Chicago Bicyclist Receives Settlement From CTA For Injuries Sustained In Crash With CTA Bus

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have settled a substantial personal injury claim against the Chicago Transit Authority on behalf of a bicyclist injured in the Ukranian Village in the summer of 2014. The crash occurred when the bicyclist was riding her bicycle southbound on North Western Avenue near its intersection with Walton Street. At the same time, the defendant was operating a CTA bus southbound on North Western Avenue behind the cyclist. The defendant attempted to pass the cyclist by going around her on her left, and in doing so, the CTA bus made contact with the cyclist’s elbow. 

Personal Injuries From Bike Crash

The violence of the collision threw her off-balance and she eventually crashed to the ground. She was hurled so violently against the pavement that one of her injuries required surgery to resolve. The cyclist underwent a surgical procedure known as a "left subcutaneous ulnar nerve transposition surgery." Afterwards, her left arm was immobilized with a splint for several weeks following the surgery. She was left with a large visible permanent scar on her left arm which impacted her life as a model and a dancer. Additionally, she continued to experience weakness, pain, and numbness at the location of the scar for 18 months after the accident. 

Instead of attempting to work with the cyclist to compensate her for the damages she suffered due to the defendant’s negligence, the CTA claimed that the cyclist was at fault. They claimed she failed to control her bike, failed to ride as close to the curb as possible, failed to stay in her lane, failed to keep a proper lookout, and failed to take evasive action to avoid an accident.

Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed To Protect Rights of Chicago Bicyclist

She knew she needed help and she reached out to the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices who filed a lawsuit on her behalf in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Through diligent investigation, they uncovered that the CTA’s own transportation manager found that the defendant violated their Standard Operating Procedures in a multitude of ways ranging from the protocols for attention to duty, the defensive driving guide, mirror adjustment and use, and passing and being passed. Additionally, they found evidence that the defendant violated portions of the Municipal Code of Chicago as well as the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code.

Using their advocacy skills, the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices were able to recover a substantial settlement from the CTA for this injured Chicago bicyclist. The settlement was reached without having to resort to filing a lawsuit and will fully compensate the bicyclist for her medical bills, time off from work, and her pain and suffering.

Contact Keating Law Offices At Any Time

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.

The Leading Bicycle Accident Attorneys in Illinois

Keating Law Offices is the premier personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm is based in Chicago, Illinois and represents clients throughout Illinois. Keating Law Offices has successfully obtained compensation for hundreds of bicycle injury victims across Illinois. The firm's bicycle accident attorneys are always available to review your case with absolutely no risk or obligation to you. The firm's mission is to do everything possible to obtain you the maximum amount for the injuries you sustained. In the event that no recovery can be made for you, our legal services are absolutely free.

Keating Law Offices Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Chicago Bicyclist Sideswiped by CTA Bus

Western Avenue at Walton - Scene of bicycle accident involving a Chicago bicyclist and CTA bus.

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have filed a lawsuit on behalf of an injured Chicago bicyclist against the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and one of its bus drivers. The lawsuit stems from a bicycle crash that occurred on the afternoon of July 18, 2014 near Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

Prior to the crash, the bicyclist was riding southbound on North Western Avenue near its intersection with West Walton Street. At the same time, the driver of a CTA bus began passing the bicyclist on the left side of her bicycle. According to the report filed by the responding Chicago police officer, the bicycle rack on the front of the bus first clipped her handlebar and then the aluminum frame of the advertisement on the side of the CTA bus again "clipped" the handlebar a second time. According to the police report, the bicyclist was dragged along the bus before being able to push away from the bus. While she was able to keep from falling underneath the bus, she still crashed onto Western Avenue.

The CTA bus driver continued to drive southbound on North Western Avenue until a passenger alerted the bus driver about the alleged incident. According to reports, there are multiple witnesses to this collision. As a result of this injury, the bicyclist suffered a severe injury to her ulnar nerve near her elbow. This injury required a surgical repair that left the bicyclist with a permanent scar. The bicyclist also continues to suffer from decreased strength and dexterity in her hand and arm from the injury. In addition, the injured bicyclist suffered abrasions that left scars throughout her body.

The lawsuit alleges that the CTA, by and through its employee, was negligent for failing to meet certain laws and requirements related to the handling of a bus around a bicycle. The Illinois Vehicle Code states that a driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle traveling in the same direction shall pass to the left of that bicycle at a safe distance in order to safely clear said bicycle.  625 ILCS 5/11-703(a).

In addition, Section 9-36-010 of the Municipal Code of Chicago requires something known as the “3-Foot Rule.” That is, the operator of a motor vehicle (in this case a bus) that is overtaking a bicycle traveling in the same direction on a highway must leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing the bicycle. The motor vehicle must then maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.

According to the lawsuit filed on January 29, 2015 in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the CTA bus driver allegedly failed to leave the safe distance of at least 3 feet between the bus and the victim bicyclist. The lawsuit also alleges that the driver of the CTA bus allegedly failed to safely clear the victim and her bicycle and these failures caused the bicyclist to lose her balance and fall into the side of the bus.

All Illinois drivers have a duty to keep a proper lookout for bicyclists or other vehicles upon said streets. If a driver were to fail to keep a proper lookout for a bicyclist and then struck said bicyclist, that driver would be liable for the injuries the bicyclist suffered. All Illinois drivers also have a duty to make sure that their vehicles move into a lane of traffic safely and that they exercise due care to avoid colliding with any person operating a bicycle. Bicyclists have a right to obtain compensation for injuries caused by a driver who does not exercise due care while operating his or her vehicle. 

Keating Law Offices Hosts Roundtable Discussion on CTA Cases

Keating Law Offices hosted a roundtable discussion in Chicago for fellow trial lawyers on issues commonly found when litigating cases against the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA).

Keating Law Offices has handled numerous cases for clients who were injured in a collision with the CTA. The CTA holds a unique position in that it is a municipal corporation that provides transportation services. As such, Illinois law holds that the CTA is a "common carrier" and it must provide "the highest degree of care possible" to its passengers.

The CTA is also somewhat unique in that its in-house legal team represents the CTA and its employees in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Many CTA attorneys are known for aggressively defending their cases.

Keating Law Offices has successfully resolved several cases against the CTA for the firm's clients. The firm has the knowledge and experience to fight the CTA when it is at fault. If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@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.