Although car accidents are commonly associated with the high speeds and heavy traffic of highways, collisions can unfortunately happen everywhere. Parking lots are a prime example of this. People in parking lots may be driving a little slower, and there may not be as many cars in the lot, but drivers can still act reckless. If you have been injured in a parking lot car accident, there are multiple parties who may be liable for the damages.
Driver Liability
In most parking lot accident cases, it’s common for another driver to be liable for damages. A car accident in a parking lot may be caused by drivers backing out of spaces without looking, driving too fast, turning into other cars, driving over barriers, or driving against directed traffic.
Your claim against other drivers will proceed similarly to any car accident case. It’s possible that the car insurance company will oppose your claim more fiercely if it happened in a parking lot. However, most parking lots have surveillance systems that can be accessed for evidence in the event of a collision.
Property Owner Liability
A driver is almost always at fault in car accident cases, but third-party liability is possible as well. It is more common for property owners to be liable for parking lot accidents than in cases of accidents that occur on roads.
However, just because a collision occurred in a parking lot does not mean the property owner is liable for damages. You will need to prove that the negligence of the property owner was a cause of your parking lot accident.
The following conditions can cause parking lot accidents and may be evidence of a property owner’s negligence:
- Insufficient lighting
- Uneven roads
- Slippery surfaces
- Inadequate signage
- Unclear parking lot lines
- Negligent valet staff
If a property owner is liable for your parking lot car accident, you may be able to recover additional compensation outside of your insurance provider. Car accidents caused by property owner negligence may be considered as a premises liability case rather than a typical collision case, and would therefore be handled like a personal injury case instead of an insurance claim.
At Metzger Wickersham, our attorneys can guide you through your car accident case. Contact us to discuss the details of your collision case.
If you are interested in speaking with our lawyers, schedule a free consultation with our legal team by sending us a messageor calling (888) 286-2850.
