I Was Hit by a Car While Riding My Bike and Suffered a Serious Injury. What Should I Do?

 Posted on October 21, 2022 in Car Crashes

Traveling by automobile is an essential form of travel woven into our society's very fabric. However, with gas prices soaring to unprecedented levels, many are looking for other, more economical forms of travel. There is no better way to burn calories and save money at the gas pump than taking your bike out for a ride instead of your car. Unfortunately, vehicle operators often forget that the road does not belong solely to them.

Whether riding a bike or even crossing the road on foot, being struck by a car can result in dreadful consequences and, in some cases, even wrongful death. If you or someone you love has been hit by a vehicle, consider contacting a knowledgeable personal injury attorney to pursue compensation for your injuries. Depending on the circumstances of your case and the severity of your injury, you may be entitled to compensation to account for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. 

Driver Negligence Resulting in Bicyclist and Pedestrian Injuries 

In many instances, when someone is riding their bike or walking down the road and getting hit by a car, it can result from driver negligence. Unfortunately, there are many different forms of driver negligence, including:

• Distracted driving – With the widespread use of smartphones and similar devices, drivers can quickly become distracted and not see a biker on the side of the road or a pedestrian crossing the street. Under Illinois law, electronic communication while driving is strictly prohibited. Electronic communication devices are cell phones, hand-held digital assistants, and portable computers. Interestingly, in Illinois, using a built-in or electronically integrated GPS in your car is not considered a form of distracted driving. 
• Drunk driving – Using drugs or alcohol while operating a vehicle can critically impair the driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely. Therefore, drunk driving is a severe crime, especially when it results in death or bodily injury to another. 
• Traffic violations – Speeding and running stop signs or red lights can easily result in a driver striking a biker or someone walking. Traffic rules are there to keep people safe on the roadways. It is important to note that bicyclists are entitled to many of the same traffic laws and protections as operators of vehicles. 
• Dooring – If a vehicle parks next to or near a road where there are bikers, both drivers and passengers of vehicles are required by law to check to see if the road is clear before opening a car door. Hazardous situations can arise wen someone in a car opens their car door without first checking to see if anyone is there. A cyclist may swerve out of the way of the door only to be launched into traffic, which can result in serious injuries such as broken bones, scarring, lacerations, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, and even death.

Contact a Joliet Hit-by-Car Injury Attorney

Getting hit by a car is an event no one should have to go through. Driving a vehicle is a privilege, not a right. Any vehicle operator who fails to uphold and practice safe driving dramatically endangers the public, especially those riding a bike or walking down the street. If you or someone you love has been hit by a car, consider contacting a Will County bicycle and pedestrian injury lawyer. We will protect your rights and fight to get the compensation you deserve. Call the offices of Michael J. Lichner - Will County Personal Injury Lawyer today at 815-730-1977 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Source: 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K12-610.2