More and more Oak Lawn residents are turning towards bicycles as a form of exercise and as a means of transportation to and from work. Indeed, bicycles are environmentally friendly, require little maintenance, and are often ideal for recreation.
However, while bicycles are becoming more prevalent, there has also been an increase in the number of accidents involving bicycle riders and cars, trucks, and motorcycles. The Illinois Department of Transportation reported that in 2015 there were 3,322 accidents involving bicycles in Oak Lawn, 3,196 of which resulted in an injury and 27 of which were fatal.
A qualified and experienced Oak Lawn bicycle accident lawyer could work to help you or a loved one after a bicycle accident. By engaging in an extensive investigation and aggressive negotiation, a dedicated personal injury attorney could seek compensation for your injuries and losses on your behalf following a bicycle accident in Oak Lawn. En Español.
Bicycling Laws in Oak Lawn Designed to Protect Riders
The Illinois Legislature, as well as the local government in Oak Lawn, have enacted numerous laws in an effort to protect bicycle riders. For example, motorists in Illinois have a legal obligation to exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, or any person operating a bicycle or other device propelled by human power under 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1.
On a more local level, §11-9-11(A) in the Village Code of the Village of Oak Lawn states that every person operating a bicycle/tricycle in the Village shall conform to the provisions of the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways, and shall also be subject to the regulations of this Section. Additional local and state-mandated regulations require bicycle riders to: keep to the far right of the road, stay two-abreast while on the roadway, and obey traffic signals.
Lawmakers have also imposed numerous laws aimed at drivers in an effort to prevent accidents. As stated above, motorists are expected to exercise due care to avoid colliding with any person or bicycle. This means that motorists must be cognizant of bicycle riders on the road and at intersections. For more information, get in contact with an Oak Lawn bicycle accident lawyer today.
Valuating Damages in Oak Lawn Bicycle Accidents
Most bicycle accident lawsuits in Oak Lawn are based on a theory of negligence—that is, the notion that a driver had a duty to exercise due care around a bicycle rider and directly caused an injurious accident by breaching this duty.
Many people want to know how much their bicycle accident is worth. However, there is no one set value for any particular accident. Instead, to determine the value of an accident, a seasoned bike accident attorney would exhaustively review all the unique facts of an accident case to identify the compensable damages that resulted from it.
Determining damages in an accident case requires evaluating expenses associated with the aftermath of the accident in question, including emergency medical care, doctor’s appointments and lost wages for time spent away from work. Generally, these damage types are easy to prove via objective evidence like medical bills and previous pay slips.
However, there are also other damage types, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, that can be part of a bicycle accident case but also much harder to prove. A seasoned Oak Lawn bicycle accident lawyer could engage in a thorough investigation and evaluation of a bicycle accident to determine the full value of the impact a bicycle accident has had on a person’s life.
How an Oak Lawn Bicycle Accident Attorney Could Help
Were you injured in a bicycle accident while on the road? Were you hit by a driver who was not paying attention, driving recklessly, or otherwise acting in a negligent manner?
If so, contact an Oak Lawn bicycle accident lawyer today to discuss your case. A dedicated and experienced bicycle accident attorney could explain your rights, help determine liability, and work with you to pursue compensation for your injuries. Call today to schedule an initial consultation.
