Car accidents can include serious injuries and vehicle damage even if they occur at relatively low speeds. People commonly think that they might be able to sue for vehicle damage and injuries only when they are involved in a high-speed crash or an accident that involves substantial damage, but victims of parking lot car accidents can still face sufficient injuries that justify suing the at-fault driver.
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident in a parking lot or parking garage and suffered back injuries, whiplash, or other injuries, contact the Baltimore parking lot accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.
Types of Parking Lot Car Accidents
Parking lots are often filled with other cars, pedestrians, and tight corners. When people have to deal with these distractions and obstacles, all while searching for a space or a way out of the parking lot, accidents can happen. Parking lot car accidents typically occur in a few common ways, which our parking lot car accident lawyers explain:
Backing Up Accidents
When a car is backing out of a space, the driver may not see pedestrians and other cars coming. Typically, the law requires anyone leaving a parking space to yield to those cars already in the lane of traffic, so backing into another car or a person is generally the driver who was backing up’s fault. If two drivers backed out of a space at the same time and backed into each other, the accident may be more complex. Drivers sometimes back into spaces to avoid this kind of problem – and pulling forward out of a space instead of backwards is indeed much safer. However, these drivers may still cause an accident while backing into the space, especially if they fail to signal properly.
Pulling Through Accidents
Since backing out of a space is a common way to cause an accident, many drivers seek to pull through a space so they can park facing our or to exit a space by pulling through another space rather than backing up. While this may be far more convenient, it could be dangerous if another car is trying to park in the space you’re pulling through. If an accident happens this way, the driver who was pulling through might be at fault.
Intersection Accidents
Intersections in parking lots and parking garages may have very low visibility if there are pillars or poles in the way or if the cars are difficult to see around. Parking lots may also fail to use stop signs or other traffic control devices that dictate which side gets to go first. If you need to, it is typically okay to pull up as far as you need to to see. However, if that means pulling into cross-traffic, the driver could be at fault for causing an accident. Rules regarding which lane is on the “main road” might affect these intersections, and it is important to talk to a lawyer about accidents happening at crossroads in a parking lot.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians typically have the right of way in marked areas, but other areas may be less clear. Drivers should always be on the lookout for pedestrians in parking lots, and if you were hit by a car who did not take the proper care to watch out for you, you might be entitled to sue them for any injuries you faced in the crash.
Running Stop Signs
Many parking lots have stop signs and other traffic control devices to help the flow of cars and to protect pedestrians in crosswalks. Drivers who fail to stop at these stop signs could cause accidents, potentially at regular road speeds. You may be able to sue a driver who hit you after running a stop sign or failing to stop at the exit of a parking lot (which is legally treated as a stop sign, even if it is not marked).
Suing for Damages in a Parking Lot or Parking Garage Car Accident
If you are injured in a car accident, you may be able to sue the at-fault driver for the injuries you suffered. This right to sue does not depend on where the accident happened, meaning that car accidents off the road in a private parking lot can still support a lawsuit. Moreover, the accident does not have to be severe to lead to a car crash. As long as there are injuries or damages you suffered from the crash, you may be able to file a lawsuit.
Many car accident victims and their families suffer expensive medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering after a crash. Parking lot car accidents can cause whiplash and back injuries, two of the most common car accident injuries that can lead to prolonged pain, discomfort, and time off work. If you suffered these kinds of injuries, you may be entitled to damages that are higher than you might expect.
In some cases, you may feel comfortable filing your lawsuit with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy instead of in court. However, car insurance claims do not pay pain and suffering damages and pay only a portion of the other damages you suffered. Talk to a lawyer about the best route to recovery and how much your case should be worth.
Call Our Baltimore Parking Lot Car Crash Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was hit by a car in a parking lot in Baltimore or the surrounding areas, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Baltimore parking lot accident lawyer may be able to take your case and fight to get you compensation for your injuries. To schedule your free legal consultation, call us today at (410) 694-7291.