While most of us consider the most dangerous roadways to be highways or twisting mountain roads, one in five accidents occur in – parking lots. A parking lot accident can result in serious injuries to pedestrians or other drivers. After such an accident, how do you pursue compensation for damages? Every case has unique facts, and filing a claim will vary, based on those facts.
What Factors Contribute to Parking Lot Collisions?
A parking lot accident can occur under various circumstances:
- A pedestrian is hit by a car moving through a parking lot or pulling out of a space.
- Another vehicle is hit when driving in a parking lot, or by another vehicle pulling out.
- Two vehicles moving in a parking lot collide.
- Two vehicles collide when both are attempting to enter one parking spot.
- A vehicle rear-ends another at a stop sign or moving from a feeder lane into a thoroughfare lane.
- A driver is travelling at an unsafe speed and hits you while driving in a parking lot lane.
Who is at Risk in a Parking Lot Accident?
With one in five car accidents occurring in parking lots, several parties are at risk, including:
- Children
- Adults
- Drivers
- Passengers
- Motorcyclists
As children are smaller in stature, a negligent driver can injure a child by failing to move through the lot in a safe manner, making fast turns, or acting too quickly to try to get a spot before another driver. Older people are also at risk, as many tend to walk more slowly, and a negligent driver who is operating a vehicle in a negligent manner may hit them. Aggressive drivers may be focused on getting to a spot before another driver, and take unnecessary risks, particularly during busy weekends or holidays at malls, shopping centers, sports or concert venues, or other heavily attended areas.
How Can a Victim Recover Compensation in a Parking Lot Accident?
To seek compensation for damages, it is necessary to prove who was at fault in the collision. In some cases, it is obvious, but in other cases, it may be more challenging. The investigation will evaluate certain facts, including:
- Which car was in motion?
- Which driver had the right of way?
- Was the pedestrian crossing at a marked sidewalk? Running?
- Did a driver impact another vehicle while stopped at a stop sign?
Once the investigation is complete, an insurance claim can be filed to seek compensation, whether through an insurance settlement from the at-fault driver’s policy, or a lawsuit filed in civil court. A lawsuit may be filed if the insurance company fails to make a fair offer.
Why Choose The Bussey Law Firm, P.C.?
If you or a loved one was involved in a parking lot accident, you deserve to recover all the compensation to which you are entitled. Our personal injury lawyers are dedicated, talented, and powerful litigators who are focused on protecting the rights of our clients.