Daughter files lawsuit after bicyclist fatally struck by car on North Side

The daughter of a bicyclist who died after he was struck by a car in September in the Lake View neighborhood is suing the driver.

Malysa Joeli filed the negligence lawsuit Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of her father, 78-year-old Joseph Korner.

Korner, of the 2100 block of West Belle Plaine, was biking northbound in the 3500 block of North Lincoln about 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 when he was struck from behind by a 2013 Mazda sedan, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Korner was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9:26 p.m. Nov. 6, authorities said.

An autopsy found he died from complications of injuries he suffered in the crash and his death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.

The Mazda’s driver, a 90-year-old North Side man, was cited at the time of the accident for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, police said at the time. He appeared in traffic court on Oct. 17.

According to the lawsuit, the driver, who was driving a Hertz vehicle at the time, failed to keep a proper lookout, followed a bicyclist more closely than is reasonable, failed to sound his horn to avoid the crash, and, among other things, failed to yield the right-of-way to Korner’s bicycle.

Korner is survived by his wife, Joeli and his adult son, the suit alleges.

The suit claims negligence and is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.

An attorney representing the driver could not be reached for comment on the suit Thursday evening.