It's easy to see why wrecks occur in parking lots. In a typical parking lot, vehicles are jammed in and there's not much room to maneuver. Add to that people pushing carts around and vehicles constantly coming and going, and you have the ingredients for an accident. Parking lot accidents are different than other types in several ways and it pays to understand why.
Law Enforcement May Not be Involved
Most parking lot accidents are minor fender benders and take place on private property. That means law enforcement will only involve themselves in certain circumstances. If a pedestrian is severely injured, law enforcement will likely respond and create an accident report but usually not otherwise.
For less serious accidents, assume that an accident report may not be prepared by law enforcement and do the following to protect yourself financially and legally.
Low-Speed Accidents Are Usually Minor
In most cases, people drive slowly enough in parking lots to avoid serious accidents. However, a slow-speed collision can still do a lot of damage to a vehicle and even cause injuries to drivers. Vehicles are often equipped with sensors that detect crashes, even low-speed crashes. Those sensors must be reset by a mechanic in many cases before the vehicle can be driven again.
Unfortunately, vehicles can be very expensive to repair. The parts may be difficult to obtain and getting a repair completed can cause a lot of inconvenience for drivers that depend on using a vehicle often. Some vehicles have parts that easily pop off when a collision occurs. Getting those bumpers and other pieces back on a vehicle will require an auto body specialist.
The person that caused the accident is responsible for paying for the repair and other damages of both drivers. Fortunately, shopping centers and other businesses often have camera footage to help identify the at-fault party.
The other driver may not agree with your version of how the accident in the parking lot occurred. You may also be suffering from an injury because of the other driver. Speak to a lawyer to find out how to prove fault and how to be paid the compensation you deserve.
For more information, contact a local law office, like the Law Office Of Timothy M. O'Donovan.
Share23 September 2022
Were you injured at work and fighting to get the workers compensation that you have paid into each year? Sometimes, getting those payments can be very difficult. What do you do when an employer fights the claim? Do you need a lawyer to help you through the process? How will you pay for a lawyer if you cannot even pay your electric bill? You are probably as lost as I was when I went through the process. Fortunately, you can learn from my experience with the system and find the answers to many of the questions that you have about filing a workers comp claim and fighting the system when it is denied.
