The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) runs nearly 1,900 buses on more than 19,000 trips at more than 10,700 bus stops per day. Its bus drivers are continually pulling over, stopping and pulling away from bus stops every working day. Given those numbers, it’s easy to see why CTA bus accidents seem to happen around town all of the time. Those accidents don’t only involve pedestrians or other vehicles. They involve bicyclists too who are seriously injured or killed in CTA bus accidents. The good news for bicyclists and surviving family members is that they have the right to seek compensation for the damages that they suffered because of a bus accident. Those damages might consist of the following:
- Past and future medical bills.
- Past and future lost earnings or diminished earning capacity.
- Any permanent disfigurement.
- Any permanent disability.
- Pain and suffering.
- Other valuable damages in the event of a wrongful death.
Common Causes of CTA Bus Accidents with Bicyclists
Buses are huge pieces of machinery, and they’re certainly not as maneuverable as passenger cars. Given the way that they’re designed, they have large blind spots around them too. Aside from those blind spots where bicyclists can’t be seen in traffic, bicyclists might not be seen either when bus drivers are making turns, especially right turns when a bicyclist might be unseen be at a driver’s right side. CTA bus drivers might be fatigued or even distracted too.
The Repeal of the Claim Notice Requirement
Before June 1, 2010, bicyclists who had been injured in accidents with CTA buses were required to serve the transportation system with a specific notice of claim within six months of the date of the accident. The claim notice requirement has now been repealed, so bicyclists who were injured in accidents with CTA buses need not be concerned with dismissal of a lawsuit for failure to give the previously required claim notice.
The Statute of Limitations
The general rule in Illinois is that an accident victim has two years from the date of injury to file his or her personal injury lawsuit. In the context of CTA bus accidents, a one-year statute of limitations applies in accordance with 70 ILCS 3605/41. Bicyclists who were injured in accidents with CTA buses should take notice of this requirement. Generally, any failure to file an appropriate personal injury lawsuit within one year of the date of an accident with a CTA bus can be cause for dismissal of a bicyclist’s case.
Bicyclists must act quickly after an accident involving a CTA bus. Call 911 to report the accident and get to an emergency room right away. If paramedics are needed at the accident scene, advise the 911 dispatcher, and you can be taken to the hospital by ambulance.