Paralyzed After Bike Path Accident, Cyclist Sues City of Chicago

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) March 19, 2015 – A personal injury lawsuit has been filed concerning a bicycle accident that left a teacher paralyzed from the chest down.

Jennifer Kraft filed the lawsuit against the Chicago Park District, the city of Chicago and A&L Inc., the corporation that designed a portion of the bike rail near 37th Street.

On April 25, 2014, Kraft plunged nine feet from a Chicago bicycle path to the concrete below. Kraft claims in her lawsuit that the path turned abruptly, with no warning that if she continued in a straight line, she would ride off a ledge. Her injuries have left her paralyzed from the chest down.

“The city has a responsibility to maintain bicycle trails in a safe manner,” said Paul Greenberg, a Chicago bicycle accident attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. Greenberg is not involved in the case. “If the design of the trail caused this woman’s injury, then she may be entitled to compensation.”

Kraft said that when the crash happened, she was riding home at about 8:00 p.m., traveling along a section of the lakefront path that she had not ridden on
before. Kraft suffered fractured shoulder blades,three fractured neck vertebrae and a punctured spine. She required surgery and extensive therapy to recover even limited function, and she is seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

Kraft has said that before the accident, she had an active lifestyle filled with skiing, soccer and cycling. She has asked city officials to do the right thing and install proper safety measures to ensure that no one else is injured on the bike trail.