Parking Lot Injury: Who Can I Sue?
No matter who you are, what you do or where you live, there’s a good chance that you spend a fair amount of time in parking lots. Shopping malls, supermarkets, physicians’ offices, banks, all of them and many more entities provide public and private lots to accommodate their visitors and customers, as well as their own employees. As convenient as these lots may be, they’re also an all-too-common site for personal injuries, with people falling victim to thefts and assaults, trip and fall accidents, and accidents involving vehicles. These personal injuries can lead to physical and emotional pain as well as significant medical expenses, but if it happens to you, you need to know who is responsible and how to proceed.
Property owners, management companies, security services and many others play a role in ensuring that their property – including their parking lots – are safe. If you are a victim of an assault in a parking lot, it may be a result of a lack of proper or adequate security measures having been taken. This can include having a security guard or cameras on the site, having the area properly lit, or having asked for increased checks by local police if the owner is aware of a threat.
The same holds true for preventing conditions that can lead to slips, trips and falls. If you have fallen in a parking lot and suffered a head injury, broken bones, fractures, sprains or strains or any other injury as a result of a parking lot being poorly maintained, un-shoveled, icy, uneven curb, potholes, or debris that represents a hazard could lead to any of those entities listed above being sued for negligence and premises liability. Property owners are expected to address any hazards that they are aware of or should be aware of, and failure to act in a way that demonstrates a duty of care is grounds for legal action.
Finally, if you are injured in a car accident in a parking lot, you may have a legal claim against both the driver of the car involved and potentially the owner of the property or parking lot. This is particularly true if the lot had a known danger that contributed to the accident, including confusing signage that is unclear or confusing, prior similar accidents, or conditions that lead to a collision.
If you have suffered a personal injury in a parking lot, it is important that you work with an experienced attorney who can ensure you are pursuing all potential legal claims to maximize your compensation. Contact us today to set up a free consultation to discuss your case.