$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.

 

The Naperville police issued a citation to the motorist for failing to yield the right of way to the bicyclists. The driver of the motor vehicle - who had a troubled history of traffic tickets - pled guilty to the ticket in court and was fined and sentenced to supervision. 

The bicyclist was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Radiological exams later showed that the bicyclist suffered severe injuries including a lacerated spleen and a fractured left rib. The exams also showed some bleeding in the brain but doctors later considered this condition to be the result of a pre-existing condition and not necessarily directly related to the crash. The bicyclist was required to stay in the hospital for days while under observation, a circumstance made even more painful when she couldn't have any visitors due to Covid-19 precautions at the hospital. 

Underinsured Motorist Coverage 

The insurance company for the driver immediately paid the $100,000.00 policy limits for the claim. The driver was clearly at fault and the bicyclist suffered serious injuries. However, this case became complicated when pursuing additional insurance. 

The bicyclist and her husband also had what is known as Underinsured Motorist Coverage as a part of their insurance coverage with their insurance company. This Underinsured Motorist Coverage is for exactly this type of situation where the settlement value of the insurance claim far exceeded the $100,000.00 available through the driver's insurance company. In this instance the injured bicyclist was eligible for an additional $200,000.00 in insurance coverage. 

As her attorneys on the case, we immediately made what is known as a "policy limits demand" of the bicyclist's insurance company. In Illinois, the Illinois Insurance Code requires insurance companies to promptly pay valid claims. However, in this instance the bicyclist's insurance company attempted to claim that because the brain issue may have been pre-existing, that they did not have to provide insurance coverage. The insurance company flat out denied the claim.

Attorney Mike Keating refused to accept this argument and the denial. The reality is that in Illinois our laws provide protections for injured persons even in a situation such as this. What the insurance company failed to take into account was that the bicyclist was a nationally ranked triathlete in her age group. She obviously was not suffering from any kind of ailment. In other words, the insurance company was trying to take advantage of the situation to not pay the claim. 

Illinois Law on Pre-Existing Injuries

In law school we are taught about the "egg shell skulled" injured person. This old analogy is used to teach that even if someone is very fragile, an insurance company should not argue that an injury happened because of who they are. If they're legitimately injured, they're legitimately injured and the insurance company should provide insurance coverage to compensate the injured person. For example, you can't compare a senior citizen to an N.F.L. linebacker. 

Insurance companies are required to follow the personal injury laws in Illinois. In Illinois the law is that an injury can be proven to be "caused" by an incident even if it is a combination of factors that cause the injury. This is what is known as "proximate cause" and in Illinois the definition of that is "A cause that, in the natural or ordinary course of events, produced the plaintiff's injury. It need not be the only cause, nor the last or nearest cause. It is sufficient if it combines with another cause resulting in the injury.” In this case it was the pre-existing condition combined with the crash that led to the injuries. 

Moreover, in Illinois an insurance company can not claim that an injury was "only an aggravation" or "just a pre-existing condition" that caused the injury. If the injured person legitimately gets hurt, then the insurance company should provide coverage. This is how Illinois law is written on this issue, "You may not deny or limit the plaintiff's right to damages resulting from this occurrence because any injury resulted from an aggravation of a pre-existing condition or a pre-existing condition which rendered the plaintiff more susceptible to injury.”

Experienced Attorneys Are Here To Help

This case was a prime example of where experience and dedication to the case made all the difference. Refusing to "accept no for an answer" and continuously pushing back on the insurance company's misguided evaluation made a substantial difference to this client. Also, by aggressively pursuing the case from the onset both insurance claims were resolved relatively quickly given these issues. 

Shorter Days Are Ahead - Bike Lights Are Required Under Illinois Bike Laws

The unseasonably warm temperatures and brilliant sunlight over the past week are misleading. Daylight Savings time is in effect again and until the Winter Solstice our days in Illinois will get shorter and shorter. It is important to remember that bike lights serve many purposes for the bicyclist - and they are the law in Illinois.

Bicycle Lights Are Important

Bike lights are critically important for all bicyclists. A headlight in particular provides the rider greater visibility and makes you more visible to motorists.

Illinois Bicycle Laws Require Lights And Reflectors

Lights for bicyclists riding at nighttime are required by Illinois law. According Section 11-1507 of the Illinois Rules of the Road, bicyclists must have the following on their bikes:

A lamp on the front that emits a white light that can be seen for 500 feet; andA red reflector visible from 100 to 600 feet by a car with its headlights on. A rear red light may also be used.

The fact that the law says that a bicyclist may use a rear red light in addition to a rear reflector is probably just due to some less than precise legal drafting. The bottom line is a red reflector AND a rear red light are better than a reflector alone. This is why the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers strongly recommend that all bicyclists use a rear red light in addition to a red reflector and a bright light in the front.

Jason Jenkins of the Active Transportation Alliance has put together a very helpful and informative short video on bike lights and what a difference they can make. Jason's advice regarding buying the most durable and bright light you can afford is solid advice. No one wants unnecessary expenses, but bike lights can make the difference between getting in a bike crash and getting home safely.

Illinois Bike Law Attorneys

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.

Why The New Illinois Bicycle Law, "Dennis' Law," Is Important For All Bicyclists

Dennis Jurs

On Friday, August 12, 2016 a new Illinois law was signed into law that clarified that Illinois bicyclists are to receive all the same rights in traffic situations involving the right-of-way as the drivers of motor vehicles. Previous to this change, there was a conflict as to whether a bicycle was considered a “vehicle” under Illinois law and was therefore entitled to the right-of-way between vehicles. Since the prior right-of-way laws in Illinois referenced “vehicles” there was an issue as to whether the right-of-way laws explicitly applied to bicyclists. 

New Bicycle Law Provides Clarity To Existing Laws

This change in Illinois bicycle law makes it absolutely clear that bicycles are “vehicles” as defined in the Illinois Vehicle Code and that motorists must provide the right-of-way to bicycles when the bicyclist is entitled to the right-of-way. The new bicycle law will go into effect on January 1, 2017.  

New Law Sought After Traffic Ticket Dismissed

This change was sought after an October of 2015 ruling in which a Kane County judge dismissed a traffic citation against a driver for failing to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming bicyclist. The judge ruled that the right-of-way laws in the Illinois Vehicle Code did not apply to bicyclists. The traffic citation at issue was related to the fatal May 18, 2015 collision between the motorist and Dennis E. Jurs of Hampshire. This collision resulted in the death of Mr. Jurs. The judge cited non-traffic related cases that held that a bicycle was not a “vehicle” under certain legal definitions. The judge then dismissed the charges against the motorist involved in the fatal collision.

The family of Dennis E. Jurs brought the issue of this lack of clarity in the law to the attention of State Representative Anna Moeller. Attorney Michael S. Keating of Keating Law Offices in Chicago, Illinois, who represents the Estate of Dennis E. Jurs in the civil case related to the crash along with co-counsel F. John Steffen of Steffen & Kelly, P.C. in Elgin, Illinois, helped draft the legislation. State Representative Moeller sponsored “Dennis’s Law” which passed through both the Illinois House of Representative and the Illinois State Senate with only one vote against it and 164 votes in favor of the change.

Dennis's Law Also Honors The Life Of The Late Dennis Jurs

Dennis E. Jurs was an extremely experienced 68-years old bicycle rider at the time of his death. Mr. Jurs was a United States Army veteran who served in Vietnam where he was injured by a land mine. Mr. Jurs thereafter became very active in cycling in Illinois. He took up cycling at 30 years of age as a way to rehabilitate the leg injuries he suffered while serving in Vietnam. Mr. Jurs was a member of the Illinois-based bicycle racing team, Team MACK, and was an organizer for years of the well-known Four Bridges Bicycle Race in Elgin, Illinois. 

Reckless Homicide and Aggravated DUI Charges Filed in Death of Alton, Illinois Bicyclist

Photo of Carol Alton from RiverBender.com

News outlets are reporting that criminal charges have been filed in relation to the death of Carol Admire. Ms. Admire died as a result of injuries sustained when she was struck while bicycling by 21-year old Kajavion McCarvey of East Alton, Illinois. At the time of the collision, both Ms. Admire and the motorist were traveling southbound on Great River Road in Alton, Illinois. Alton is located 25 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.

As the name suggest, Great River Road runs immediately alongside the Mississippi River. There is a wide shoulder on the road that is often utilized by bicyclists. At the time of the collision Ms. Admire was riding on the shoulder when the defendant motorist left his lane and struck the bicyclist. There is no information regarding whether McCarvey was also charged with lesser traffic violations for failing to stay in his lane and to provide Ms. Admire with a minimum of three feet of room when passing. Kajavion McCarvey was charged by the Jersey County State's Attorney's Office with one count of reckless homicide and a second count of aggravated driving under the influence (DUI).

According to reports on the nature of the criminal charges, the driving under the influence charge was due to the fact that toxicology reports showed that at the time of the crash that McCarvey had both marijuana and prescription Xanax in his system. The "aggravated" charge is added when a DUI results in severe bodily harm of death of another person. The reckless homicide charge stems from the fact that not only was McCarvey under the influence of narcotic substances, but the steering column on his 1990 truck was unstable and this caused the steering wheel to "float around" and result in a loss of control.

Family and friends of Carol Admire have petitioned local authorities to install a guardrail system along Great River Road that would serve as a protective barrier for bicyclists against motorists. The Wild Trak Bikes shop in Alton has also circulated a paper petition. Local bicyclists also participated in a 15 mile bike ride at the end of May to honor Carol Admire.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Carol Admire and everyone affected by this tragedy.

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.

Bicycle Attorney Michael Keating of Keating Law Offices Presides Over National Meeting of Bicycle Lawyers

Attorney Michael S. Keating of Keating Law Offices, P.C. in Chicago recently attended the annual conference of the American Association for Justice. This year's conference took place over the past week in Montreal. At the convention, Mr. Keating led the meeting of the Bicycle Litigation Committee. The Bicycle Litigation Committee is made up of attorneys from around the United States who dedicate part of their practice to representing injured bicyclist. The committee exists to promote laws that create safer streets for bicyclists and to support the attorneys in their practices to prosecute cases on behalf of injured or wrongfully killed bicyclists. 

Attorney Keating has served as the Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Bicycle Litigation Committee since 2013. The American Association for Justice (AAJ), is also known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. AAJ is the world's largest trial bar and works to defend the right of accident victims.

Michael S. Keating is considered a national leader in the field of bicycle litigation. He currently handles numerous bicycle accident cases in courtrooms throughout Illinois including several high profile cases involving wrongful death and serious personal injuries. Keating Law Offices focuses its practice on representing victims of bicycle accidents and their families and is dedicated to the sole mission of obtaining justice on their behalf.

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 in wrongful death and personal injury cases 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 312-208-7702 or Mike@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are absolutely confidential and free. Please feel free to contact the firm at any time. We are committed to helping our clients.

Keating Law Offices Sponsors Evanston's "Pedal Bright" Bike Light Giveaway and Installation Event

The Illinois Bicycle Law Shield

On the Eve of Halloween (tonight, October 30th) Keating Law Offices is sponsoring the City of Evanston's “Pedal Bright” Bike Light Giveaway and Installation event. The goal of the event is to
provide bicycle safety information and help cyclists increase the visibility of their bikes with bicycle lights.

Teams of volunteers will install 400 free bicycle lights, distribute city bike maps, and provide a quick tutorial on the rules of the road for bicyclists. Bicycle lights will be installed on Thursday, October 30, from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., at two Evanston locations:

• The Robert Crown Center located 1701 Main Street; and 
• The Weber Arch at Northwestern University located at Chicago Avenue and Sheridan Road.

Illinois law requires that every bicycle ridden at night time be equipped with 1) a front light capable of emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet, and 2) A red reflector on the rear visible from 100 to 600 feet. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may also be used in addition to a red reflector according to the law.

The sponsors of the event are the City of Evanston, Northwestern University, the Evanston Bike Club, Wheel & Sprocket, Downtown Evanston, Active Transportation Alliance, Roycemore School and The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices.

Attorney Michael Keating said the following about the event:

"I'm very proud to support the City of Evanston's "Pedal Bright" event. I lived in Evanston for years and am excited about this opportunity. This event will give us the opportunity to promote safe bicycling in Evanston. The use of bike lights not only make riding more fun because of better visibility but greatly increases the visibility of the bicyclist. It's also important that people know that it is the law in Illinois to use bike lights."

Victim of Left-Hook Bicycle Crash Receives Insurance Settlement

The Illinois Bicycle Attorneys at Keating Law Offices secured a substantial insurance settlement for a bicyclist who was the victim of a bicycle accident in west suburban Downers Grove in DuPage County. The crash occurred when the bicyclist was riding his bicycle along the curb eastbound on 55th Street through its intersection with Washington Street. The motorist made an illegal left turn from westbound 55th Street onto southbound Washington Street, failing to yield and instead unfortunately striking the bicyclist.

The motorist had a duty to yield the right of way prior to the crash. This failure to yield was a clear violation of the Illinois Rules of the Road. Section 11-902 of the Rules of the Road states, that “the driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left within an intersection” is required to yield the right-of-way to any bicyclist approaching from the opposite direction “which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.” In plain English, this means that if a vehicle (motor or bicycle) is approaching, that a vehicle turning left from the opposite direction MUST yield the right of way until the oncoming vehicle has cleared the intersection.

As a result of this crash the bicyclist was ejected from his bike and landed on the hood of the motorist’s vehicle before being thrown head first onto the pavement. Upon impact, his helmet was shattered, and he suffered excruciating pain in his left shoulder, right knee, and back. Overall, the motorist’s failure to yield the right-of-way resulted in the bicyclist sustaining serious injuries, requiring extensive medical treatment and physical therapy, incurring lost wages, enduring considerable pain and suffering, as well as a loss of a normal life.

As we have mentioned in previous blog posts, “loss of a normal life” is a compensable damage under  Illinois law that is defined as “the temporary or permanent diminished ability to enjoy life,” and “includes a person’s inability to pursue the pleasurable aspects of life.” As a result of the motorist’s failure to yield the right-of-way, the bicyclist suffered very significant loss of a normal life. He could not return to work and was unable to complete even routine activities, such as sleeping, without feeling significant pain and discomfort.

Because of the bicyclist’s loss of a normal life, loss of wages, and severe injuries, he rightfully received a settlement for his medical expenses, as well as receiving just compensation for the property damage to his bicycle, helmet, equipment, and gear.

What Are The Legal Responsibilities Of A Motorist Who Causes A Bike Crash in Illinois?

Unfortunately, many of the cases we handle involve bicyclists who were not only injured, but the driver then fled the scene of the crash. As the old expression goes, this is literally adding "insult to injury." Obviously, the decent, moral thing to do is for a motorist to put aside their legal or other practical concerns and tend to the injured bicyclist. Yet this often isn't the case. Hit-and-run collisions are a very real and very common issue for bicyclists in Illinois and nationwide. The National Highway Traffic Administration reports a 14% increase in fatal hit-and-run crashes between 2009 and 2011. The reality is drivers flee the scene for any number of reasons: legal concerns, fear of being financial responsible, or even basic fear and panic.
 
No reasonable person would defend a motorist fleeing the scene. It is wrong. A hit-and-run places the wrongdoer's immediate selfish concerns above the potentially serious injuries sustained by the bicyclist in the crash. But moral issues aside, what are the legal requirements in Illinois for a motorist who causes a bicycle crash?

Section 11-401(a) of the Illinois Vehicle Code provides the groundwork for the motorist:

"The driver of any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury to or death of any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident, or as close thereto as possible and shall then forthwith return to, and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until the requirements of Section 11-403 have been fulfilled."

Section 11-403 of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code more specifically lays out the requirements any such motorist must fulfill before leaving the scene of a collision that leads to personal injuries:

"The driver of any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to any vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall give the driver’s name, address, registration number and owner of the vehicle the driver is operating and shall upon request and if available exhibit such driver’s license to the person struck or the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with an shall render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including the carrying or the making of arrangements for the carrying of such person to the physician, surgeon or hospital for medical or surgical treatment, if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such carrying is requested by the injured person."

In summary, any motorist involved in a motor vehicle vs. bicycle collision in Illinois resulting in personal injuries has a legal responsibility to:

1) Stay at the scene of the crash long enough to provide the injured party with their information; and

2) If necessary or if requested to arrange for medical care for the injured bicyclist.
 
Rather interestingly, in 2011 the law regarding hit-and-runs in Illinois was amended to allow the motorist to avoid prosecution for the hit-and-run by notifying the authorities within a half hour of the accident or within a half hour of being discharged from the hospital for an injury or incapacitation suffered in the accident. Section 11-401(b) provides as follows:

"Any person who has failed to stop or to comply with the requirements of paragraph (a) shall, as soon as possible but in no case later than one-half hour after such motor vehicle accident, or, if hospitalized and incapacitated from reporting at any time during such period, as soon as possible but in no case later than one-half hour after being discharged from the hospital, report the place of the accident, the date, the approximate time, the driver's name and address, the registration number of the vehicle driven, and the names of all other occupants of such vehicle, at a police station or sheriff's office near the place where such accident occurred. No report made as required under this paragraph shall be used, directly or indirectly, as a basis for the prosecution of any violation of (staying at scene requirements)."

The bottom line is there is no excuse for a motorist to flee the scene of a bicycle crash. At worst, a bicyclist may be literally left to die at the scene of the crash. At a minimum, a person who needs help may ironically need the motorist's assistance in that moment. Even if there is that moment of fear or panic, Illinois law provides a half hour for the motorist to right the wrong without any penalty.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-239-6787 (Office) or 312-208-7702 (Nights and Weekends) or via email at 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.