Bicyclist spent months in wheelchair

Result: $490,000

A 59 year old Chicago accountant was struck by a left turning driver while riding his bicycle to work. The male cyclist suffered fractures to both lower bones of his left leg, a torn left meniscus, a fractured left hand and a broken nose. He underwent several surgeries to treat his injuries and spent months in a wheelchair.

The 24 year old driver was ticketed by police for failing to yield. Months after the crash, we accompanied the cyclist to traffic court, making sure that he was prepared to testify against the driver. His presence at the hearing compelled the driver to plead guilty to the charges against him. That admission of guilt could have been used against the driver if the civil personal injury case went to trial.

We later secured a settlement from the driver’s insurance company for the full amount of his coverage, $100,000, plus $1,600 for the damage to his bicycle. Thankfully, our client’s own auto insurance policy had a high underinsured motorist limit. Though he was not driving at the time, we were able to secure a $390,000 settlement from our client’s auto insurer bringing the total settlement to over $490,000.