Belleville, Illinois Man Sues For Bicycle Accident

By Mike Glisson | November 18, 2014

A man riding a bicycle in Belleville, Illinois has filed a bicycle accident lawsuit after being struck by a car.

The lawsuit claims that the bike rider was injured as the car driver pulled out of his driveway. According to a report in the St. Clair County Record, the collision caused serious injuries.

The plaintiff is seeking damages due to the driver’s failure to watch carefully for passing pedestrians or bike riders. The lawsuit has been filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

According to figures cited by the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 4 million people in Illinois use bicycles. Unfortunately, more than 4,000 bicyclists are injured each year in the state.

Here are some more national bicycle statistics from NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2005 and bicycleuniverse.info:

  • The most common bike-car collision is a driver failing to yield at a stop sign.
  • 784 cyclists died in 2005; 725 cyclists died in 2004; 629 cyclists died in 2003.
  • More than 80% of fatalities for child bicyclists age 14 and under were caused by unsafe riding.
  • Approximately 40% of deaths on bicycles nationwide occur at night.
  • Falls account for 59% of crashes, running into a fixed object 14%, impact with moving motor vehicles 11%, impact with another bicycle 9%.
  • 1 in every 20 bicyclists is injured annually.

Although there are many safety precautions bike riders would be wise to take — including wearing a helmet, avoiding bicycling at night, and allowing extra time to stop when it’s raining — accidents can happen despite following all the rules of thumb.

The attorneys of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson understand the pain, suffering, and monetary loss caused by automobile drivers who don’t do their part to ensure safety for everyone on the road. That’s why the firm of WWF&G prosecutes bicycle accident cases to the fullest extent, exploring all avenues necessary to make a recovery for its clients.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a bike accident, there are some important facts to consider. In the state of Illinois, you are not legally required to wear a helmet, and that detail cannot be used against you in court. Because Illinois is a modified comparative negligence state, one can be partially at fault for the injury and still recover damages provided that he or she is determined to be less than 50% at fault.

Please contact us for a free consultation so we can examine how best to address your situation.

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