As individuals traversing the Chicago area, we like to believe that our actions control our safety and that if we move with caution, we will be free from injury. Yet that is not always the case as every day, innocent people are involved in traffic collisions simply because another person near them acted negligently or recklessly. These collisions may trigger a victim to incur significant hardship and may leave them in need of medical help, possibly while being forced to miss time from work. The suffering caused by a crash rarely ends at the scene of the collision and often continues for weeks, months, or even years.
If you are a victim of a car accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian collision in Chicago and you are injured, make sure you understand whether you have a valid claim for your damages. If you do not realize the totality of your options and you fail to act upon them within a time period set by law, you will be prevented from ever obtaining payment for your injuries and you will never get the compensation that you deserve. When you are unsure of your standing, speaking with a personal injury attorney can help you realize your possible routes towards a recovery.
In a typical claim for injuries stemming from a bicycle accident, for example, a victim may be able to seek relief from an at-fault driver or that driver’s auto insurance company. Claims usually seek payment for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and scarring/permanency of injuries if damages stem from any or all of those categories. But make sure you realize that whatever form your damages take, you may be entitled to payment for them. In the most tragic incidents, a victim is killed while riding a bicycle and will never have the opportunity to get the relief that he or she would have been entitled to. In those cases, though no amount of compensation can ever be adequate for the loss of a life, the victim’s surviving family members and loved ones may be able to bring a claim and may be able to recover.
Unfortunately, a bicyclist lost his life this week in a collision with a hit-and-run driver in Waukegan. The incident happened around 8:00 a.m. near Washington Street and Martin Avenue on Tuesday and police have confirmed that the victim was a 54-year-old man. Authorities believe that the cyclist was riding his bike in the area when a car driven by an unidentified driver approached the area and struck the bicyclist, causing him serious injuries and leading to his death a short time later.
Reports indicate that the driver of the car, a two-door green sedan, did not stop at the scene to check on the victim and did not report the crash to authorities. Officials are still looking for that driver and anyone with information is asked to contact the Waukegan police department.
If you have been involved in a bicycle accident in Chicago due to the actions of another rider or another driver, the injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. want to help you fight for the relief you deserve. We offer a case consultation without obligation and without cost to all victims and their family members who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and we keep an attorney available to speak with you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When we take a case, we will never charge our clients a fee unless we successfully make a recovery for them and we will fight for the best possible outcome every time. If you have questions or if we can help you, call us today and let us take the struggle out of your claim by fighting for your rights.
Prior Blog Entry:
Driver Caught, Charged in Fatal Chicago Pedestrian Crash, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published July 24, 2015.
Resource:
Bicyclist killed in Waukegan hit-and-run, by Jordan Owen, Chicago Sun-Times, published July 16, 2015.