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What happens if you are driving in Chicago and you are driving through a green light when all of a sudden a police car from your and comes through the red light and crashes into your car and you are injured.  Can you make a claim against the city if Chicago.  As in many legal scenarios: “it depends”. The personal injury lawyers of Zneimer &  Zneimer P.C. have handled these cases and they are always challenging.

Illinois law draws an important distinction between police officers driving in ordinary conditions and officers responding to an emergency call. That distinction directly affects the burden of proof an injured victim must meet in order to recover compensation.

Police Are Not Always Immune From Liability

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Chicago has made major investments in bike lanes—especially protected lanes designed to separate cyclists from vehicle traffic. These projects aim to reduce crashes, improve safety, and encourage alternative transportation. But as winter sets in, a serious question remains:

If Chicago expects people to keep biking in winter, are the bike lanes being kept safe enough to actually use?

At Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C., we represent injured cyclists and drivers alike. Winter biking highlights a growing conflict between safety, infrastructure, and real-world conditions on Chicago streets.

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Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. – Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers

Illinois winters mean snow piles, slick sidewalks, and black ice in parking lots and on outdoor stairs. Falls on ice can cause serious injuries – broken hips, wrist fractures, concussions, and worse. A common question the Chicago slip & fall lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer hear is:

“If I slip on ice and get hurt, is the property owner automatically responsible?”

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Chicago winters have a way of turning the familiar into the unpredictable. Streets you’ve driven for years suddenly feel unfamiliar beneath fresh snow, visibility narrows to a frosted tunnel, and road conditions shift hour by hour.   The personal injury lawyers of  Zneimer & Zneimer P.C.,  see firsthand how winter weather contributes to serious crashes—and this year, Chicago drivers face new roadway hazards that deserve special attention.

Below, we break down the risks, including a new and unexpected one created by recent roadway redesigns.

  1. New This Winter: Hidden Bump-Outs and Raised Medians
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Two trucksTractor trailers do not “come out of nowhere.”  When a driver says that, it often means the truck did not appear visible enough soon enough to give them a fair chance to react.  That idea has a name in federal law. Regulators call it conspicuity. Injury lawyers translate that as “Can you see this thing in time to avoid getting killed by it?”

The personal injury trucking lawyers at Zneimer & Zneimer are well aware of the federal requirements imposed on commercial carriers to ensure their trucks and trailers are visible or conspicuous.  Federal conspicuity rules set requirements for retroreflective sheeting and reflex reflectors on trailers and semitrailers. A trailer at night behaves like a moving wall. It can blend into the darkness until headlights reach it. By then, drivers may have no time or distance left to steer or brake.  Conspicuity systems try to solve that problem by:

  • Outlining the sides and rear of the trailer with reflective material
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By Chicago bike injury lawyers Zneimer & Zneimer P.C.

My partner and I, while sitting at the Perfect Cup coffee shop at the corner of Leland Ave. and Damen Ave. decided to conduct an unscientific survey to see how many of the bicyclists passing through the intersection stop for the four way stop.  The results of our unscientific survey were as follows. During the time we drank our coffee, we recorded 15 bicyclists going through the intersection.  Out of the 15 bicyclists, 12 bicyclists did not stop or slow down at all before going through the stop sign.  The other 3 bicyclists  did not come to a stop either but at least put on their brakes and slowed down before going through the stop signs.  The fact of the matter is it is hard for a bicyclist to put of their brakes and stop at stop signs and then start up again. Its much easier to just go through stop signs and, hey, everybody does it. But what happens if you fail to stop and then get into an accident with a car coming from the other direction? The Chicago bicycle accident lawyers, Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have handled such cases and from experience, they are difficult cases to win.

This blog explains why, what Chicago’s ordinances actually require, and how following the rules of the road protects both your safety and your legal rights.

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As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, many Chicagoans pack away their bikes for the season. Yet, an increasing number of dedicated cyclists continue to rely on bicycles for transportation—even through the harsh Midwest winter. While winter biking may not be for everyone, it is becoming more common, and both cyclists and motorists must adapt to share the road safely.  The bike injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. note that bike riding during the winter months in Chicago can be treacherous for obvious reasons.

Is Winter Biking in Chicago Realistic?

Maybe with extreme caution. Chicago’s cycling infrastructure, including protected bike lanes and the Divvy bike-share system, makes year-round biking possible for some. However, snow, ice, slush, and reduced daylight make conditions more dangerous than in warmer months.  Additionally, most of Chicago’s “bike lanes” such as the lanes that run down Lawrence Ave., Lincoln Ave. and Damen Ave. are not protected bike lanes and run along the parked car lane.  Cyclists who choose to ride in winter must use extra caution, wear reflective and layered clothing, and ensure their bikes have good traction tires and bright front and rear lights.

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Los abogados de accidentes de bicicleta en Chicago de Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. saben que una de las causas más comunes de los accidentes graves en bicicleta es la falta de visibilidad durante la noche. Incluso el ciclista más cuidadoso puede ser atropellado por un conductor que simplemente no lo ve hasta que es demasiado tarde.

Las Bicicletas Son Difíciles de Ver de Noche

Cuando cae la noche, las bicicletas son mucho más difíciles de detectar en la carretera, especialmente a distancia o cuando las luces de los autos crean reflejos o sombras. Las calles de Chicago están llenas de tráfico, autos estacionados e intersecciones, lo que hace aún más difícil para los conductores notar a los ciclistas a tiempo. Muchos choques nocturnos ocurren porque el conductor no vio la bicicleta hasta el momento del impacto.

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En Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C., representamos a personas lesionadas en las calles de Chicago — peatones, ciclistas, automovilistas y pasajeros. En los últimos años, hemos visto una nueva y muy predecible fuente de lesiones graves: las patinetas eléctricas (e-scooters).

Hablemos con honestidad sobre por qué las patinetas eléctricas son tan peligrosas, quiénes se están lesionando y por qué la Ciudad de Chicago necesita tomar este problema más en serio. (Y si usted ha resultado lesionado en un accidente con una patineta eléctrica — ya sea como conductor o como peatón golpeado por una — debe conocer sus derechos.) Quiénes están usando estas patinetas?

Si camina por Chicago y observa quién anda en las patinetas eléctricas de alquiler, notará que son principalmente adolescentes y adultos jóvenes.

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Con el cambio de horario por el Daylight Saving Time, las tardes en Chicago se vuelven oscuras más temprano, justo cuando muchos regresan a casa del trabajo o la escuela. Este cambio estacional crea condiciones peligrosas para los ciclistas que circulan por las calles de la ciudad. En Zneimer & Zneimer P.C., nuestros abogados de lesiones personales han representado a numerosos ciclistas lesionados después del anochecer — muchos de ellos simplemente regresaban a casa. Conocer los peligros de andar en bicicleta de noche y las obligaciones de los conductores puede ayudar a prevenir tragedias.

Oscuridad y Luces Altas: Una Combinación Peligrosa

Durante los meses de invierno, el sol puede ponerse tan temprano como a las 4:30 p.m., lo que significa que muchos viajes cortos ocurren en condiciones de poca luz o en completa oscuridad. Las luces delanteras intensas de los automóviles pueden cegar temporalmente a los conductores, dificultando ver a ciclistas que circulan al borde del carril. El problema empeora en calles angostas o cuando la lluvia o la nieve reflejan el brillo de los faros.

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Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-516-4100
Fax: 773-304-3185

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