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.
