Have You Been in a Parking Lot Crash—What Should You Do?
Have you been injured in a parking lot accident? Here are some important preliminary actions to take.
First, exchange insurance information and take pictures of the scene of the incident.
Try and gather contact information from any witnesses.
Then seek immediate medical attention for your injuries.
Finally, make sure to report the accident to your insurance company as soon as it is safe to do so. If you are contacted by the other driver’s insurance company do not admit fault.
If you feel as if an insurance company is not providing just and reasonable compensation, then talked to an experienced auto injury lawyer like the ones at Johnson Law, P.C. These steps will help determine who could be at fault in a parking lot accident.
20% of auto accidents occur in parking lots. - Study by PHH Arval
While you may contact the police, there is a possibility that they will not respond especially if the accident is not non-life threatening, or has no danger to the public. If police do respond, they should write a report which can be used to help determine who was at-fault.
It is important to seek out Determining fault in a parking lot accident is often more complex than ordinary street accidents. A parking lot accident may occur in multiple ways including:
- Backing out – a car backing out of a space that collides with another vehicle or pedestrian
- Sudden turns – trying to take a parking space and making unsafe and sudden turns, such as into a parking space, turning down the wrong in a parking lane, or other dangerous maneuvers
- Pulling through a space – A driver turning into a parking spot may not be prepared to see another driving through and out of a space. Likewise, a driver pulling through the space may not be prepared for a vehicle to turn into the parking space.
- Backing into each other – both vehicles backing out of spaces collide with each other
- Speeding – vehicles in a rush to get the last parking spot or to get in and out of the facility quickly make dangerous driving practices
Parking lot accidents tend to be minor, but in some instances, damage to property, personal injury, and even death may result from a parking lot accident.
Additionally, contrary to popular belief, parking lots tend to be privately owned and are not just public property. This means that a parking lot owner could be liable if the parking lot is faulty or substandard. Being injured in a parking lot accident can involve more than just you and a vehicle. Unmarked construction, poor paving, improper drainage leading to standstill water may be a signal that the parking lot owner is not fulfilling their obligation.
Parking lot accidents are more common than you would think - A recent study by PHH Arval reveals that 20% of auto accidents occur in parking lots. Parking lot accidents tend to be minor, but in some instances, damage to property, personal injury, and even death may result from a parking lot accident. Mixing in the unique layout of some parking lots, different traffic patterns, pedestrians and bikers, runaway shopping carts, it is easy to see why parking lot accidents are not only common but can occur in a variety of ways. Contact the experienced personal injury attorneys of Johnson Law if you were injured in a parking lot accident and want to know what compensation you may be owed.
