Experienced Parking Lot Accident Attorney Works for You
If You’re Involved in a Parking Lot Collision, Our Parking Lot Accident Attorneys in Houston Protect Your Rights
Many people are familiar with the woe of seeing a ding on their door or a swath of paint that indicates someone has tapped your car in the parking lot. Houston parking lots can get crowded fast, whether at shopping centers and grocery stores or just about anywhere in the city.
Parking lot accidents can occur between two moving cars, between a moving vehicle and a stopped car, or between a vehicle and a pedestrian. Injuries from parking lot accidents can be surprisingly serious, especially if pedestrians are involved. And if someone leaves the scene of a parking lot accident, they can end up being charged with a hit-and-run accident charge.
If you’ve been involved in a parking lot accident, parking lot accident attorneys in Houston can help. You may be able to seek compensation for personal injury. Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law now at 713-973-8888.
Parking Lots Are Surprisingly Dangerous
Our Parking Lot Accident Lawyers in Houston Can Help
In between the innocuous straight lines of parking lot spaces lurks danger — vehicles are moving in all different directions, including cutting across empty spaces instead of using the driving lanes. Pedestrians are everywhere and may be distracted by heavy loads or small children.
Drivers themselves often pay attention to many things at once: other cars, pedestrians, and the hunt for the best parking space. All of these distracting conditions create a perfect environment for a parking lot accident.
In fact, parking lot accidents represent 20% of all vehicle accidents, according to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Although cars are moving at slow speeds, accidents happen and are often due to the carelessness and negligence of one or both parties involved. People who talk or text while driving in a parking lot or those who speed through with no regard to people on foot can easily strike a pedestrian or another car, leading to serious injury and property damage.
It’s not just the people in the parking lots that can be dangerous; the conditions of the parking lot itself, such as potholes or poor lighting, can make it difficult to drive safely. Or, the design of the parking lot itself (e.g. insufficient crosswalks, lack of spend bumps) may be problematic.
Parking lots are considered private property and are not governed by the same traffic laws as regular roadways. However, if you’ve been struck by a car in a parking lot or if unsafe conditions caused you to wreck, you still have options for compensation. A Houston parking lot accident lawyer can advise you about your case.
What Should I Do After a Parking Lot Accident?
Seek Medical Attention, Remain Calm, and Call a Houston Parking Lot Accident Lawyer
Knowing what to do if you’re hit by a car in a parking lot can make a difference in your safety and whether you can file a claim for damages. If your car was struck in a parking lot, you might not feel like it’s worth calling the police for what looks like minor damage. Even if you’ve been struck while walking, you might feel silly calling 911 if you think you feel fine.
However, you should always call the police and emergency services and follow up with legal advice. Understanding your rights can help ensure you’re eligible for compensation.
Try to Remain Calm
You may be hurt and angry, and it’s okay to feel like that. Still, try to avoid yelling at the other party and getting into an argument. Anything that you say after a collision can be used as part of your case, and you never know who might whip out their phone and start recording you.
Get Medical Care
Head injuries are common when a pedestrian is struck by a car in a parking lot. Call 911 for help, no matter how you feel. Head injuries or soft tissue injuries don’t always show up right away, but EMTs can help assess you at the scene – and get you to an ER for a more extensive medical evaluation.
If you don’t see a doctor, or you wait too long before getting treatment, then the other party’s insurance company may claim that you aren’t hurt or weren’t hurt as badly as you actually were.
Gather Evidence
Take photos of your car, if you were in your car, and even your injuries if possible. Gather the names and phone numbers of potential witnesses. If you’ve wrecked your car due to unsafe conditions in the parking lot, then take photos of the area.
Contact Our Experienced Parking Lot Accident Attorneys
The faster you’re able to contact an attorney, the better your chances of protecting your rights. Experienced parking lot accident lawyers know how to prove fault in a parking lot accident.
Establishing liability can be tricky, so call the experienced team at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law at 713-973-8888 or toll-free 1-800-444-5000. We’ll fight to get you the justice & compensation you deserve.
Who Is Responsible for Parking Lot Accidents?
Under many circumstances, the driver of a moving car is liable for parking lot accidents. Any time a driver gets behind the wheel, they have a duty to act responsibly and use good judgment when negotiating roadways of any kind – including parking lots. However, other factors can come into play in a parking lot accident, and other parties may shoulder some of the blame for causing the incident.
Parking lot property owners are responsible for maintaining their lot or garage and making it safe for both drivers and pedestrians to use. This means keeping the surface free of dangerous defects or debris and providing well-lit spaces and clearly marked stop, yield, and direction-of-travel signage.
Owners also need to keep the area free from hazards that could cause pedestrians to slip and fall (e.g. repairing damaged pavement). If the property owner fails to do these things, they could be held liable for a parking lot accident. Or, the owners or other parties responsible for the design and construction of the parking lot may have been negligent.
While pedestrians have the right of way in a parking lot, their actions can contribute to the accident. If someone has their head down, is looking at their phone, or is otherwise not watching where they’re going, they could walk out in front of a moving car. If a shopper loses control of their cart and it hits a car, they can be liable for property damage.
Parking lot accident lawyers know how to weigh all of the considerations of parking lot accidents and know how to prove fault in a parking lot accident based on the circumstances and evidence. Hiring parking lot accident lawyers in Houston can help you build a strong case if you’re seeking damages for medical bills or property damage.
Parking Lot Accidents in Houston
Different Kinds of Parking Lot Accidents
The flow of traffic and pedestrians in parking lots means that all types of parking lot accidents can happen, such as the following:
- A car hits a pedestrian head-on
- A pedestrian is hit by a vehicle backing out of a spot
- A passing vehicle is struck by a car backing out
- A car pulls through an empty space and hits another car or a person
- Two vehicles collide while backing out
- A moving car hits a parked vehicle.
Each kind of accident may have a different at-fault party.
Parking Lot Car Accident Injuries
Even though cars in parking lots aren’t going very fast, if you’ve been hit by one, you can still be hurt pretty badly. Common parking lot injuries include:
Unfortunately, some parking lot car accident injuries are fatal.
How Can Parking Lot Accident Attorneys in Houston Help Me?
With the flow of traffic in a Houston parking lot, it can be hard to determine which party is at fault. Houston parking lot accident lawyers can help sort through the evidence and build your case for damages.
Your lawyer will consider different right-of-way rules and the kind of signage posted to see who could be at fault. They may also analyze security camera/CCTV footage and any witness statements from the accident.
Parking lot accidents can cause both bodily injury and property damage. If you weren’t at fault for the accident, then you may have cause to seek damages from the at-fault party to cover your medical bills or the expense of repairing or replacing your car. You may even recover damages for pain and suffering.
Your parking lot accident lawyer negotiates with insurance companies on your behalf. They’ll represent you at mediation or even in court, and their expertise in personal injury laws means that you have a knowledgeable advocate working for you.
FAQs
You may share part of the responsibility for a parking lot accident, even if you were a pedestrian struck by a car. If you didn’t cross in a designated crosswalk or weren’t paying attention to where you were going, then the other party may argue that you were careless and caused the accident.
The amount you receive from your settlement depends on how badly you were hurt and the extent of your property damage. Typical damages include medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Leaving the scene of an accident is considered to be a hit and run. If you spot damage to your car in the lot, you can file a police report at your local station. However, if there was a lot of damage, you could hire a lawyer who may be able to help track down the responsible person.
Most Texas personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means they’ll collect their legal fees once (and only if) you have a successful financial recovery.
Why Choose Us?
You Need Representation from Experienced Parking Lot Accident Lawyers in Houston
If you don’t know what to do if you’re hit by a car in a parking lot, calling an experienced personal injury lawyer is a good first step. They can walk you through the process of filing a claim and build a case for you.
Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law now at 713-973-8888 or toll-free 1-800-444-5000 for a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL consultation.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]
