The Law Offices of James M. Freeman, P.C.

The Chicago Department of Transportation has posted a training video for Chicago police officers created in partnership with the Chicago Police Department. This is a great step in the right direction, and hopefully it will have some positive effects on the way officers deal with bicycle/auto collisions.

Mario sent the following e-mail:

Lawyer Jim, I have heard of people getting "doored" by cabbie passengers. How would that be handled?

Chicago Bike Racing posted this accident checklist.  Wow! Who can remember all that stuff?

There are lots of things one could or should do in an accident, but I like to keep things simple so they are easy to remember in the heat of the moment. Here is my simple checklist:

First and foremost- Don't escalate the situation. Keep your cool at all times.

Statements you make after an accident can be used against you. For that reason I strongly caution my clients against posting any discussion of their accident to list-servs, blogs or other Internet outlets. If you need information or resources you should ask questions without disclosing any details of the accident.

Let's say you were hit by a driver, it was the driver's fault, and the driver got a ticket for a moving violation, and they gave you a court date. As with all cases involving injuries, I suggest that you contact a lawyer immediately. If you only have property damage you can probably ultimately handle the matter yourself, but it is always a good idea to consult with a lawyer in the event of an accident. Notwithstanding that...

If you are in an accident and fault for the accident lies with the driver, you may want to bring a claim against the driver’s insurance for any injuries you sustain or damage to your property. If you have an injury I would always suggest consulting a lawyer. In such an instance lawyers can provide valuable services that will make things easier and insure a better result. In the event that you are injured, regardless of fault, you should not speak to the driver’s insurance until you have consulted with a lawyer.

People are always in such a rush to make a claim. What's the rush? You don't know how much you should ask for until you are done being treating and you are all better. In most cases you have two years from the date of an accident to bring suit for personal injuries. Be careful about this though - another reason to consult with a lawyer. If you are dealing with the CTA you must report the accident withing six months and there is only a one-year period in which to file suit. There is also a one-year limitation when a governmental entity such as a municipality or county is a defendant.

I like what WHN says about what to do if you are involved in an accident, but it may be tough to remember all this stuff at the scene.
Here is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's advice.

You should note that almost any page you look up for advice on what to do in an accident suggests that you contact a lawyer if you are injured. That's good advice.