Former RI lawyer, now IL Supreme Court Justice sues over bicycle accident

Showing that he firmly believes in product liability lawsuits, former Rock Island lawyer and current Illinois Supreme Court justice Tom Kilbride has filed a lawsuit stemming from a bicyble accident in June of 2003 in which he suffered serious injuries.

The suit filed by Justice Thomas Kilbride, who lives in Rock Island, claims that he was injured June 12, 2003, while riding a 2001 Sedona Men’s LX Comfort Mountain Bike.

The suit names several companies as defendants, including Alhonga Enterprises, Chang Star Corp. and Lee Chi Enterprise Co., all of Taiwan; Promax USA and Austin Enterprise Inc., both of Hermosa Beach, Calif., and Giant Bicycle Inc. of Newbury Park, Calif.

The suit originally was to be heard in Rock Island County Circuit Court but recently was moved to U.S. District Court, Rock Island, at the request of the defendants.

The lawsuit has 12 counts of both negligence and product liability, and claims Kilbride suffered internal and external injuries of a “permanent and lasting nature.” It did not give details of the injuries.

The suit claims the bicycle contained a manufacturing and design defect which caused the brake coupling to fail. Because of the defect the bicycle broke and became uncontrollable and inoperable, the suit claims.

The suit was filed by the Healy Law Firm of Chicago. It does not seek a specific dollar amount.