Injuries in parking garages can come from multiple sources. Car accidents can be dangerous even at low speeds, especially for pedestrians. Moreover, slip and falls and other injuries from dangerous premises can occur, let alone injuries from assault if the security in the parking garage is inadequate. No matter how you were hurt in a parking garage, our Baltimore parking garage accident and injury lawyers might be able to examine your case and help you file a lawsuit for your injuries.
If you or a loved one was injured in a parking garage, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our attorneys have decades of experience representing injury victims and their families in Baltimore and working to get their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering covered in personal injury lawsuits. For a free legal consultation on your potential case, call us today at (410) 694-7291.
Types of Accidents and Injuries in Parking Garages in Baltimore
The injuries that occur in parking garages can occur for a variety of different reasons. In some cases, the parking garage is responsible for the accident, but in others, another individual will be primarily responsible for the injuries.
Car Accidents
Accidents between two cars in a parking lot often occur at low speeds, but that does not mean that the accident will be without injuries. Many injuries often associated with car crashes are still common in low-speed crashes, such as low back injuries, whiplash, and other back and spine injuries. These injuries can occur in accidents where a car backs out into you or where you back out and get hit by a car that came around the corner too fast.
In these kinds of accidents, the other driver is usually responsible for the crash, not the parking garage’s owners or operators.
Pedestrian Accidents
Even more harmful than low-speed crashes between two cars are low-speed crashes between a car and a pedestrian. If you were walking to or from your car in a parking garage and you were hit by a car, you could face serious injuries. Low-speed crashes can seriously injure pedestrians, and crashes at higher speeds could even be deadly or cause permanent injuries.
In most of these cases, you can sue the driver who hit you for the injuries, but the parking garage owner or operator might share responsibility. If safe areas for pedestrians to walk were not marked off, if the area was not properly lit, or if safe speed limits were not posted, the parking garage might share some level of blame for the crash.
Slip and Falls
Especially in colder months, the walking surfaces in parking garages can freeze any puddles or water on the surface. Parking garages usually are not heated, and as such, rain and snow tracked in on car tires or accumulated because of poor drainage could freeze and become a slipping hazard. Other dangers, such as patches slick with oil or stairs covered with trash, litter, or leaves could also cause pedestrians to slip and fall. If you faced injuries from slipping or tripping hazards that should have been cleaned up or repaired, you may be able to hold the parking garage operators responsible for your injuries.
Crime Victimization
If you were the victim of crime, assault, or sexual assault in a parking lot, part of the cause might be the parking lot’s negligent security. While you can usually pursue criminal charges against the individual who committed a crime against you, you might also be able to sue for the injuries. You can typically sue the individual who injured you, but you might also be entitled to file a lawsuit against the parking garage if they failed to provide proper security. This means holding them liable for allowing random trespassers to enter the parking garage and holding them responsible for failing to use security cameras, emergency callboxes, security patrols, and other security strategies to prevent injuries and crime on their property.
Suing for Damages for Parking Lot Injuries in Baltimore
When you sue for injuries, you first need to target the correct party or parties with the lawsuit. it is important to talk to a lawyer about whether you can only sue the driver or individual who caused your injuries or whether the parking garage owners and operators might also be liable for the injuries you faced. In cases where the parking garage is owned by the city or another local government entity, these cases can get complicated, and you might be better off suing the individual and their insurance company for injuries.
When you file a lawsuit, you can seek compensation for any damages you face. In car accident claims or other insurance claims, you might be limited to only claiming damages for medical expenses and lost wages, and those damages might be limited. In a lawsuit, you can claim the full value of any medical care costs you faced because of the injury, any wages you lost or reduced earning capacity you faced, and any pain and suffering you experienced. Other damages might also be available, so talk to a lawyer about what your claim might be worth.
Call Our Baltimore Parking Garage Injury Attorneys for a Free Case Consultation
If you or a loved one was hit by a car, suffered a slip and fall, or was assaulted or intentionally injured in a parking garage, you might be entitled to file a lawsuit. the Baltimore parking garage injury attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras can help you understand whom to sue in your case, calculate the damages you might be entitled to, and work to get you the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free legal consultation on your case, call our law offices today at (410) 694-7291.