Personal Injury Lawyer
Years of Experience: More than 20 years
Illinois Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: Illinois State, 1994
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 1994
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2022
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, 2023
Peoria Bicycle Accident Lawyer
When drivers fail to share the road, Strong Law Offices fights to make them pay.
Bicycle accidents in Peoria, Illinois, change lives in an instant. From busy streets near downtown to congested areas around Bradley University or along Illinois River pathways, collisions with cars, trucks, and even poorly maintained roads create severe injuries, mounting medical bills, and lost income.
At Strong Law Offices, our Peoria bicycle accident lawyers don’t just negotiate, we aggressively pursue every avenue to hold negligent parties accountable.
Whether your crash occurred on War Memorial Drive, Main Street, or Peoria’s bike trail network, our team understands local traffic patterns, law enforcement procedures, and how insurance companies try to minimize payouts. We fight back with strategic investigation, relentless advocacy, and trial-ready representation to ensure you get the compensation you need.
When you get Strong, you aren’t getting just any lawyer. You get:
- Full investigation and preservation of critical evidence
- Aggressive negotiation with insurance companies
- Deep knowledge of Peoria traffic laws and accident patterns
- Personalized guidance throughout every stage of your claim
- Trial-ready strategy backed by decades of experience
Why Bicycle Accident Cases Are Different
Bicycle accidents present unique legal challenges. Unlike car-on-car collisions, cyclists are more vulnerable, and insurers often try to blame the rider for “minor” mistakes. From lack of reflective gear to failing to obey a stop sign, adjusters seize on any detail to reduce payouts. Strong Law Offices fights back with facts, witness statements, and evidence that puts liability squarely where it belongs.
Experienced Representation for Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicyclists face uphill battles against auto drivers, delivery vehicles, and even municipal negligence like potholes, debris, and poorly marked intersections. Our team in Peoria has experience documenting these hazards, investigating crashes, and holding all responsible parties accountable. We treat every case as if it will go to trial, which helps prevent insurers from minimizing the value of your injuries.
Understanding Bicycle Accident Liability
Liability in bicycle accidents can be challenging to determine because so many factors can play a role in causing a crash. In many cases, multiple parties share responsibility, including drivers, municipalities, and occasionally, other cyclists. We consider:
Driver Negligence
Speeding, distracted driving, reckless maneuvers, failure to yield, and failure to maintain safe distance are common causes of bicycle accidents. We investigate, reconstruct, and prove driver fault in every claim.
Municipal Liability
Potholes, debris, inadequate signage, and poorly maintained bike lanes can contribute to serious accidents. Peoria city departments have legal responsibilities, and we pursue claims against them when negligence is involved.
Third-Party Responsibility
Other cyclists, commercial delivery vehicles, or construction zones may play a role in a bicycle-car crash. We examine every detail and secure evidence from all parties.
Equipment Malfunctions
Defective brakes, tires, or other bicycle components can contribute to a crash. We pursue claims against manufacturers or repair shops when applicable.
Types of Peoria Bicycle Accidents We Handle
Collisions with Cars
The most common and often severe bicycle crashes involve collisions with cars. We investigate driver negligence, traffic violations, and insurance coverage to build a foolproof case.
Dooring Accidents
When parked cars swing doors into cyclists, we pursue full liability and compensation for injuries and pain.
Commercial Vehicle Collisions
Delivery vans and trucks pose unique dangers to cyclists. Strong Law Offices holds corporations accountable, and we don’t back down to big businesses or their insurance companies.
Multi-Vehicle Bicycle Crashes
Chain-reaction incidents require careful investigation to determine fault. In some cases, fault may be shared by multiple parties. Regardless of who caused the crash, we pursue every avenue of recovery.
Construction & Road Hazards
Potholes, unmarked obstacles, and debris can cause serious injuries to cyclists, especially in bike lanes. We pursue municipal and third-party liability when necessary.
Damages You Can Recover in a Bicycle Accident Claim
Economic Losses
You can recover compensation for the financial losses resulting from your accident. Medical bills, rehabilitation, future treatment, lost wages, transportation, and property damage all fall under recoverable damages.
Non-Economic Losses
The at-fault party doesn’t just owe you for your financial losses. The intangible costs of your accident, such as pain, suffering, emotional trauma, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life are all recognized and aggressively pursued.
Punitive Damages
If a driver or company acted recklessly, we pursue punitive damages to punish negligence and deter future incidents.
Loss of Future Earnings
Serious injuries can reduce mobility and long-term earning potential. We calculate lost earning capacity to secure fair compensation.
Lifetime Costs
Severe injuries often require long-term care, therapy, and support. We build comprehensive projections to cover your lifetime needs.
Cyclist Rights in Peoria Traffic Accidents
Know Your Legal Rights
Cyclists in Peoria have the same legal protections as drivers and pedestrians. Illinois law recognizes that bicyclists are vulnerable road users and holds negligent drivers accountable for collisions. If you are injured, you are entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Strong Law Offices ensures your rights are fully protected and fights against insurance tactics designed to shift blame or reduce payouts.
Key Rights for Injured Cyclists
- The right to file a personal injury claim after a crash
- Protection under Illinois laws governing vehicle-cyclist interactions
- The right to full compensation for economic and non-economic damages
- Access to insurance coverage from at-fault drivers and, in some cases, municipal entities
- The right to legal representation before speaking with insurance adjusters
Protecting Yourself After a Crash
Understanding your rights is only the first step. Strong Law Offices documents the crash scene, gathers witness statements, and preserves evidence while navigating complex liability issues. We ensure that insurance companies, drivers, or municipal entities cannot take advantage of your situation. By asserting your legal rights quickly and strategically, we maximize your chances of obtaining fair and complete compensation for your injuries and losses, allowing you to focus on recovery.
How to Handle Insurance Adjusters After a Bicycle Crash
After a bicycle crash, the insurance process can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming. Knowing how adjusters operate and what they look for can help you avoid mistakes that may weaken your claim. The guidance below outlines what to expect and how to protect your rights early in the process.
Understand Their Role
Insurance adjusters are trained to protect their company’s bottom line, not your interests. They may ask questions that sound friendly or casual but are designed to gather statements they can later use to minimize or deny your claim. Strong Law Offices emphasizes caution: never provide recorded statements, sign releases, or accept settlement offers without first consulting your attorney.
Common Tactics to Watch For
- Asking you to recall details immediately after the crash
- Minimizing your injuries or suggesting they aren’t serious
- Offering quick settlements that undervalue medical bills and lost wages
- Requesting social media access or posts as evidence
- Claiming shared fault to reduce your payout
Protect Yourself and Your Claim
The best approach is to direct all communication to your attorney. Strong Law Offices handles adjusters, preserves evidence, and ensures nothing you say is misused. We document all interactions, evaluate the claim thoroughly, and negotiate aggressively to secure maximum compensation. By letting legal experts manage insurance communication, you focus on recovery while we fight for your rights and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of the confusion, stress, or urgency following a bicycle accident.
Get Aggressive Legal Help Today
Call Strong Law Offices at 309-393-2928 for an aggressive Peoria Bicycle Accident Lawyer.
How Strong Law Offices Investigates Bicycle Crashes
When a bicycle accident occurs, insurance companies often move quickly to minimize liability. They may delay processing claims, deny responsibility outright, or blame the cyclist for minor mistakes, such as not using reflective gear or misjudging a traffic signal. Adjusters routinely request recorded statements and push quick, low settlements before the full extent of injuries and damages is documented. These tactics are designed to protect the insurer, not you.
Strong Law Offices takes a completely different approach. From day one, we launch a thorough investigation to uncover the facts and build a case that insurers cannot ignore. We collect accident scene photographs, eyewitness statements, police reports, and traffic camera footage. Our team analyzes app or GPS data when available and documents medical records, rehabilitation plans, and lost wages to demonstrate the full impact of your injuries.
We also scrutinize equipment and road conditions, identifying mechanical failures or municipal negligence that contributed to the crash. Every piece of evidence is preserved and presented strategically to counter insurance tactics.
By combining meticulous investigation with aggressive negotiation, Strong Law Offices ensures that you are fully compensated and that insurers cannot exploit confusion, delays, or minor disputes to reduce your rightful recovery.
FAQs About Peoria Bicycle Accident Claims
Do I need a lawyer if the crash was minor?
You may still need a lawyer if your bicycle crash seemed minor. Even a minor bicycle accident can lead to hidden injuries, delayed symptoms, and insurance disputes. Drivers and insurers often downplay low-impact crashes to avoid paying full compensation. A lawyer protects you from early lowball offers, documents the true extent of your injuries, and ensures evidence is preserved before it disappears. Strong Law Offices makes sure a minor crash doesn’t turn into a major financial burden.
Can I recover if I share fault?
In Illinois, you can still recover compensation as long as you are less than 50% at fault for the bicycle accident. Your settlement is reduced by your percentage of fault, but it does not eliminate your claim. Insurance companies often exaggerate a cyclist’s responsibility to avoid paying. Strong Law Offices pushes back hard, investigates the facts, and fights to keep your fault percentage as low as possible so you recover the maximum amount.
What if a city road hazard caused my accident?
You may still recover compensation. Cities like Peoria can be held liable for dangerous road conditions, like potholes, debris, broken pavement, missing signage, or unsafe bike lanes, if they failed to maintain the roadway. However, claims against government entities have tighter deadlines and additional legal hurdles. Strong Law Offices investigates maintenance records, photographs hazards, secures witness statements, and files the required notices on time. We aggressively pursue municipal liability to make sure you’re not stuck paying for the city’s negligence.
How long does a bicycle accident case take?
Most bicycle accident cases resolve within several months to a year, depending on medical treatment, liability disputes, and insurance cooperation. Claims involving severe injuries, government entities, or multiple parties may take longer. Strong Law Offices pushes the case forward aggressively, avoiding unnecessary delays and forcing insurers to negotiate in good faith. Our priority is securing maximum compensation while ensuring you have fully documented medical recovery before settlement discussions begin.
Why Strong Law Offices Stands Out
- Aggressive legal strategy
- Proven results in Peoria and Central Illinois
- Trial-ready team
- Deep knowledge of bicycle and traffic law
Protect Your Rights Now
Call Strong Law Offices at 309-393-2928 for a Peoria Accident Lawyer.