who was in the intersection first and over halfway through the intersection at the time the motorist hit the bicyclist with her car.
The responding police officer’s investigation of the scene, assessment of damage to the vehicles coupled with the parties’ statements, only bolstered the bicyclist’s claim that he entered the intersection first and had control of the intersection. The driver also admitted to the responding officer that she did not see the bicyclist prior to the crash.
- Illinois vehicle laws and Chicago Municipal Ordinances are in place to protect cyclists in these scenarios by requiring all drivers to do the following:
- Exercise due care to avoid colliding with any person operating a bicycle, 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1 and Section 9-40-160 of the Municipal Code of Chicago;
- Yield to the preferential right-of-way while making a left turn at an intersection, 625 ILCS 5/11-902;
- Decrease the speed of a motor vehicle when a special hazard existed with respect to pedestrians or other traffic, 625 ILCS 5/11-601(a); and
- Avoid moving a motor vehicle into a lane of traffic without first ascertaining that such movement could be made with safety, 625 ILCS 5/11-709.
However, the most basic and fundamental protections that cyclists deserve is the complete and full attention of all users of the roadway. The cardinal rule of approaching an intersection is to slow down and stop, look both ways before entering and be alert for other vehicles proceeding through the intersection.
Here, the driver was not paying attention or keeping a proper lookout which caused this horrendous accident. As a result of the accident, the bicyclist was taken by ambulance to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with a fractured leg which required surgery.
The bicycle attorneys at Keating Law Offices, P.C., recently obtained a six-figure policy settlement on behalf of the cyclist from Allstate Insurance. This settlement was reached within months of the collision. While the settlement recovered for the bicyclist will never undo his massive injuries and damages. The money will help cover the not only the cyclist’s medical expenses but compensate him for the pain and suffering and interruption to his life that he was forced to experience because of the driver's distracted driving.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
River Forest Cyclist Killed In Crash In Oak Park Near "Share The Road" Sign
While details of the crash have not been reported, it is worth noting that the Illinois Vehicle Code generally provides that motorists should give deference to cyclists. Section 11-1003.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code states that all drivers must "exercise due care" to avoid colliding with any person riding a bicycle. Due care is the legal principle that one should act like any other reasonable person would act when faced with the same or similar circumstances. In other words, Illinois drivers should drive extra carefully around cyclists.
This is another tragic reminder of the dangers that cyclists face on the roadways and how vulnerable we are when riding. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Peter McDonnell.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
The "Open and Obvious" Defense In Pothole and Roadway Defect Bicycle Crash Cases
- How big is the pothole?
- How deep is the pothole?
- Where is the pothole?
- What color is the pothole compared to the surrounding roadway?
- Is something blocking the view of the pothole?
- What were the lighting conditions around the pothole?
- Was the pothole filled with material that disguised its dangerous size or depth?
Friday, February 5, 2021
Settlement Obtained for Bicyclist Injured By Construction On Halsted Street Bike Lane
Thursday, February 4, 2021
Chicago Bicyclist Injured In Hit And Run Receives Settlement from Chicago Transit Authority
Monday, February 1, 2021
All Keating Law Offices Attorneys Named SuperLawyers for 2021
Monday, January 25, 2021
Keating Law Offices Is Proud To Be The Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 Active Trans Winter Bike Challenge
Once registered participants can track your trips, challenge riders and win prizes. And its not just bike commutes that count, ANY trip on your bike between January 25th and February 7th counts!
Keating Law Offices is a long time supporter of the mission of the Active Transportation Alliance. As part of its commitment to Chicagoland's cycling community the firm has been a sponsor of Bike The Drive, the Bike Commuter Challenge and the Winter Bike Challenge. Keating Law Offices was the first law firm in Chicago to sponsor Active Transportation Alliance events and is proud to continue to do so.
To learn more about Keating Law Offices, please click here.