Parking Lot Car Accidents: What You Need To Know To File A Successful Claim

Law Blog

Experiencing a car accident of any kind can be an upsetting experience, but it is especially upsetting when determining fault is hard to do. Car accidents occur in parking lots more frequently than you might think. Since most people are traveling at a lower rate of speed and drivers are supposed to be as watchful as possible, it may be hard to figure out who to blame in such instances.

If you have recently been involved in a parking lot car accident, it is within your best interest to talk to a qualified attorney. An attorney can help you go over all the details and submit the proper paperwork should you be eligible to file a claim. It also helps to understand how to file your claim successfully.

Parking Lot Accidents

First, you should know some of the most common causes of parking lot accidents, which include:

  • Drivers paying attention to vacant lots rather than other drivers in the parking lot
  • Failure to pay proper attention when backing out of a parking spot (parking spots sometimes have "blind zones" caused by vehicles parked next to the vacant spot)
  • Reckless driving within the parking lot because of a lack of enforceable driving laws (speeding and other reckless driving activities)
  • Heavy congestion in the parking lot (during high-volume shopping seasons, such as holidays, you will often find a lot of traffic in parking lots)

In each of the situations mentioned, it is important that you carefully explain the details of the situation so you can help an officer of the law understand who was at fault.

Working With an Attorney

An attorney can go above and beyond the reports filed by an officer. For instance, if there is doubt as to who caused the accident, your lawyer may be able to request video evidence. Many parking lots have security cameras in place in the event of accidents, theft, and other incidents.

Your lawyer can file a request to retrieve security footage from the company that owns the parking lot. Video evidence can help support your case if you believe you were not to blame for the auto accident.

Understand the General Rule of Thumb

Determining blame will depend on what you were doing at the time of the accident. Therefore, you should understand the general rule of thumb as it applies to most parking lots. Vehicles traveling through lanes are often given the right of way.

In other words, if you are backing out of a parking spot, you must be aware of other drivers as they are approaching you. However, even if you hit another vehicle as you are backing out of a spot, it does not mean you are automatically to blame.

Your lawyer will review the evidence to determine if the other driver failed to pay attention or was driving recklessly at the time of the accident. Also, there are sometimes yield signs and stop signs present in parking lots to help manage the flow of traffic. If the other driver failed to obey the signs, it could mean the other driver is at fault.

Bring Medical Evidence to the Table

On top of proving blame, you should also bring medical documents with you. It is always a good idea to get checked out after an accident. Even if you do not experience any pain directly after an accident, you may still have injuries.

Some people experience shock after an accident, which can dull pain. Therefore, a doctor should look you over, even if it has been a couple days since your accident. Make sure you bring your medical documentation to the lawyer so he or she can use it to help you file a successful claim for proper compensation.

Reach out to a  car accident attorney like Kevin Renfro near you for assistance rather than attempting to handle the claims yourself if you wish to reach a successful outcome.

Share

6 December 2019