Chicago Bicyclist Receives $295,000.00 Settlement for Personal Injury Claim After Right Hook by Taxicab Caught on Tape

CDOT Footage Showed Bicyclist Struck By Turning Taxi

A Chicago bicyclist suffered a broken collarbone and a fractured rib when he was "right hooked" by the driver of a taxicab in 2015. The bicycle crash occurred at the intersection of Kinzie Street and LaSalle Street in the River North neighborhood. At the time of the crash the bicyclist was riding westbound in the bike lane on Kinzie Street. At the same time, the cab driver was driving west on Kinzie and attempting to make a right-hand turn onto northbound LaSalle Street.

Bicycle Crash Captured on CDOT Surveillance Camera

The driver of the cab, despite the presence of the Kinzie bike lane, never checked for bicycle traffic and turned right immediately across the bicyclist. The bicyclist was thrown from his bicycle onto the roadway as a result of the impact. The attorneys at Keating Law Offices were able to obtain video footage from the City of Chicago by immediately requesting it. Nearby Chicago Department of Transportation cameras captured the incident and this photograph depicts the moment the bicyclist was thrown threw the air after he was ejected from his bicycle. 

Taxicab Driver Violated Chicago Bike Laws With "Right Hook" Turn

The operator of the taxicab violated state and local traffic laws in making this turn. In Chicago the Municipal Code addresses this scenario. Section 9-16-020 specifically prohibits right turns in front of bicycles. The infographic below details right-hook and left-hook bicycle crashes. The Chicago bicycle law states:

“When a motor vehicle and a bicycle are traveling in the same direction on any highway, street, or road, the operator of the motor vehicle overtaking such bicycle traveling on the right side of the roadway shall not turn to the right in front of the bicycle at that intersection or at any alley or driveway until such vehicle has overtaken and is safely clear of the bicycle.” 

As a law firm that focuses on representing victims of bicycle crashes, right-hook collisions like this are common, especially in congested areas like River North. The reason that these types of crashes are so common is simple: the motorist does not see the bicyclist even though they have the opportunity to do so. The motorist typically makes the turn without ever checking for other traffic - including bicycles - when making the turn and the right-hook collision ensues.

The key words in Section 9-16-020 of the Chicago Municipal Code are "until such vehicle has overtaken and is safely clear of the bicycle." The weight of these words are that it is incumbent upon the taxi cab driver to be absolutely certain that the path is clear before initiating a right turn. A taxicab driver is also supposed to be a "professional driver" and operating their vehicle to to meet the highest standards. 

The injuries from this crash were very severe and required extensive treatment. The bicyclist's fractured collarbone had to be surgically repaired and the other injuries took a long time to heal. During this time the bicyclist was not able to work and lost wages that he otherwise would have earned. Fortunately, this financial settlement of $295,000.00 does more than compensate the bicyclist for his medical bills and lost wages from when he couldn't work. This settlement takes into account the severity of the injury and provides compensation for the pain and suffering and loss of a normal life he experienced as a result of his injuries. 

Keating Law Offices Has A History Of Prosecuting Taxicab and Rideshare Cases

Keating Law Offices is the premiere personal injury law firm representing victims of bicycle accidents in Illinois. The firm has extensive experience handling cases again taxi cab companies and ride share companies like Uber and Lyft for bicycle accidents caused by their drivers. 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. 

Lawsuit For Chicago Bicyclist Injured In Accident With Taxi Settled

A Chicago bicyclist who was injured in an accident with a Chicago Carriage Cab has received a nearly $85,000.00 settlement for the personal injuries he sustained in the collision. The collision occurred on August 29, 2011 when the taxi cab driver turned directly into the bike lane from a parked position on Halsted Street outside of Illinois Masonic Hospital. The bicyclist was struck and thrown from his bicycle and sustained a non-displaced fracture of his collarbone. The injured bicyclist was taken directly into the Emergency Room at Illinois Masonic Hospital from the scene where he was treated.

At the traffic court hearing attorney Mike Keating attended the traffic court hearing with the injured client. At the hearing the taxicab driver pled guilty to violating Section 9-40-190 of the Municipal Code of Chicago. This section specifically prohibits drivers from pulling into traffic - in this case the bike lane on Halsted - from a parked position.

The taxicab driver was driving a Chicago Carriage Cab at the time of the accident. Chicago Carriage Cabs are common in Chicago and recognizable by their unique maroon color as opposed to the traditional yellow taxicab color. Chicago Carriage Cabs were insured with an insurance carrier named Ullico at the time of the collision.

What seemed like a relatively straightforward lawsuit given the guilty plea by the driver and the very clearly severe injury sustained by the bicyclist quickly became complicated when Ullico filed for "insolvency." "Insolvency" is when an insurance company essentially declares itself bankrupt in the sense that it does not have the money on hand to pay all of the claims against it. As a result of Ullico's insolvency proceedings, there was a period of time where there was essentially no insurance for any Ullico claims. During this time there was a legal "stay" on all lawsuits in Cook County involving Ullico as well. The combination of no insurance and the stay left these cases in legal limbo.

Many attorneys withdrew from cases involving Ullico fearing that the claims would never be paid. However, the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices remained committed to their client and patiently pursued the case. Ultimately the State of Illinois provided insurance coverage through the Illinois Guaranty Fund - a sort of "insurance for insurance." After continuing to pursue the case ultimately the case was able to be settled for $60,000.00 in addition to the over $24,000.00 in medical expenses that had already been paid by health insurance.

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 injured in bicycle accidents throughout Illinois. If you have any questions regarding this post or have a question regarding personal injury law or a bicycle accident, 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 confidential and free.

Taxi Involved in Hit-and-Run with Bicyclist in Lakeview - Help Requested to Identify Taxicab

Intersection of Halsted Street and Wellington Avenue near where a Chicago bicyclist was injured in a hit-and-run collision on July 19th in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a Chicago bicyclist who was a victim of a hit-and-run with a taxicab on Saturday, July 19, 2014 at approximately 10:15 p.m. The bicycle accident occurred in the Lakeview neighborhood at 3031 North Halsted Street which is just north of the intersection of West Wellington Avenue and North Halsted Street near Illinois Masonic Hospital.

The bicyclist, a local dog walker who was riding home, was traveling northbound in the marked bike lane on Halsted Street when the driver of a taxicab suddenly swerved the motor vehicle into the bike lane and struck the bicyclist. The driver of the taxicab then fled the scene of the bicycle collision northbound on North Halsted Street towards its intersection with North Clark Street. Three eyewitnesses confirmed that the hit-and-run vehicle was a taxicab. However, the witnesses were unable to identify the taxi number or license plate. There is an unconfirmed report that the taxicab may have been black and white in color, but there is some confusion from the scene as to the accuracy of this report. The Chicago Police Department responded to the scene but have since closed their investigation after the responding officer chose to not notify the police department's Major Accidents Investigation Unit (MAIU).

Keating Law Offices has commenced legal action against the "John Doe" driver on behalf of the injured bicyclist and are in the process of securing a protective order from a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County to acquire security footage from nearby businesses. Yet, we are respectfully asking for your help to identify the hit-and-run taxicab driver and to identify any Chicago taxicab companies that operate taxicabs that are black and white in color. If you witnessed the bicycle collision or have any information regarding the hit-and-run taxicab driver please contact Keating Law Offices at (312) 239-6787 or email attorney Mike Keating at MKeating@KeatingLegal.com. Callers may choose to remain anonymous. 

The bicyclist sustained multiple severe injuries, including an open fracture to his left forearm. An open fracture is when the fractured bone breaks through the skin. The bicyclist was transported via ambulance to a local emergency room where he underwent open reduction and internal fixation surgery (“ORIF”). ORIF is a two-part surgery in which the broken bone is put back into place and then an internal fixation device (usually screws, plates, rods or pins) is placed on the bone to stabilize and facilitate healing of the fracture. The bicyclist spent four nights at the hospital before being released and has a long road of recovery in front of him.

Illinois Bicycle Lawyers to Represent Victim of Hit-and-Run with Taxicab Tied to Long History of Legal Problems

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at the Keating Law Offices have been retained to represent a Chicago bicyclist who was injured in a hit-and-run bicycle accident with a taxi cab in River North. 

The bicyclist was in the left-turn lane on eastbound West Kinsie Street at its intersection with North LaSalle Street, waiting for the light to turn green in order to make a left onto northbound North LaSalle. This section of Kinzie Street includes marked "bicycle sharrows" and is just east of the protected bike lane. 

When the light turned green, a taxi cab behind the bicyclist attempted to beat oncoming traffic by passing the bicyclist and making a left turn onto northbound North LaSalle. As it turned onto LaSalle Street, the taxi cab driver hit the bicyclist with the passenger side of his cab, causing the bicyclist to crash onto the pavement. The taxi cab driver never stopped and instead proceeded to drive away in the northbound lane of North LaSalle. 

Fortunately, an eyewitness was able to take a picture of the taxi cab and identify it by its cab number. Each taxi cab has an individual number assigned to it. The injured bicyclist came to the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices for legal advice. The firm immediately sent out a Freedem of Information Act (FOIA) request to the City of Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection asking for the City to turn over everything within the public record related to this taxi cab's number. 

Shockingly, this was not the first time this taxi cab was associated with a legal problem. The FOIA request lead to the discovery of many reports to the City of Chicago about reckless driving and dangerous behavior dating all the way back to 2006. A complaint from one set of passengers alleged that the taxi driver ran multiple stop signs, a red light, and almost caused an accident while they were in the cab. The passengers were so fearful that they requested to be let out before reaching their intended destination. Another report from a Chicago motorist driving alongside the cab noted driving so erratic that he wondered whether the taxicab driver’s faculties were impaired at the time. Perhaps most shockingly, a complaint against the taxi driver for physical assault was filed in 2008. One morning, while waiting in the cab area at Union Station, the taxi driver got into a fight with another taxi driver, punching him twice in the face. Most recently, in February of 2013, the City of Chicago impounded the taxi cab in question for twenty days pending an investigation and court proceedings against it in Park Ridge, Illinois. Details of the matter in Park Ridge were not detailed in the City of Chicago's files.

While the extreme allegations against the driver or drivers of this specific taxi cab were unusual, unfortunately hit-and-run collisions with bicyclists are not. According to the City of Chicago’s Bicycle Crash Analysis, 25% of all bicycle crashes in 2012 were classified as hit-and-runs. Further, approximately 55% of bicycle crashes resulting in injury occurred at intersections and approximately 1-in-12 crashes involved taxis. As a result of the collision at issue, this bicyclist sustained injuries to his back and tailbone, as well as damage to his bicycle and helmet. He works as a bike messenger and missed work following the accident. He is now receiving follow-up care.

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Office not only take our responsibility to our client that was injured in this collision very seriously, but also our responsibility to the public at large. We are ensuring that this most recent event is reported to the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and that a bright light is shined on the behavior of the driver or drivers of this taxicab.

Chicago Bike Messenger Doored by Taxi Passenger Near Union Station

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices were recently retained to represent a Chicago bicycle messenger who was injured when she was doored by a passenger exiting a taxi near Union Station. On the evening of July 1, 2013, the bike messenger was riding her bicycle westbound on Adams Street just past the bridge over the Chicago River. At the same time, a taxi pulled over on the left side of Adams Street to drop off a passenger. As our client approached the taxi, a passenger suddenly opened the rear driver-side door directly into our client's lane of traffic, causing our client to slam into the door and fall to the ground. The passenger at fault immediately fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.

The taxi passenger clearly violated Section 11-1407 of the Illinois Rules of the Road, which states:

"No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic . . . ." 

Under the Illinois Rules of the Road, the passenger is liable for our client's injuries, as he directly interfered with moving traffic when he opened his door into our client's path. Unfortunately, we are unable to seek recovery from this individual, as he fled the scene and his identity remains unknown.

Fortunately, the cab driver and the company he works for are also liable for our client's injuries. City of Chicago Public Chauffeurs Rule 5.18 requires taxi drivers to discharge passengers "in a safe and legal manner" and requires divers to discharge passengers curbside. The driver is this case violated both of these requirements because the passenger opened the door in violation of Section 11-1407 of the Illinois Rules of the Road and because he failed to drop the passenger off curbside. As such, the Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices are still able to seek recovery on our client's behalf. We are currently pursuing this claim against the taxi cab driver and the taxi cab company involved in this collision.