Taxi Driver Causes Collision With Bicyclist On North Damen Avenue

There was a moment of sheer panic when the cab suddenly shot out in front of him.  A split second later he was flying over the front of the taxi and into the street.  The 27 year old cyclist landed hard on his right shoulder in a puddle of dark, murky slop on the side of the road.

On January 6th at around 12:30 a.m. the male bicyclist was riding home from a friend's house in the shared bike lane north along the 3300 block of North Damen Avenue when a taxi, which had been stopped along the curb, suddenly pulled out in front of him.  The cyclist could not avoid striking the front wheel well of the cab.  The impact sent him flying into the road where he suffered a separated shoulder.  He was taken from the scene via ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.  

The bicyclist works at a Trader Joe's Market on the North Side.  The injury is expected to keep him out of work for at least six weeks.

My law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist.  We are expecting the cab driver to offer the tired excuse that he did not see the cyclist.  However, the crash occurred in an area designated for bike traffic in a very well lit area.  In fact, the collision occurred directly underneath a street light.

Settlement For Bicyclist Injured By Taxi On North Kingsbury Street, Despite Not Guilty Finding

Today, our law firm obtained a substantial settlement for a bicyclist injured in June, 2010 by a taxi cab in the 700 block of North Kingsbury Street in Chicago.  On the morning of June 3rd, our client was riding his bike to his Loop office when a taxi, which had been stopped along the curb on Kingsbury, suddenly pulled into the street, crashing into him.  The bicyclist sustained a fractured collar bone.

The driver was ticketed at the scene, but was found not guilty by a Cook County Traffic Court judge at the citation hearing.  However, with some hard investigative work -- and a little luck -- we were able to locate a witness to the incident.  The witness' statement likely aided us in obtaining a good result for our client despite the not guilty finding.

Taxi Collides With Bicyclist Riding Home From Work On Chicago's Near Northside

A Chicago taxi caused a serious collision with a bicyclist when the driver made an unsignaled left in front of the rider at the intersection of North Street Street and East Ontario Street on July 22nd.  The incident occurred just after 11:00 p.m. as the cyclist was riding home from work at a Loop area restaurant.  The bicycle was equipped with front and rear lights which were on at the time of the collision.  Our law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist against the driver and the cab company that employed him.

Prior to the incident, our client was riding north bound along the right side of North State Street.  As he approached the intersection with Ontario the light controlling north/south traffic was green.  He intended to proceed straight.  As he did, a taxi cab that had stopped along the right hand curb of State Street pulled into the bicyclist's lane, designated for traffic proceeding straight north.  From that lane -- forgoing the left turn lane  present there -- with the bicycle close behind him, the driver suddenly, without signaling, attempted to make a left onto west bound Ontario.  The cyclist took evasive action, turning his bike to the left and skidding, but was unable to avoid the collision.  He was propelled off his bike and onto the hood of the taxi which then slammed on its brakes.  The driver's sudden braking threw the cyclist off the hood and into the road, his face, elbows and knees absorbing all of the impact.  A City of Chicago ambulance arrived quickly to transport him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was treated for serious facial lacerations and contusions, a possible head injury and swelling in his knee.

Our client continues to recover from his injuries.  Our firm, as always, intends to pursue this matter very aggressively. 

Bicycle Commuter Injured By Taxi At Kingsbury and Chicago

A Chicago bicyclist was injured on June 3, 2010 when he was struck by a taxi on North Kingsbury Street, just south of its intersection with West Chicago Avenue. The incident occurred shortly after 8:00 a.m. as the cyclist was riding to his Loop office at a design firm where he works as an engineer. Our firm has been retained to represent him in a claim against the negligent driver and the cab company.

Our client was riding south along the right side of Kingsbury when the cab driver suddenly gunned his engine and burst into the south bound lane from the curb where he had stopped just as the cyclist was peddling past. The taxi struck the bicyclist throwing him from his bike. Our client struck the pavement violently, sustaining a fractured clavicle as well as injuries to his knee and back. Thankfully, he was wearing a helmet and avoided serious head injury. He was transported from the scene via ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He remains in treatment, his right arm in an immobilizing sling to facilitate healing of the fractured clavicle. We intend to pursue this matter aggressively to ensure that the driver and cab company are held accountable.

Taxi and Bicyclist Collide In Chicago Loop, Driver Flees Scene

A Loop bicyclist was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious-to-critical condition yesterday after a collision with a taxi, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It is reported that the bicyclist collided with the cab when the driver halted to pick up a fare. The driver was later cited for leaving the scene of an accident.

From published accounts it is not clear how the accident occurred. From personal experience commuting by bicycle into the Loop, it is not uncommon for taxi operators to drive erratically when stopping to pick up a fare. It is unknown whether the injured cyclist had been closely following the taxi just prior to the accident. It is important not to jump to conclusions about how this accident took place. Hopefully, the bicyclist will make a full and speedy recovery.

What is clear is that under Illinois law, leaving the scene of an accident is a no-no. A driver of a vehicle must immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death. 625 ILCS 5/11-401. Failure to do so may result in a felony conviction. 625 ILCS 5/11-401. The driver must also give his or her name, address, registration number and identify the vehicle's owner, and render aid to anyone injured in the accident. 625 ILCS 5/11-403.