Record Illinois settlement — 3 years after bicycle accident

On Behalf of Johnston Law Offices P.C   |   Sep 3, 2014   |   Bicycle Accidents ,

Illinois residents may remember the horrific accident in Nov. 2011 when a 28,000-pound semi trailer knocked down a bicyclist on the streets of Chicago and rode over her. While the lawsuit against the truck driver and the owner the truck was scheduled for trial later this year, a settlement was recently reached. It was reported that the $9.75 million settlement is the highest in the state’s history of settlements or verdicts reached in a bicycle accident case.

Now, three years after suffering dreadful life-threatening injuries, the avid cyclist and fitness instructor is continuing on the road to recovery, anticipating the moment she can live a normal life again. In sharing her story, she says that she was approaching a busy intersection when a large tractor-trailer went by and made a right turn. The police accident report stated that the cyclist was knocked down by the rear tire on the right, and she was dragged along underneath the trailer. Medical evidence shows that the wheel went over her body, resulting in severe pelvic trauma.

After being stabilized at a nearby medical center, she was admitted to a facility where the reconstruction of her pelvis commenced. Since the crash, the woman has undergone 14 surgical procedures, and it was said that there would be many more in the future. After some time in ICU, she went to a rehabilitation center where she expects to learn to walk again.

The medical expenses that this bicycle accident victim has been facing over the three years since the accident, along with what will follow in future, must be astronomical. Injured victims of accidents that were caused by the negligence of another party retain the right to file a personal injury claim in an Illinois civil court. They may benefit from the experience of a professional to guide them through the legal procedures of such a claim.

Source: San Angelo Standard Times, “After near-fatal bicycle accident, triathlete making strides in long recovery”, Kim Geiger, Aug. 28, 2014