Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Springfield, IL
If You Were Injured While Riding on a Bicycle in Illinois, Call the Noll Law Office’s Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Springfield for Help
Riding a bicycle is generally safe. Whether it is for exercise, commuting to work, or for pure fun, most people have a safe and enjoyable ride. Unfortunately, the experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Springfield, Illinois knows that this is not always true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the United States there are over 130,000 people injured and 1,000 people killed in bicycle accidents. Other statistics reveal that these figures are increasing in recent years, up by over 16% over the last year. More locally, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports that each year there are roughly 2,330 bicyclists injured, and 10-15 people are killed in traffic accidents. All of the deaths occurred in an urban setting rather than in a rural setting, including in areas like Springfield.
At the Noll Law Office, their experienced bicycle accident lawyers in Springfield understand how important it is for accident victims to receive strong legal representation. Unlike other personal injury law firms that may farm cases out to satellite offices and to brand new associates or summer law clerks, the Noll Law Office handles everything in-house. That means your case stays locally and you can always call to get a case update from one of the lawyers actually working on your case, not a partner that assigns it to an associate. To learn more about how the Noll Law Office can help you after a bicycle accident in Illinois, call to schedule your FREE case evaluation with their experienced personal injury lawyers and compassionate staff. They can be reached at (217) 414-8889.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Illinois
There are many different ways that a bicycle accident could occur in Illinois. Even though a bicycle rider may be very careful and keep a lookout for other vehicles and hazards on the road, that does not mean that other vehicles will do an adequate job of keeping a lookout for bicyclists. Although each bicycle accident is unique in some way, the following are some of the top causes of most bicycle accidents:
- Distracted driving like a cell phone, GPS, radio, eating, or another hazard
- Failure by drivers to leave an adequate buffer between their vehicle and the bicyclist
- Excessive speed
- “Dooring” a bicyclist by opening a car door when a bicyclist is coming
- Drunk driving or drugged driving
- Drivers who weave in and out of traffic
- Unsafe lane changes by drivers who merge into a bicyclist’s lane without really looking
- Making an intersection turn without looking for bicyclists
- Running a red light or stop sign, or attempting to “beat” a yellow light before it turns red
- Driver fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel
- Failure to yield
- Aggressive driving
- Inexperienced driving
- Failure to check mirrors
- Unsafe backing
- Improper U-turns, and
- Other types of negligent conduct that may result in a bicycle accident in Springfield, Illinois.
Common Injuries Caused by Bicycle Accidents in Illinois
Bicyclist injuries are typically quite severe. A bicyclist has little protection when hit by a vehicle, other than a bicycle helmet (when worn). If the accident occurred at a low speed, the bicyclist may have relatively minor injuries like contusions, strains, sprains, lacerations, abrasions, and small hematomas. However, even a small “bumper tap” can still launch a bicyclist head-first into the ground. Road rash can occur just as it does for motorcyclists involved in an accident, sometimes leading to secondary infections.
Other types of serious bicycle accident injuries that may result in compensation include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paraplegia
- Amputation
- Quadriplegia
- Broken bones
- Torn muscles
- Crushing injuries
- Torn tendons like rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder
- Foot or ankle injuries
- SLAP tears in the shoulder
- Meniscus tears in the hip
- Significant scarring or disfigurement
- Labral tears in the hip
- Neck injuries or back injuries, including a slipped disc, herniation, or annular tear
- Brachial plexus nerve injuries in the neck, shoulder, and arm
- Blindness or partial loss of eyesight
- Ligament tears in the knee, including LCL, MCL, PCL, or ACL
- Dislocations
- Separations, especially of the shoulder
- Internal organ injuries
- Nerve injuries, and
- Other common injuries that the experienced bicycle accident lawyers in Springfield, Illinois can fight to recover compensation for you and your family.
What Are the Springfield, IL Laws Pertaining to Bicycle Accidents?
In the State of Illinois, a bicyclist has all the rights and responsibilities of a driver of any other vehicle. That means that bicyclists must follow all of the traffic laws that drivers of other motor vehicles must follow. However, the Illinois Legislature has further mandated that bicyclists should ride safely and close to the right-hand edge or curb with very limited exceptions. For example, a bicyclist may transition to the left side when preparing for a left turn, avoiding fixed or moving objects, animals, surface hazards, or narrow lanes.
The Illinois Secretary of State has issued Rules of the Road for cyclists. Bicyclists must ride in the same direction as other vehicles, yield to pedestrians, and use known hand signals to show their intention to drivers. If there is a marked bicycle lane, bicyclists should stay in this lane when practical.
What Should I Do Following My Bicycle Accident in Springfield?
You should immediately seek medical attention after a bicycle accident. That includes calling 911 and being evaluated by a trained medical professional. If you are able, exchange information with the driver that hit you and collect witness information. You can also take photographs or videos of the accident scene, signage, roadway debris, points of collision, and of your injuries. This is something that is important to help your case. Follow all medical recommendations for treatment, and report every injury, ache, or pain – no matter how mild you think they may be – to a healthcare professional.
Once you are able, contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Springfield, Illinois to set up a free consultation. It is best to do this right away, even before you contact your insurance carrier to report an accident, as an insurance adjuster will immediately begin to undermine your claim by asking well-rehearsed questions that are meant to trick or trap you into admitting fault or mitigating the extent of your injuries.
How Do I Choose the Best Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me and For My Case?
Choosing the best bicycle accident lawyer in Springfield is very important so that you trust and feel comfortable with them. When you meet with an attorney, ask them what percentage of their practice focuses on bodily injury claims. Ask them what attorney will handle their claim, and how many years of experience that attorney has. Ask the attorney about the claims and litigation process, and if they have ever gone to trial on a collision case. Ask them what an uninsured motorist claim is. Ask them about the “make whole” doctrine. Ask them what CPT codes are. If the attorney cannot spout off a wealth of information about these and other routine medical litigation matters – they are not the attorney for you.
The Noll Law Office is your local, central Illinois bodily injury firm that focuses on personal injury cases, including bicycle accidents. You and your loved ones will meet with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer from day one. Their lawyers are successful litigators with strong roots in the community who will give your case the individualized attention it requires. The Noll Law Office aggressively advocates for clients and believes that honest communication combined with strong litigation experience is the key to successful outcomes. Call the Noll Law Office today to learn more about how they can help you and your family after a bicycle accident in Illinois.
How Noll Law Office Can Help After a Bicycle Accident in Illinois?
The attorneys at the Noll Law Office work hard to solve problems for their clients and make sure to communicate with clients so that they understand the issues specific to their cases. Their attorneys offer free initial consultations to discuss your situation and come up with a strong plan of action. That means you can ask questions and get answers that are directly relevant to your case. There is also no obligation to sign up and, if you hire their law firm and they accept your case, you do not owe any legal fees until they recover compensation for you.
Once retained, the Noll Law Office will aggressively advocate on your behalf, gathering your medical record, police reports, and other important information pertaining to your case. Its attorneys can even negotiate with medical providers and insurers on your behalf to put more money in your pocket. Simply put, the Noll Law Office offers compassionate counseling and aggressive advocacy. Contact the Noll Law Office today to learn more about how they can help you.
Bicycle Accident Case Illustration
A bicycle accident often leaves cyclists severely injured, possibly even unable to return to work. Bicyclists have virtually no protection when hit by a passing vehicle—or worse, a semi-truck or bus. Many bicycle accidents happen because drivers refuse to yield or the driver does not see the cyclist at all. Most vehicles have common “blind spots,” and motorists are often distracted by electronics and other motorists, failing to notice much smaller vehicles. Consider the following case illustration of a bicycle accident:
Joy rides her bicycle to work and back every day from her home in Springfield. Her office is only a couple of miles from her home and biking allows her to get fresh air and exercise. One day Joy is headed home after work. She knows to be exceptionally vigilant on the busy city streets but is not expecting the nearby car to suddenly speed up to make a yellow light, clipping her as it speeds through the intersection. Joy is thrown from her bicycle, breaking her femur and wrist when she lands.
While Joy’s injuries are not catastrophic, they are painful and will limit her mobility for weeks. Joy’s job requires that she use a computer most of each day, which she cannot do with her broken wrist. She cannot drive to work. The surgical wounds from her surgery sites cause significant scarring that is embarrassing to her. Joy now finds herself—through no fault of her own—injured and unable to work. Joy is unsure what to do to safeguard her health and her financial future.
Should you find yourself in such a position, the best thing you can do is contact the Noll Law Office. The Noll Law Office bicycle accident lawyers in Springfield are based in the community, for the community. You will meet with an attorney from day one, onward. The experienced litigators at the Noll Law Office enjoy going to trial, and will zealously advocate for you and your family.