You are entitled to benefits! Cars are almost always in motion in public parking lots, and they are either pulling in/ out of parking spaces. The drivers are generally more focused on finding a spot or getting out one, instead of paying attention to any other traffic. Although very common, parking lot accidents are typically low-speed collisions. The damage is minimal and in most cases, personal injuries are not very serious.
Steps to Follow
But this does not mean that the accident has to be taken lightly. If you have been injured in a public parking lot, the steps you should follow are:
- Call the police
- Call your insurance company
- Also, take picture with your phone camera
- Exchange names, addresses and phone numbers as well as insurance information with other people if they any were involved in the accident
- Get names, addresses & phone numbers of witnesses, if any
- Note the facts surrounding the incident like the date, time, location, weather conditions & parking lot conditions
- If you have been injured/ if there are extensive damages, call an attorney.
Why Call the Police?
Though it is important to call the police, in certain areas, they will not write a report if the accident has taken place on a parking lot which is private property (as is the case with most lots). In such cases, you should take very detailed and careful notes of all the details of the accident. It is important to call your attorney as the laws that cover parking lot injuries can be quite complex. An experienced attorney will explain all your legal rights & obligations and will also work towards ensuring that you are fully compensated for the injuries you have met & the damage to your vehicle, if any.
Why Call your Lawyer?
The complexity in parking lot injury cases arsis from the fact that there are no fixed laws to determine fault in a larger percentage of parking lot accidents. This is because most lots are actually private property and the motor vehicle and state traffic laws generally do not apply. In most cases, police officers will not issue a ticket to the offender. If you or someone you know has been injured in a public parking lot, you might be entitled to seek damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and other expenses.
