Nerve Damage in Bicycle Accidents

Cyclists in Chicago could suffer from bicycle accident nerve damage after a crash. Even with more bike lanes and traffic signals, bikers still face significant risks from collisions. Severe crashes can even cause nerve damage, which is one of the most common injuries in these crashes.

If you are hurt in a bike crash, our experienced bicycle accident attorneys in Chicago can review what happened, explain your options, and help you pursue the compensation you need to recover. 

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents Leading to Nerve Damage in Chicago

Numerous factors can cause bicycle crashes in Chicago. Some falls occur because of slippery surfaces or wet conditions. Other bikers crash because of road hazards, like potholes, uneven pavement, or debris.

One of the most common causes of dangerous bicycle collisions is other motor vehicles. Often, negligent drivers do not pay enough attention to nearby bikers, even though cyclists have the same rights per municipal code 9-52-010. This can lead to the most common injuries in bike collisions, such as broken bones, road rash, and nerve damage.

Chicago has many locations that are particularly dangerous for cyclists. Fullerton Avenue, Halsted Street, and Lincoln Avenue form a complex intersection with frequent merging collisions. Damen Avenue, North Avenue, and Milwaukee Avenue are popular biking routes with dense vehicular traffic.

Vehicles often fail to yield at the intersection of Chicago Avenue, Halsted Street, and Ogden Avenue. Bucktown and Logan Square also feature dense traffic and numerous bike path intersections.

Symptoms of Nerve Damage After a Bicycle Accident

Damage to your nerves can be one of the most serious injuries from a bike accident. While prevention strategies can minimize the risk of a crash, there is only so much a helmet and protective gear can do if you are hit by a car.

Significant pain is typically associated with nerve damage, especially if it is sharp, burning, aching, or shooting. Numbness and tingling may also result from the collision. A loss of muscle function or weakness is a major cause for concern.

In some cases, the damaged area may be sensitive to touch or temperature. Loss of coordination or damage could signify deep nerve damage. Lastly, you could suffer from autonomic nerve dysfunction, in which involuntary body functions become impaired. In more severe crashes, these symptoms can extend beyond an isolated nerve and involve the spinal cord itself. If you’re experiencing paralysis, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a total loss of sensation below the point of impact, you may be dealing with a spinal cord injury rather than, or in addition to, peripheral nerve damage.

Nerve damage and spinal cord injuries are often confused because the symptoms can overlap, but they involve different structures and different legal and medical considerations. Nerve damage affects the peripheral nerves that run through your limbs, while a spinal cord injury affects the central nervous system itself. 

It is essential to seek medical care immediately after your accident for an accurate diagnosis and professional medical treatment of your injuries.

Diagnosing and Treating Nerve Damage After a Bike Accident

Nerve damage doesn’t always announce itself right away, and it doesn’t always show up clearly on a standard X-ray or CT scan. Doctors typically start with a neurologic exam to check reflexes, strength, and sensation in the affected area. If nerve involvement is suspected, they may order an EMG (electromyography) to measure the electrical activity in your muscles, along with nerve conduction studies to see how well signals are traveling along the damaged nerve.

Treatment depends on how severe the damage is. Milder cases are often managed with physical therapy to rebuild strength and coordination, along with medication to manage pain or inflammation. More severe injuries, in which a nerve has been badly compressed, stretched, or severed, may require surgical repair or nerve grafting. Recovery can take months, and in some cases the damage is permanent.

Nerve compression injuries are also frequently discussed alongside soft tissue injuries, since swelling or scarring in the surrounding muscle and connective tissue is often what’s putting pressure on the nerve in the first place.

Legal Options for Cyclists with Nerve Damage in Chicago

If you suffered from injuries because of the collision, you could pursue compensation for legal damages. You will need to establish negligence for the at-fault party. This will require proving a duty of care, a breach of duty, causation, and the presence of legal damages.

Filing a lawsuit will involve gathering evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, medical records, and expert testimony. You’ll need to deal with insurance companies and defense lawyers. Once you file the lawsuit, a complex litigation process will follow.

One of the biggest challenges in nerve damage cases is that the injury frequently doesn’t show up clearly on standard imaging, even when it’s very real and very disabling. Insurance companies often use this to argue that a nerve injury isn’t as serious as the victim claims. That’s why these cases typically rely on neurologists and nerve conduction specialists who can document the impairment in ways a basic scan cannot.

Your best chance of navigating this process successfully is to hire an experienced bicycle accident lawyer.

Compensation for Nerve Damage in Chicago Bicycle Accidents

There are several legal damages you can pursue because of bicycle accident injuries. Economic damages may include medical treatment bills, future medical costs, therapy bills, lost income, and property damage. Non-economic losses include emotional distress, pain and suffering from your injuries, disability and impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Nerve damage claims can end up being worth more than they first appear, because the injury’s true cost often isn’t obvious at the outset. Ongoing physical therapy, permanent loss of grip strength or fine motor control, and a reduced ability to keep working in a hands-on job can all add up well beyond the initial medical bills. You can review examples of how these types of claims have been resolved in bicycle accident settlements. 

Why You Need a Chicago Bicycle Accident Attorney for Nerve Damage

An experienced attorney can make all the difference in winning your injury claim. As you seek medical care and focus on healing, your legal team can handle the logistics of the case.

Your lawyer will understand the complex medical issues involved in a nerve damage case. They will work with medical experts to prove the extent of your injuries and future medical needs. Your attorney will calculate and prove damages to recover compensation. Finally, they will use their expertise to negotiate with the insurance company.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit in Illinois?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, in Illinois, the statute of limitations for bike accident claims is two years from the date of the incident. This means you must file your claim within two years if you want to recover compensation. If you wait until after this period, your case may be dismissed entirely.

There are two important exceptions worth knowing. If the injured cyclist is a minor, the two-year clock generally doesn’t start running until they turn 18, though it’s still worth speaking to an attorney early to preserve evidence. And if your claim involves a government entity, such as a crash caused by a city vehicle or a dangerous road defect the city failed to fix, you may have as little as one year to file a formal notice of your claim.

Secure Expert Legal Counsel!

Nerve damage injuries from a bicycle accident could change the course of your life. Prevention strategies and protective gear can only do so much when other drivers behave negligently, or road hazards cause you to lose control of the bike.

Our experienced bicycle accident attorneys in Illinois will build a strong case, gather compelling evidence, and let you focus on healing from your injuries while we handle the legal logistics.

Contact our team today to schedule a free consultation. During this conversation, you can ask questions about the legal process or your specific case.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is nerve damage diagnosed after a bicycle accident? 

Doctors typically combine a physical/neurologic exam with tests like EMG and nerve conduction studies to confirm nerve involvement and measure its severity.

Is nerve damage from a bike accident permanent? 

It depends on the severity. Mild to moderate nerve injuries often improve with physical therapy and time, while severe compression, stretching, or severing of a nerve can cause lasting or permanent effects, even after surgical repair.

What compensation can I recover for a nerve injury?

 You may be able to recover both economic damages, such as medical bills and lost income, and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. The right amount depends on the specifics of your case.

How long does it take for nerve damage symptoms to appear after a crash? 

Some symptoms, like sharp pain or numbness, show up immediately. Others, like weakness or loss of coordination, can develop gradually over days or weeks as swelling and inflammation affect the nerve.

Can I still get compensation if my nerve damage doesn’t show up on an X-ray or MRI? 

Yes. Nerve damage frequently doesn’t appear clearly on standard imaging. That’s why these cases often rely on neurologists and nerve conduction specialists, rather than on imaging alone, to document the injury.

Legally Reviewed By
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld

Reviewed by Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld The material on this page has been legally reviewed by Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC. Mr. Rosenfeld and his team have experience representing injured cyclists in bicycle accident cases in Chicago. With a focus on personal injury law, they help bicycle accident victims understand their legal options and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages resulting from their injuries.

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