Car accidents don’t only happen on the road. If you were involved in a parking lot accident, you know this all too well. At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we can help you. Our attorneys can assist you in your claim for damages and work to recover compensation. Call our Jacksonville car accident lawyers today to schedule a no obligation, free case review with a member of our legal team.
The Frequency of Parking Lot Accidents
Most people consider pulling into a parking lot to be the end of their commute. You can finally relax a bit because you successfully navigated the dangers of the roads and can pull into a parking space. Unfortunately, things are not always that simple, and parking lots are frequently the site of car accidents.
Parking lot accidents occur more than you might realize. A study done by AAA indicates that 20 percent of car accidents occur in parking lots. Parking lot accidents happen for a variety of reasons. And while parking lot accidents are typically low speed, they often result in serious injuries, primarily if it was a pedestrian accident.
Damages You Can Collect from a Parking Lot Accident
Whether you were a driver or pedestrian in your parking lot accident, you may be entitled to compensation for damages if the other party was at fault. The damages available for you to collect depends on the nature of the accident and your injuries. However, you may be able to claim one or more the following types of damages:
Medical expenses
You might be able to receive reimbursement for everything from ambulance rides if they were necessary, to medication and physical therapy. In more severe cases, you can collect the costs of long-term medical treatment, too.
Lost wages
Whether you lost wages because you could not work or because you had physical therapy appointments, you receive compensation for these losses as well. In some cases, you may also collect compensation if you must stop working or change careers.
Property damage
If your vehicle sustained any damage, you could receive compensation for the cost of repairs. And if it has been totaled and is irreparable, you could obtain reimbursement for the value of the car.
Determining Liability and Fault in Jacksonville Parking Lot Accidents
Collecting damages in a parking lot accident requires proving liability and fault. Your claim must demonstrate that the other party did not exercise reasonable care while navigating the parking lot. Reasonable care is the standard and safe behavior you would expect from a reasonable person.
In parking lot accidents, you can look at one of the following to determine who did not exercise reasonable care and holds liability:
- Was either driver speeding in the parking lot?
- Was either driver driving recklessly?
- Was either driver drunk?
- Did either driver violate the parking lot’s posted traffic rules?
- Did someone back out of a parking space without checking for pedestrians or oncoming vehicles?
- Did a pedestrian run out into moving traffic?
If one or more of the above occurred in your Jacksonville parking lot accident, it is likely that you can prove the other driver was negligent and thus liable for the collision.
Instances Where Neither Party is Liable
While such cases are rare, there are instances when neither party is at fault in parking lot accidents. Parking lots are typically private owned property. And like all privately owned properties, the property owners must maintain safe conditions for anyone expected to be on the property. Details are in Florida’s premises liability statute.
If debris or obstruction was causing one or both parties to behave in ways that are out of the ordinary, the property owner could be liable. Circumstances which could contribute to your parking lot accident range from fallen stop signs, unmarked construction, and work sites.
Call a Jacksonville Parking Lot Accident Lawyer
Deciding to call an attorney is not an easy decision after an accident. Many people are already concerned with covering their medical expenses, making up lost wages, and repairing their vehicles. But the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine makes this easier on you.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine offer free case consultations so that we can evaluate the circumstances of your case at no financial risk to you. We do not collect a fee unless you receive a settlement.
Our primary concern is serving the Jacksonville community, and we hope to learn more about your recent accident. If you were involved in a Jacksonville parking lot accident, we encourage you to call us immediately. Reach us today.
We Can Help.
