Keating Law Offices

The Chicago, Illinois personal injury lawyers at Keating Law Offices are leading attorneys who represent clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases through Illinois.

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Michael Keating

Latest from Keating Law Offices

Chicago recently saw a sharp increase in sidewalk citations for E-Bikes and E-Scooters. This is a clear sign that the city is stepping up enforcement as micromobility use accelerates. This trend is also consistent with many other municipalities creating stricter laws around e-bikes and e-scooters. As riders flood the streets and sidewalks, more people are getting hurt. The message is clear: riding in the wrong place is no longer a minor warning and can lead to real consequences.

Why Increased Enforcement Matters for Riders and Pedestrians
Pursuant to the Chicago Municipal Code and CDOT regulations, e-bikes and e-scooters must follow

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Continue Reading Chicago Cracks Down on Sidewalk E-Bike and E-Scooter Riding As Year Ends: A Sign the City Is Addressing Safety Risks

As part of our continued commitment to safe bicycling across Chicagoland, Keating Law Offices is once again proud to sponsor Active Transportation Alliance’s Bike the Drive. Keating Law was the first law firm to sponsor Bike the Drive and is proud to have been a sponsor every single year for over a decade. 

This iconic ride takes place this Sunday on Lake Shore Drive, completely free of motor vehicle traffic. For one incredible morning every year, thousands of bicyclists will enjoy riding the drive without congestion, noise, or pollution from cars.
Bike the Drive is Active Transportation Alliance’s largest fundraising

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Continue Reading Keating Law Sponsors the 2025 Bike The Drive

When we talk about serious crashes, whether it is a bicycle accident in Chicago, a pedestrian being struck or a high-impact rideshare collision, most people think about broken bones, stitches or surgery. But what about the injuries that do not show up on an x-ray? 

At Keating Law, we have represented many clients who suffer from PTSD after a bike accident, emotional trauma following a car crash or panic and anxiety after being hit while walking or riding. These are real, lasting injuries that Illinois 
laws allow compensation for. If you are experiencing fear, flashbacks or psychological distress of a

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Continue Reading PTSD After a Bike Accident: Understanding Emotional Trauma and Your Legal Rights

Chicago’s Bike Boom Brings Opportunity — and Responsibility
Chicago’s cycling culture is thriving. In 2024, Divvy, the city’s bike and scooter share system operated by Lyft, hit an all-time high with more than 11 million rides — a clear sign that Chicagoans are embracing biking as a daily mode of transportation.
With the 2025 biking season in full swing, the City of Chicago and Lyft have announced major upgrades to the Divvy network designed to make riding even more accessible, affordable, and equitable:

  • Lower annual membership: Just $99/year (down from $143.90)
  • Expanded capacity: 750 new docks are being added across

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Continue Reading Chicago’s Divvy Expansion Brings More Riders — and a Greater Need for Safety Awareness

At Keating Law Offices, we believe that building a better and safer Chicago for bicyclists means more than just fighting for justice in the courtroom—it means supporting the vibrant cycling community that makes this city move.
That’s why we’re proud to host The Bike Commuter Challenge Wrap Party this Thursday, July 10th at 5:30pm at our West Town Office, 825 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Everyone is welcome to attend! We will have free drinks and pizza for all attendees. 
As the presenting sponsor of the 2025 Bike Commuter Challenge, Keating Law Offices is honored to open our doors to…
Continue Reading Celebrate the Bike Commuter Challenge at Keating Law’s Wrap Party July 10th!

 
Illinois may be on the verge of a long-overdue and critical update to its traffic laws. Senate Bill 2285, currently pending in the General Assembly, proposes to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code’s definition of a bicycle to include human-powered and low-speed electric vehicles with two or more wheels.

This simple but powerful change will expand legal protections for thousands of Illinois cyclists—particularly those who ride adaptive bikes, adult…
Continue Reading Illinois May Expand Legal Definition of “Bicycle” — A Potential Victory for Trike and Adaptive Bike Riders

At Keating Law Offices, our commitment to Illinois’ bicycling community goes beyond the courtroom. Attorney Michael Keating, a leading personal injury attorney in Chicago, recently attended the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit in Springfield, Illinois, hosted by Ride Illinois. The summit brought together advocates, engineers, policymakers, and safety experts to improve biking and walking conditions across the state. Keating Law was proud to serve as a Gold Sponsor of the event. 
Attorney Keating’s attendance reflects his long-standing advocacy for safer streets and stronger legal protections for bicyclists and pedestrians. As the founder of IllinoisBicycleLaw.com and a seasoned bicycle accident…
Continue Reading Keating Law Sponsors the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit in Springfield, Illinois

Any cyclist who has ridden through the streets of Chicago or even a suburb or smaller town in Illinois knows that intersections are often the most dangerous part of your route. Now, a new bill moving through Springfield could make those intersections safer and more predictable—not just for cyclists, but for drivers, too. In April, the Illinois Senate passed Senate Bill 2111 that would allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, giving them the legal ability to proceed without coming to a full stop if the intersection is clear.

As Chicago bicycle accident attorneys, we’ve seen firsthand how…
Continue Reading Illinois Senate Passes “Stop as Yield” Bill for Cyclists: A Win for Safety and Common Sense

Pedal for Progress: The 2025 Bike Commuter Challenge Sponsored by Keating Law Offices
Keating Law Offices is proud to once again sponsor the 2025 Bike Commuter Challenge, a beloved annual tradition in Chicagoland that combines fun, fitness, and advocacy for safer cycling. This year’s Challenge runs from Tuesday, May 27- Monday, June 23, and we’re inviting everyone in Chicagoland—seasoned cyclists and first-time commuters alike—to join the ride.
Whether you’re a daily bike commuter or someone who’s just curious about riding to work, the Bike Commuter Challenge is your opportunity to hop in the saddle, log your miles, and become part of

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Continue Reading May is Chicago Bike Month! Keating Law Again Sponsors the 2025 Bike Commuter Challenge!

In 2024, Chicago reached a new milestone with over 10 million shared bike and e-scooter trips recorded, reflecting the growing popularity of sustainable transportation. The city has invested in protected bike lane and Divvy station expansion and electrification, building up mobility hubs around key transit connection points, and promoting its Divvy for Everyone Program (D4E) that offers inexpensive annual membership fees and lower per-minute ride fees for members. 
A Rise in Accidents on the Horizon?
It’s clear that more Chicago residents are embracing eco-friendly, convenient transportation. However, increased ridership brings more opportunity for accidents. While the expansion of bike lanes

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Continue Reading Chicago’s Growing Divvy Bike and E-Scooter Usage: A Shift Towards Sustainable Transport and Safety Concerns

Keating Law clients Joseph and Marie were the focus of a Chicago Sun-Times front page article on the risks riders of e-scooters in Chicago face. One of the risks that e-scooter riders face is collisions with distracted and entitled drivers of motor vehicles who do not recognize the increasing presence of e-scooters on the city’s roadways. Under the Chicago Municipal Code, e-scooter riders are entitled to the same rights and responsibilities as bicyclists under Chicago law. 

Keating Law client, Marie, provided video of one of her crashes to the Chicago Sun-Times and you can watch the video here. 
Like bicyclists, e-scooter

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Continue Reading Keating Law’s Representation of E-Scooter Victims Profiled by Chicago Sun-Times


Who is Responsible for a Rideshare Collision? 
 
Uber and Lyft are some of the more common rideshare companies that we come across daily, especially here in Chicago. Whether you are an Uber or Lyft driver or passenger or find yourself sharing the road with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, as another driver, bicyclist or pedestrian, it is important to understand how their services can impact liability in an accident with them.
 
Uber and Lyft Have Insurance
 
Illinois requires all drivers to operate a vehicle with a valid policy of insurance. Illinois also mandates that all rideshare companies have insurance in…
Continue Reading What To Do If Injured In A Crash With A Lyft or Uber Rideshare Driver?

A 59-year old Chicago bicyclist was killed when the driver of a passing vehicle struck him in the 5100 block of North Damen Avenue in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood on Monday night. According to reports, the fatal crash occurred at approximately 8 p.m. This stretch of North Damen Avenue is immediately outside of Amundsen High School and has a clearly marked and designated bike lane.
The bicyclist was riding northbound when he was struck. News reports indicate that the driver of the Volvo motor vehicle was highly intoxicated with a reported .20 blood alcohol level which is two and a half

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Continue Reading Chicago Bicyclist Killed in Collision in North Damen Bike Lane

WGN News is reporting that a teenage bicyclist was critically injured when the driver of an SUV struck the bicyclist while he was riding in a crosswalk in the Kane County suburb of Batavia. The collision occurred near South Batavia Avenue and Union Avenue which is just west of the Fox River and the Fox River trail which is a popular trail for Chicagoland bicyclists.
The collision occurred on Wednesday at approximately 2:30 p.m. and apparently occurred while the bicyclist was in a crosswalk. Illinois law is very clear regarding the protections provided to bicyclists crossing in crosswalks. Multiple provisions

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Continue Reading Teenage Bicyclist In Crosswalk Struck By SUV Driver In Batavia, Illinois

Chicago’s City Council passed legislation that will increase the penalty for parking in the bike lane and provide a platform for more enforcement of drivers blocking the city’s bike lanes. 
These recent changes to the Chicago Municipal Code provide that a driver can be fined $250 for stopping or parking in the bike lane. While the Code previously provided for the $250 fine, the prior version required a bicyclist to have been injured as a result of the blocked bike lane. With the amendment anyone blocking the bike lane could face a fine. 
In addition, the amendment provides for immediate towing

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Continue Reading City of Chicago Stiffens Enforcement for Drivers Blocking Bike Lanes

A normal commute home via the Milwaukee Avenue bike lane by a local cyclist was cut short when he was the victim of a “left hook” collision. This stretch of Milwaukee Avenue is nicknamed the “Hipster Highway” because of the thousands of bicyclists that ride the bicycle lane in this stretch through Chicago’s popular West Town community on a daily basis. The Milwaukee Avenue bicycle lane is the most heavily travelled and well-known bicycle lane in Chicago.

Despite the video evidence and many key Chicago bike laws directly on point, the combination of the cyclist’s severe injuries combined with the

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Continue Reading Bicyclist’s Video Shows Lexus SUV Driver Caused Left Hook Crash on Milwaukee Avenue