
Car Accident In Parking Lot – Believe it or not, parking lot accidents are more common than you think. Tens of thousands of collisions occur in parking lots and garages each year, resulting in injuries and, in some cases, death.
Even careful drivers can cause accidents when these conditions exist. However, distracted driving has been linked as the cause of most parking lot accidents. In fact, the National Safety Council estimates that about two-thirds of all drivers who pull into a parking lot do so while distracted. Distracted driving, while always dangerous, is especially risky in garages and parking lots, as slower speeds tend to give pedestrians and drivers a false sense of security.
Car Accident In Parking Lot
In an NSC public opinion survey, 66% of drivers nationwide said they would make a phone call while driving through a parking lot. Respondents also said they would:
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When determining who is responsible for parking lot accidents, it’s important to remember that the rules of the road still apply when you’re navigating the parking lot. This means you should follow stop or yield signs and understand when the other driver has the right of way. Drivers who clearly violate traffic laws are likely to be held accountable.
If you are backing out of a space and hit another vehicle, whether that vehicle is moving or stationary, you will likely be at fault.
If both you and the other driver were leaving the space, the fault may not be found. If you hit a legally parked vehicle, whether you’re moving or opening your door, you’re likely to be at fault. If you don’t make an effort to locate the car’s owner, you could be charged with hit and run.
In an accident involving a pedestrian, you are more likely to be at fault, unless the pedestrian was negligent in some way, such as stepping into the path of your car or ignoring safety precautions.
Parking Lot Car Accident: Is It Different?
As mentioned above, in certain cases, the parking lot owner may also be liable for your injuries, as hazards also cause collisions.
If you have been involved in a car accident in a parking lot, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney. For a free consultation with our team at Olszewski, P.C., contact us today. We will review the circumstances of your case and work with your insurance company to determine who is responsible for the damage.
Peter Paul Olszevski, Jr., shareholder and managing partner of Olszevski, P.C., has 37 years of litigation experience. He is a renowned Pennsylvania attorney specializing in medical malpractice, personal injury and criminal defense. Peter’s notable accomplishments include securing multi-million dollar verdicts and serving as a district attorney and judge. He is committed to community involvement and is actively involved in various legal associations. An uninsured man crashed into several cars in a Livonia parking lot, damaging and destroying several vehicles. Because he had no insurance, people whose cars were damaged were left to fend for themselves.
LIVONIA, Mich. (FOX 2) – A driver plowed into a parking lot full of cars after suffering a medical emergency last week in Livonia.
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On March 14, a driver swerved into oncoming traffic, struck a utility pole and careened into the parking lot of a small business on Plymouth Road near Ann Arbor Road, striking multiple vehicles in the process.
“Hit the top of two cars, blew out all the glass. One car looked like it became a convertible,” said April Duncan, whose co-workers’ cars were hit.
“It was my first really nice car, and it’s gone,” she said. “I hope he’s doing well, and I hope he’s on the mend, but it’s been devastating for all of us.”
Those whose vehicles were damaged are not sure what to do because the driver who lost control did not have car insurance.
Parking Lot Accident Laws
“I was hoping to get a rental car from his insurance only to find out it wasn’t there,” Gannon said.
“If your car gets hit while it’s legally parked, you’re looking at the other car’s insurance company. The problem is if someone drives without insurance, they don’t have insurance,” he said. “If your deductible doesn’t pay or there are other things that come out of it that your insurance doesn’t cover, you could go after the driver of that car, but the question is how chargeable are they?”
“It’s hard to get a new car, a used car — both are hard. A new car, it takes about three months to even get one,” Gannon said.
Despite the situation being left for us to figure out, everyone is just thankful that people weren’t hit in the parking lot. Gannon said she was in her vehicle when the accident happened, but was covering for a colleague who had gone to lunch.
Parking Lot Accident Stock Photos
“Honestly, you can ask any of my colleagues: I’m the only person who doesn’t go to lunch. I bring my lunch to work every day,” Duncan said. “Some higher power was working to protect us all.” When you’re on the open road and a vehicle comes out of nowhere and hits you, liability is usually clear. However, you might not think so if you’re in a parking lot. Fortunately for you, it’s not always difficult to determine liability for a parking lot accident. If someone’s negligence caused the accident, then they will be held responsible. In fact, negligence is at the heart of all personal injury cases: Did someone fail to exercise a duty of care? If so, then the injured person is entitled to compensation under the laws of the state.
Sometimes you encounter some problems in the parking lot accident. For example, traffic lanes may not be easily defined, and the parking lot itself may be poorly designed. This leaves room for error, as it may be unclear in which lane the driver should drive. In other cases, you may have an example of gross negligence, where a witness saw another driver texting, leading to an accident. You may also run into problems if the police in that jurisdiction do not write tickets for parking accidents, as a ticket alleging gross negligence may be the most useful tool in your case.
In order to document exactly what happened, not only look for witnesses, but also photograph and record the scene of the accident, as it may be useful for the court to see exactly how the parking lot is arranged and what the damage is. Many parking lots also have surveillance cameras that can record accidents in real time. If you are injured in an accident, videos can be submitted to the court as evidence.
In some of the smallest parking lot accidents, your injuries can still have lasting effects. You could end up with bumps, cuts, bruises and more. This is why it is important to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side. Call us today at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi for more information. Parking lots are usually private property. When most people think of vehicle collisions, accidents that occur on public roads come to mind. However, collisions sometimes occur on private property, such as parking lots and garages. This is especially common when drivers and pedestrians do not pay enough attention to the traffic around them.
Who’s At Fault In A Parking Lot Accident?
Drivers are often distracted looking for a parking space, and pedestrians are often busy looking for a store or restaurant. This combination can lead to accidents.
Determining fault in a parking lot accident can be a challenge because the rules on private property are not as well known as those on public roads, although they are quite similar. Traffic rules for determining fault on private property include:
A property owner may also be liable for accidents that occur on his property. If the parking lot or garage was poorly designed or maintained, and if the lack of proper design or maintenance was a factor in your accident, the property owner may be liable for your injuries. When the construction of a garage creates blind spots, or if the parking lot has lanes that are too narrow, the property owner may be liable.
If you have been injured in a car accident on private property, you need professional representation from an experienced attorney. To learn more, contact the Law Offices of Ben Crittenden to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation.