Attorney Mike Keating's Article On Bike Share Liability Published In "Trial Magazine"

Since 2010, bike share usage has increased exponentially throughout the nation. Chicago's Divvy system has proven very popular since its inception. By their very design these systems allow anyone with a credit or bank card to rent a bicycle from a designated station, ride the bicycle for either recreation or as a transportation alternative, and then return the bicycle to one of many available stations. This leads to riders with a wide array of skill and experience levels on the roadways. The increase in bike share usage correlates to massive increases in bicycling overall and, unfortunately, injuries from bike accidents.

Keating Law Offices's attorney Mike Keating wrote an article entitled "Bike Share Roadblocks" that was published in the April edition of Trial Magazine. The article discussed the legal issues that can arise if the bike crash occurred due to some kind of flaw in the bike share bike or the bike share station.

Cities Can Claim "Immunity" From Some Bike Accidents

Typically states and local municipalities are protected by some form of immunity statutes and laws from premises liability, motor vehicle, and roadway design claims. In Illinois this law is known as the Local Government and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Under this law, the City can claim it is not responsible for some failures of the stations or bikes under the same argument that municipalities make about not being responsible for a dangerous sidewalk or roadway. So you should expect the municipality or local government and the affiliated companies who operate and maintain the bike share systems to raise a tort immunity defense since the system is operated in part by the city government.

Laws Should Protect Bicyclists

In the article Mike Keating argues that cities should not be able to hide behind tort immunity when riders allege they failed to provide safe stations and bicycles. It is the responsibility of the operators of these systems to provide reasonably safe stations and bicycles for its riders. Divvy and the City of Chicago have made efforts to keep the system running smoothly. But inevitably issues can arise and accidents can happen. In these instances it is important that an injured bicyclist know that there are legal arguments that can be made to protect their rights.

The Attorneys at Keating Law Offices Are National Leaders In Bicycle Litigation

Attorney Mike Keating, founder of Keating Law Offices, is one of the nation's leading attorneys who focuses his practice on bicycle litigation. Mike Keating has been the Chair of the Bicycle Litigation Committee for the American Association for Justice for the past five years. All of the attorneys at Keating Law Offices are experienced and skilled transportation litigation attorneys.

The firm's commitment to bicyclists is simple: Keating Law Offices is committed to assisting any bicyclist injured anywhere in Illinois at any time. The firm offers free legal consultations with absolutely no obligation. There are never any attorney's fees unless the firm makes a recovery on behalf of the bicyclist injured in a bike crash. If you have any questions regarding Illinois bicycle laws or laws affecting a case involving a bike accident, contact Keating Law Offices today.

Attorney Michael Keating Addresses National Trial Lawyer's Meeting On State of Bicycle Law

Attorney Michael S. Keating of Keating Law Offices

Keating Law Offices, P.C. attorney Michael Keating was a featured speaker at this summer's annual convention of the American Association for Justice (AAJ). AAJ is the nation's largest trial lawyers organization. Formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, AAJ is one of the most prominent advocacy organizations in the United States. Mr. Keating has also served as the Chair of the AAJ Bicycle Litigation Committee for the three years.

Faculty for National Trial Lawyers Convention

Mr. Keating's presentation was a part of the Continuing Legal Education programs offered by AAJ at its annual conventions. As a member of the AAJ Faculty, Mr. Keating presenting a program entitled, "Why Bike Crash Cases Are Different Than Motor Vehicle Cases." The program focused on how bicycle crash cases must be treated differently because of the differences in laws and how bicycles are used. Not only are there specific laws that only apply to bicycles, but in many instances bicycles are used on bicycle-specific infrastructures such as bike lanes and bike paths. The goal of the program was to educate fellow trial lawyers throughout the United States regarding the emerging issues related to bicycle crash cases. 

National Leaders in Bicycle Crash Litigation

This presentation was a part of the firm's commitment to advocating for the recognition of bicycle specific litigation as a common and necessary part of the law. Earlier this year Mr. Keating had two legal journal articles published regarding bicycle law. The article "Bicycling In An Automobile's World" was published in Trial magazine. The second article entitled "The Wheels of Change Keep Turning: Why the Popularity of Bicycling In Illinois Has Rendered Illinois Law Irrelevant" was published in the Summer 2016 edition of Trial Journal.

Bike Attorney Mike Keating's Article, "Bicycling In An Automobile's World," Published In Trial Magazine

Illinois Bicycle Law Shield

More Americans use bicycles than ever before, but decaying infrastructure, automobile-focused transportation policies, and a lack of federal funding put bicyclists at serious risk of harm. These are the issues investigated in a recent journal article authored by Keating Law Offices attorney Michael S. Keating. The article, entitled "Bicycling In An Automobile's World," was recently published in Trial Magazine. Trial Magazine is an award-winning publication produced by the American Association for Justice, the national trial lawyer organization that works to promote a fair and effective justice system for injured Americans and their families. 

America's Decaying Infrastructure May Directly Lead To Bicycle Accidents

For decades, the United States has failed to adequately incorporate bicycles into its overall transportation plan, instead focusing almost entirely on motor vehicle traffic. This longstanding transportation policy has resulted in roadways, bridges, and other elements of transportation infrastructure that are not “bike friendly.” Bicyclists are vulnerable roadway users and current transportation policies unfairly place them in harm’s way, leading to crashes that could have been avoided by adding bicycle-friendly features into the transportation infrastructure. A bike-friendly transportation project incorporates features such as bicycle lanes and paths, and it creates safer streets so that its overall design helps bicyclists stay safe.

Illinois Bicycle Attorney Michael S. Keating

Attorney Michael S. Keating is a national leader in the field of bicycle litigation.  Keating Law Offices has successfully represented hundreds of injured bicyclists and their families and in the process recovered millions of dollars in settlements and awards. Mr. Keating has served for years as the Chair of the American Association for Justice's Bicycle Litigation Committee and is an active member of the Active Transportation Alliance and Ride Illinois, formerly the League of Illinois Bicyclists. 

Keating Law Offices Is Always Available For A Free Consultation

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights/Weekends). Our staff and operators are available around the clock. You can also email Mike@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.