What Happens When You’re Injured in a Car Accident in a Parking Lot?

September 14, 2020

As many as one in every five car accidents occur in parking lots. Many people don’t treat parking lot accidents seriously, because they tend to be low-speed collisions. However, it is wrong to assume no one ever gets hurt in these types of accidents.

Being struck at just 15 mph has the same effect on a human body as falling seven feet! People in cars can suffer bruises, sprains, whiplash, and airbag-related injuries such as facial fractures.

Pedestrians who are struck by cars in parking lots can suffer far worse injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), broken bones, neck and back injuries, internal organ damage, and even death. When these types of accidents happen, the victims deserve compensation.

How Do Parking Lot Accidents Happen?

Drivers are probably more distracted when exiting or entering a parking lot than at any other time. According to one National Safety Council survey, more than half of drivers use their phones to call, text, email, or check social media while driving through parking lots, and nearly two-thirds of drivers program their GPS while driving in parking lots.

In addition to keeping their eyes peeled for open spots, drivers may also be busy checking their shopping list, talking to passengers, digging through their purse, or any number of other actions that take their eyes off of watching out for pedestrians and other vehicles.

Other common causes of accidents include:

  • Drivers failing to obey speed limits or stop signs in parking lots
  • Drivers driving outside of designated lanes in parking lots
  • Drivers failing to yield right-of-way
  • Drivers failing to look for pedestrians or other vehicles before backing out of a parking spot, or pedestrians failing to watch for moving vehicles
  • Drivers and pedestrians assuming parking lot collisions are always minor, and acting more carelessly than they usually would

What to Do After an Injury in a Parking Lot

If you’ve been injured as either a driver, passenger, or pedestrian in a parking lot collision, you should follow the same steps as you would in any other type of accident.

  1. Get medical attention.
  2. Call the police to file a report. 
  3. Exchange contact information with the other party and any witnesses.
  4. If you are able, take pictures of the scene of the collision, and any vehicle damage and injuries. 

However, there are a few important differences for accidents in parking lots you should also take into consider.

  • Police may not respond to an accident in a parking lot, so it’s even more important to gather your own evidence at the scene.
  • Parking lots and garages may have security personnel who can act as witnesses, and security cameras that can provide evidence to who was at fault.
  • Because parking lots and garages, unlike roads, are private property, you may be able to file a premises liability claim against the property owner to get compensation if confusing or inadequate signage, poorly marked spaces, or bad lot design contributed to the accident.

If You’ve Been Hit by a Car in the Parking Lot, Call Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers

Don’t let the insurance adjuster claim that car accidents in parking lots aren’t severe enough to warrant compensation. If you’ve been injured through no fault of your own, you should never have to pay those medical bills out of pocket.

At Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers, we’ll review the details of your case with you for free, and if you decide to hire us, you’ll pay us nothing unless we win. Contact us today for your free case consultation.