Chicago Bicyclist Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash on Goose Island

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a Chicago bicyclist who was injured in a hit-and-run on the near west side of Chicago.  The bicyclist was travelling eastbound down Division Street when an unknown black sedan struck him from behind, causing him to crash onto the pavement. The operator of the motor vehicle never stopped and instead, proceeded to drive on. The police report from the Chicago Police Department accurately identifies the accident as a hit and run. According to the City of Chicago’s Bicycle Crash Analysis, 25% of all bicycle crashes in 2012 were classified as hit-and-runs.

The bicyclist sustained severe injuries in the collision and was immediately transported to the emergency room in an ambulance as he was experiencing significant pain in his right elbow, knee and had sustained a very deep laceration. At the hospital, the bicyclist was diagnosed with an elbow fracture and had to undergo surgery. He is now receiving extensive follow-up care.

Once again, this collision also signifies the important of having Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage like this rider did. Many injured bicyclists do not realize that if they are hurt as the result the negligent actions of another driver -- and that driver is uninsured, underinsured, or never identified (as is often the case in a hit-and-run collision) -- they may be able to obtain financial compensation for their injuries from their own insurance provider. Even though all drivers in Illinois must legally have car insurance, there are many people who are willing to break that law and forgo this requirement. Time and again, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage has proven to be a vital protection for injured bicyclists -- the true victims who lose when drivers risk being on the road with no or insufficient insurance.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please do not hesitate to contact Illinois Bicycle Lawyer Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Business Hours) or  312-208-7702 (24/7) or at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. All emails and phone calls are returned promptly. Keating Law Offices offers free, no obligation consultations to injured bicyclists. There are never any attorneys' fees or expenses unless the firm is able to make a recovery on your behalf.

Press Release: Two Keating Law Offices Attorneys Named "Rising Stars" Among Top Attorneys in Illinois

Chicago, Illinois - Attorneys Michael S. Keating and Alexander Loftus of Keating Law Offices, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois have been named to SuperLawyers Magazine's annual list of "Rising Stars." Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state receive this honor. The selection for this respected list is made by the research team at Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. The list will be published in the annual edition of Illinois SuperLawyers Magazine and in the February 2014 edition of Chicago Magazine.
 
Keating Law Offices founder, Michael S. Keating, was named to the "Rising Stars" list for the fourth straight year after also earning recognition in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Keating Law Offices Attorney Alexander Loftus was including in the “Rising Stars” list for the first time last year.

The Keating Law Offices attorneys were nominated by fellow attorneys and that nomination was reviewed by an attorney-led research team that reviews the credentials of potential candidates and assigns points based on a set of defined evaluation criteria. The point totals from the general survey and research process are then added to arrive at a final tally. 

Attorney Michael S. Keating said the following regarding these awards:

"The "SuperLawyers" awards are always particularly rewarding because they are based in large part on the opinions of fellow lawyers. I am very proud of the fact that Alex Loftus, who joined the firm last year, was again included on this list. These awards reflect our continued efforts to provide our clients and the Illinois bicycle community with the absolute best possible legal representation and advocacy efforts."

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury firm in Illinois that concentrates its practice on bicycle related litigation. The firm is a national leader in the emerging field of bicycle law. Attorney Michael S. Keating is the Chairman of the Bicycle Litigation Committee of the American Association for Justice. 
The firm also successfully represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from transportation negligence, nursing home negligence and abuse, medical malpractice, premises liability and product liability. 

Keating Law Offices, P.C. may be found on the internet at www.KeatingLegal.com. The firm is located at 79 West Monroe, Suite 1024 in Chicago, Illinois. Phone: 312-239-6787. Email: Info@KeatingLegal.com.

Chicago Bicyclist Doored in West Town

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers have been retained to represent a bicyclist who was the victim of a dooring in the West Town neighborhood in Chicago. The dooring occurred as the bicyclist was riding northbound on Wood Street at the same time as a driver of a vehicle suddenly opened his car door directly into the path of the bicyclist. Unable to evade the door, the bicyclist collided with it, and the collision caused her to be thrown from her bicycle onto the street. The motorist then went inside the television production office where he worked. Police who came to the scene were able to track the motorist to the vehicle on the street.

The bicyclist was taken to Rush University Medical Center due to pain in her right shoulder and elbow.

At the hospital, the bicyclist was physically examined and underwent x-rays. Since the collision she has also received orthopedic treatment as she continues to recover from her injuries.

According to the City of Chicago’s 2012 Bicycle Crash Analysis, Chicago has implemented several efforts to reduce the number of doorings in Chicago, including public awareness marketing campaigns and expanded driver education. Doorings are perhaps the type of bicycle vs. motor vehicle collision that are the most easily reduced. As the name of the City's campaign states, a driver exiting a vehicle need only LOOK! in order to avoid a dooring collision. Effective education that leads to new habits could be the key to reducing doorings.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please do not hesitate to contact Illinois Bicycle Lawyer Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Business Hours) or  312-208-7702 (24/7) or at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. The firm is committed to assisting any bicyclist injured anywhere in Illinois at any time. All emails and phone calls are returned promptly. Keating Law Offices offers free, no obligation consultations to injured bicyclists. There are never any attorneys' fees or expenses unless the firm is able to make a recovery on your behalf. Please call anytime if you have a personal injury case from a bicycle crash you would like to discuss.

Chicago Bicyclist Riding In Bike Lane Injured in Left Hook Crash

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers of Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a Chicago bicyclist struck by a motorist on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago.  The bicyclist was riding lawfully in the bike lane along Milwaukee when the driver of an oncoming SUV started to make a left turn in front of the bicyclist. Although the bicyclist attempted to alert the motorist by yelling and ringing her bike's bell, the driver of the SUV collided with the bicyclist in Milwaukee Avenue. This is known as a "left hook" collision due to the vehicle's path into the bicyclist. The driver initially attempted to drive away from the scene but was chased down by another bicyclist.  When the police arrived on the scene, the driver claimed he did not see the bicyclist and that he did not even realize he had struck her.

The bicyclist sustained an injury to her ankle and was evaluated at a nearby hospital. Since the collision, she has undergone x-rays, physical therapy and has had to utilize crutches to walk.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, approximately 55% of all Chicago bicycle crashes occur at intersections. Moreover, 40% of all Chicago bicycle crashes occur as a result of a motorists' failure to yield. Sadly, our newest case is evidence of the same, as the motorist in this collision failed to pay proper attention to the bike lane as he made a left hand turn.  Drivers must be diligent in keeping a proper lookout for bicyclists when they are operating a motor vehicle.  

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please do not hesitate to contact Illinois Bicycle Lawyer Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Business Hours) or  312-208-7702 (24/7) or at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. All emails and phone calls are returned promptly. Keating Law Offices offers free, no obligation consultations to injured bicyclists. There are never any attorneys' fees or expenses unless the firm is able to make a recovery on your behalf.

Bicycle Crash In Savanna, Illinois Shows Intersection-Related Crashes Are Not Just a Chicagoland Issue

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers of Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a bicyclist who was injured in a bicycle crash in Savanna, Illinois. Savanna is located west of Rockford in northern Illinois. Moments before the collision, the motorist was driving westbound on Portland Avenue near the intersection of Viaduct Road. This bicycle crash occurred when the motorist was only looking to her left as she turned right. At the same time as the motorist was turning, the bicyclist was coming from the driver's right side and a collision occurred. As a result of the bicycle crash, the bicyclist was thrown from his bicycle, landing on the hood and windshield of the car.

The bicyclist sustained injuries to his arm and shoulder that became so uncomfortable in the days following the bike accident that he had to visit a doctor. The bicyclist experienced limited use of his left arm for weeks and was unable to commute to work via his bicycle due to these injuries.

Due to its population density, most bicycle crashes in Illinois happen in Chicago. According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, approximately 55% of all Chicago bicycle crashes occur at intersections and 40% of all Chicago bicycle crashes occur as a result of a motorist's failure to yield. In this case, both of these factors were present and contributed to this accident in the much less dense area of Savanna, Illinois. This bicycle accident shows that regardless of the population density and location in Illinois, anytime there is a person operating a vehicle and not following the rules of the road a collision could result. It is of vital importance that all operators of vehicles, motorists and bicyclists alike, keep a watchful eye for bicyclists and pedestrians when they operate a motor vehicle.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please do not hesitate to contact Illinois Bicycle Lawyer Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Business Hours) or  312-208-7702 (24/7) or at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. All emails and phone calls are returned promptly. Keating Law Offices offers free, no obligation consultations to injured bicyclists. There are never any attorneys' fees or expenses unless the firm is able to make a recovery on your behalf.

Fox Factory Recalls Evolution Mountain Bike Forks

Fox Factory recently announced a recall of its Evolution suspension mountain bike forks. The recall was made due to a concern that the fork’s internal cylinder/piston can disconnect and cause the front wheel to detach. A rider in Italy was injured in one instance of a disconnection like this in the fork.

The recalled forks were from the model year 2013 and are the 32 and 34 Evolution series. The forks were sold nationwide from August 2013 to October 2013 as original equipment on models of BMC, Cannondale, Commencal, Diamondback, GT, Kona, Lapierre, Norco, Orbea, Raleigh, Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz, Scott, Specialized and Trek mountain bikes. Some forks were sold as aftermarket items and were priced for $600 to $650.

If you think you may have a recalled Fox Factory fork, check for the evolution and FOX logo on the sticker on the front fork.  You can also locate your serial number under the crown after removing the front wheel and check www.ridefox.com to see if your bike has the recalled fork. 

Purchasers of the recalled suspension forks should stop riding those bicycles and bring them to the place of purchase for a free repair. If you cannot bring your bike to the place of purchase, contact Fox Factory for assistance.

The Illinois Bicycle Attorneys at Keating Law Offices strongly recommend that Illinois bicyclists be aware of recalls that may affect their bicycles or equipment. While manufacturers don't intend to sell defective products, recalls are a reminder that product defects posing serious risks to cyclists can only be discovered once a product is already on the market and regularly put to use. As such, it is important to monitor the safety of your bicycle and cycling equipment both before and after a purchase.

Under Illinois law, the manufacturer of a product can be held liable when their product fails as long as the person was using the product in a reasonably foreseeable manner.  If a bicycle crash occurs because part of the bike broke or failed during normal use, the manufacturer of that product would be responsible for any injuries or other damages suffered by the rider. 

The attorneys at Keating Law Offices have handled numerous product liability cases in federal and state courts in Illinois and are respected resources on bicycle products. If you have any questions regarding a product liability case or other personal injury matter, please contact the firm at 312-239-6787.