Chicago Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog - Page 2 of 181

Motorcyclist Injuries And The Reasons Such Harm Occurs

May 15, 2019May 15, 2019 by Elman Law Group

Motorcyclist injuries can occur for various reasons. Broadly speaking, such motorcyclist injuries can occur due to negligence of other drivers; rider error; road hazards; mechanical problems with the motorcycle; and other reasons. Ways to avoid motorcycle accidents and the motorcyclist injuries that typically occur during these accidents is discussed on the “Ways To Avoid Motorcycle Accidents And Injuries” page.

One aspect that is discussed on that page is when motorists “fail to see” motorcycles. There can be many reasons why this occurs. For instance, distracted driving, other forms of driver inattention, and general lack of awareness of a motorcycle can all contribute to a driver “not seeing” a motorcyclist. One way for motorcycle riders to raise their visibility is to wear “high-visibility” clothing as well as to ride with the motorcycle headlight on at all times.

On the evening of Tuesday (May 7, 2019) there was a motorcycle accident in
in Crown Point on US 231. This accident involved a motorcycle that was hit from behind, which led to motorcyclist injuries after which the rider later passed away.

The accident is discussed in a variety of media sources, including the May 14 Chicago Sun-Times article titled “Teenage motorcyclist fatally hit by truck in Crown Point.”

An excerpt from the article:

Clayton Curtis Gaudry stopped his motorcycle to turn left into a driveway about 9:30 p.m. on May 7 when he was struck by a pickup truck from behind, the Lake County sheriff’s department said. The crash happened in the 5300 block of US 231 in Crown Point.

Gaudry died from his accident injuries on May 11.

As seen in the May 8 nwitimes.com article titled “Motorcyclist in critical condition after being rear-ended by pickup truck” the driver of the pickup truck told police that he didn’t see the motorcycle.

Additional discussion concerning motorcycle injuries can be seen in the sources mentioned above, as well as the “Reasons For Illinois Motorcycle Accident Injuries And Fatalities” page.

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Should you or someone you care for experience a motorcycle accident injury or fatality in Illinois, please contact the Elman Law Group for a free consultation to discuss the legal situation and to determine whether a personal injury lawsuit should be filed. Elman Law Group LLC (ElmanLaw.com) is an Illinois personal injury law firm that concentrates in Illinois personal injury and wrongful death cases involving vehicle accidents (car, motorcycle, bike, bus, pedestrian, truck, etc.)

Elman Law Group’s Lead Attorney, Tony Elman, is a personal injury trial lawyer. Over the last 25+ years Elman Law Group has handled over 10,000 Illinois personal injury lawsuits.
During this 25+ year period, Elman Law Group has built a reputation for its courtroom trial performance, including getting large verdicts for smaller cases. In fact, because of these court trial accomplishments, many well-known law firms choose to have Elman Law Group take cases to court.

To speak directly to Tony Elman, Lead Attorney of the Elman Law Group, call (773) 392-8182 at any time. This legal consultation is free.

Elman Law Group works on a “contingency” basis…Elman Law Group’s clients never pay a fee unless and until they receive monetary compensation.

Motorcycle Crash Near Morton Leads To Fatal Accident Injuries

May 6, 2019May 5, 2019 by Elman Law Group

There was a fatal motorcycle crash near Morton, Illinois on Saturday (May 4, 2019) morning.

The motorcyclist involved in this motorcycle crash near Morton was found unresponsive by a passing driver shortly after 10:00 a.m. The accident scene was in the 1900 block of East Jefferson Avenue, which is outside Morton.

According to the coroner, the motorcyclist, identified as Marissa Cumbie, 55, of East Peoria, was pronounced dead at the OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria at 2:14 p.m.

According to the coroner, Cumbie died from severe head injuries and chest trauma. These types of injuries are common in serious motorcycle accidents.

The cause of this motorcycle crash near Morton does not appear to be publicly available at this time. It is unclear as to whether the crash only involved the motorcycle or if another vehicle may have been involved and left the accident scene.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this motorcycle crash near Morton can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the May 5, 2019 pjstar.com article titled “East Peoria woman who died in motorcycle accident is identified” as well as the May 5 CIProud.com article titled “55-year-old East Peoria woman dies motorcycle accident.”

There are many reasons as to why riding a motorcycle relatively early in the Illinois motorcycle season can present greater-than-normal risks. Various reasons as to why this is so is discussed on the “Early-Season Motorcycle Riding Safety Issues” page. As seen on this page, there can be issues with regard to motorcycle rider familiarity; motorcycle maintenance issues; other driver awareness of motorcycles, and other issues. These issues can lead to events that cause a crash with injuries. Often, these issues can lead to a loss of motorcycle control, which has been a frequent contributing factor to many Illinois motorcycle accidents. As seen in Illinois motorcycle accidents summarized on this site, in 2018 many crashes involved loss of control issues.

Riding After Drinking As A Motorcycle Accident Cause

May 4, 2019May 4, 2019 by Elman Law Group

Riding after drinking has been a longstanding leading cause of motorcycle accidents. This riding after drinking has been a cause of many motorcycle accidents.

Motorcyclists who “drive drunk” place themselves and others in danger for many reasons. Inebriation causes impairments which can effect many skills needed for safe riding, including balance, judgement, and other riding ability. As well, it can loosen inhibitions, which can lead to various types of reckless driving, including high-speed riding. Loss of motorcycle control can easily occur if the impairment is at a significant level. This loss of control issue is highly relevant to Illinois motorcycle riding safety, as many crashes causing injury or death involve some type of loss of bike control.

As mentioned above, this riding after drinking safety problem is a longstanding issue. An excerpt from the “Motorcycle Loss Of Control Accidents” page:

This “riding after drinking” is not new – nor are its tragic consequences. The Hurt Report, published in 1981, found that almost half of fatal motorcycle accidents involved alcohol consumption before riding.

Riding after drinking is further discussed on the “Illinois Motorcycle Riding After Drinking” page. Statistics on that page highlight the frequency of such crashes, as well as how common it is for drunk motorcyclists to be involved in fatal crashes.

On this site, there have been many Illinois motorcycle accidents summarized which involved drunk motorcyclists. The accidents summarized have resulted in injuries to the rider and other involved parties, and many of these injuries have resulted in fatalities.

The May 2, 2019 Highland Park News article titled “Highland Park police: Motorcyclist charged with aggravated DUI following crash” discusses a motorcyclist who was charged with DUI following a Highland Park crash. The crash, which did not involve injuries, occurred near Burton Avenue and Blackstone Place.

Additional details regarding this riding after drinking issue can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

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Elman Law Group’s Lead Attorney, Tony Elman, is a personal injury trial lawyer. Over the last 25+ years Elman Law Group has handled over 10,000 Illinois personal injury lawsuits.
During this 25+ year period, Elman Law Group has built a reputation for its courtroom trial performance, including getting large verdicts for smaller cases. In fact, because of these court trial accomplishments, many well-known law firms choose to have Elman Law Group take cases to court.

To speak directly to Tony Elman, Lead Attorney of the Elman Law Group, call (773) 392-8182 at any time. This legal consultation is free.

Elman Law Group works on a “contingency” basis…Elman Law Group’s clients never pay a fee unless and until they receive monetary compensation.

Carterville Motorcycle Accident Involving “Head-On Collision”

May 2, 2019April 29, 2019 by Elman Law Group

A Carterville motorcycle accident led to the death of a motorcyclist from his accident injuries. This Carterville motorcycle accident, which involved a collision between a car and a motorcycle, occurred Sunday (April 28, 2019) night. The collision occurred on Pin Oak Drive near the Pin Oak Motel and Bar.

This Carterville motorcycle accident is discussed in various media sources, including the April 29, 2019 wsiltv.com article titled “Man dies from injuries in motorcycle-car crash in Carterville.”

As mentioned in the article, the investigation into the collision continues. Witnesses to the crash say that the crash was a “head-on collision” between the car and bike.

It appears as if there is no publicly available information concerning the reason for this “head-on collision.”

The motorcyclist was identified as Rex Allen Rhyne, 35, of Herrin. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. [The obituary can be found at thesouthern.com “Rex Allen Rhyne“]

As discussed on the “‘Head-On Collisions’ Involving Motorcycles” page, there are many reasons as to why such crashes occur. Head-on crashes that have occurred in Illinois have resulted in very serious accident injuries to the motorcycle rider (and if applicable, passenger.) As seen in the Illinois motorcycle accidents involving head-on crashes mentioned on that page, these crashes, like the Carterville accident discussed above, frequently result in fatal injuries to the motorcyclist and, if applicable, passenger.

Often, if the motorcyclist is killed in the accident, and the accident is the fault of another person or party, relevant parties can file a wrongful death lawsuit.

If the injuries are non-fatal in nature, there can be substantial medical bills and other financial hardships, such as lost income, that occur due to the injuries occurring during the crash. Often, injured motorcyclists and motorcycle passengers will seek to file a personal injury lawsuit to get compensated for the injuries and other harm that has occurred.

Additional details regarding the Carterville motorcycle accident as well as other Illinois motorcycle “head-on collisions” can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

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Elman Law Group’s Lead Attorney, Tony Elman, is a personal injury trial lawyer. Over the last 25+ years Elman Law Group has handled over 10,000 Illinois personal injury lawsuits.
During this 25+ year period, Elman Law Group has built a reputation for its courtroom trial performance, including getting large verdicts for smaller cases. In fact, because of these court trial accomplishments, many well-known law firms choose to have Elman Law Group take cases to court.

To speak directly to Tony Elman, Lead Attorney of the Elman Law Group, call (773) 392-8182 at any time. This legal consultation is free.

Elman Law Group works on a “contingency” basis…Elman Law Group’s clients never pay a fee unless and until they receive monetary compensation.

Morton Grove Motorcycle Collision With Vehicle On Dempster Street

April 27, 2019April 26, 2019 by Elman Law Group

There was a Morton Grove motorcycle collision Thursday (April 25, 2019) involving a motorcycle and another vehicle. This Morton Grove motorcycle collision resulted in the motorcyclist being critically injured.

As is often the case in serious motorcycle accidents, this crash is being attributed to a vehicle making a left-hand turn immediately in front of an oncoming motorcycle. This remains one of the primary causes of serious motorcycle accidents, as discussed on the “Reasons For Illinois Motorcycle Accident Injuries And Fatalities” page. As mentioned frequently on this site, this type of frontal collision is often extremely forceful and often leads to life-threatening, if not fatal accident injuries to the motorcyclist and, if applicable, motorcycle passenger. Lawsuits stemming from the accident injuries are common in this type of crash, given any negligence that has occurred and the likely extensive harm and/or fatalities that has been caused by the crash. In cases of fatalities, wrongful death lawsuits are often filed by relevant parties.

An excerpt concerning this Morton Grove motorcycle collision, as seen in the April 26, 2019 Morton Grove Champion article titled “Naperville man in critical condition after vehicle struck his motorcycle in Morton Grove“:

A vehicle traveling east on Dempster Street around 7:45 p.m. was attempting to make a left turn onto Oleander Avenue, just east of Notre Dame College Prep, when it collided with the motorcycle — which was headed in the opposite direction on Dempster, police said.

The driver of the motorcycle, a 47-year-old man from Naperville, was seriously injured and taken to the hospital for treatment of his accident injuries. He was in critical condition.

According to Morton Grove Police, the driver of the vehicle was not injured. She was ticketed for failure to yield.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this Morton Grove motorcycle collision can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the article mentioned above.

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Elman Law Group’s Lead Attorney, Tony Elman, is a personal injury trial lawyer. Over the last 25+ years Elman Law Group has handled over 10,000 Illinois personal injury lawsuits.
During this 25+ year period, Elman Law Group has built a reputation for its courtroom trial performance, including getting large verdicts for smaller cases. In fact, because of these court trial accomplishments, many well-known law firms choose to have Elman Law Group take cases to court.

To speak directly to Tony Elman, Lead Attorney of the Elman Law Group, call (773) 392-8182 at any time. This legal consultation is free.

Elman Law Group works on a “contingency” basis…Elman Law Group’s clients never pay a fee unless and until they receive monetary compensation.