Your Trusted Chicago Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt while riding in Chicago, you are likely facing painful injuries, mounting bills, and an insurance company already looking for reasons to pay less. You do not have to face that alone. Furqan Mohammed helps injured cyclists across Chicago hold negligent drivers accountable and pursue the full compensation they deserve, so you can focus on healing.
Understanding Your Right to Compensation After a Chicago Bicycle Accident
A bicycle accident can change your life in seconds, leaving you with serious injuries, lost income, and a long road to recovery. Under Illinois law, a cyclist has the same right to the road as any driver, and when someone else’s negligence causes a crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Getting there means proving fault, standing up to the insurer, and meeting strict deadlines. In most cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/13-202).
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Chicago
Chicago is one of the busiest cycling cities in the country, and riders share crowded streets like Milwaukee Avenue, Clark Street, and Halsted with heavy traffic. Understanding how these crashes happen can support your claim and clarify who is at fault. The most common causes include:
Dooring
Unsafe turns
Distracted driving
Unsafe passing
Failure to yield
Determining Liability in a Chicago Bicycle Accident
When a bicycle accident happens, liability decides who is responsible for your injuries, lost income, and other losses. In Illinois, a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle (625 ILCS 5/11-1502), so the same negligence rules apply. Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule: your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, and you can still recover as long as you are not more than 50% at fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). If your share of fault is greater than 50%, you cannot recover.
By gathering and interpreting the evidence, from the police report and witness accounts to the driver’s conduct, we can establish who is legally responsible and how damages should be apportioned.
Types of Compensation
In Illinois, injured cyclists may be entitled to compensation for a range of losses, depending on the nature and severity of the crash. Common types of compensation include:
Medical expenses
Covers emergency care, hospitalization, therapy, and future medical needs
Lost income
Reimburses wages lost due to injury and diminished earning capacity
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Accounts for physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of normal life
Loss of consortium
Compensation for harm to spousal relationships
How Furqan Mohammed Can Help
A bicycle accident lawyer like Furqan Mohammed can provide essential support after a crash, including:
- Investigating the crash to determine fault and gather evidence
- Calculating the full value of your injuries and losses
- Handling the insurance company so you do not have to
- Taking your case to court when a fair settlement is not offered
Dealing with insurers alone can risk an undervalued claim or a missed deadline. Furqan Mohammed guides injured cyclists through every step, from investigating the crash and gathering evidence to negotiating with the insurance company and, if needed, filing suit in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The firm serves riders across Chicago, with assistance available in Arabic and other languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can, call 911 and get medical attention right away, even if you feel okay, since some injuries appear later. Get the driver's information and insurance, photograph the scene and your bike, and ask any witnesses for their contact information. A police report creates an official record that can help your claim.
In most cases you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Shorter deadlines can apply to some claims, such as those against a city or other government body, so it is best to speak with a lawyer early.
You may. Illinois uses modified comparative negligence: your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover as long as you are not more than 50% at fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116).
Yes. A person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle under Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/11-1502). Drivers who fail to share the road can be held responsible for the harm they cause.
Dooring is against the law in Illinois. No one may open a vehicle door into moving traffic until it is safe to do so (625 ILCS 5/11-1407). If a driver or passenger doored you, they may be responsible for your injuries.
