Whether you are outside of a small business with just a few parking spaces or in a massive dirt or asphalt one like the ones outside Phoenix Raceway, you have the same “duty” to drive carefully and lawfully in parking lots as you do on every other public road. Unfortunately, not everyone in every parking lot acts as responsibly as they should be behind the wheel — and as you may have recently learned, a single moment of carelessness while driving can sometimes lead to very serious injuries.
Parking lot accidents in Avondale can make for somewhat complicated civil claims since collisions here tend to happen under circumstances that usually do not arise on typical highways or streets. With help from the auto accident lawyers at Phillips Law Group, you will have much better chances of securing a favorable case result than you would ever likely have filing suit on your own.
Who Could Be Liable for a Parking Lot Collision?
The most obvious “defendant” to name in a civil claim over an Avondale parking lot accident is the driver(s) directly involved in the incident. Whether they end up colliding with another moving vehicle, a pedestrian, or even a parked car without anyone in it, a driver who causes a traffic accident in a parking lot because they broke a traffic law or were not paying attention behind the wheel can very likely be held financially accountable for that wreck based on their “negligence.”
However, many people injured in crashes like this want to know if they can file suit against the person or company that owns and maintains the parking lot where the crash occurred, and in most situations, the answer to that question is “no.” That said, it may be possible to sue a parking lot owner over an accident that stemmed at least in part from an unreasonably unsafe hazard on that property — for example, a failure to clear built-up ice which led to a driver skidding into another car.
Recovering for Short-Term and Long-Term Losses
Every person who holds a percentage of fault for causing a parking lot accident in Avondale may be made to pay for an equivalent percentage of “damages” caused by that accident. This can include both economic and non-economic forms of harm such as:
- Past and future medical expenses, as well as disability-related expenses for things like wheelchairs
- Lost work income, benefits, and/or earning capacity
- Personal property damage, including vehicle repair/replacement costs if applicable
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and trauma
- Lost enjoyment of life
It is worth noting, though, that it is generally not possible to sue over a parking lot crash that does not cause any injury serious enough to require professional medical care, and it is not possible to recover twice for the exact same losses through both a lawsuit and an insurance claim.
An Avondale Attorney Can Help After a Parking Lot Accident
Parking lots can be deceptively dangerous to navigate as a driver or as a pedestrian. Even though everyone is — or at least should be — driving at a fairly low speed while in a parking lot, even a low-speed impact from a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds can cause a lot of physical, financial, and psychological harm.
If you are dealing with the aftermath of a parking lot accident in Avondale which was someone else’s fault, you have help available with pursuing the restitution you deserve from lawyers who are not afraid to go to trial if necessary to get you the best possible case result. Call today to speak with one of our team members at Phillips Law Group about your legal options during a free consultation. With decades of experience on our side, we are confident that if you have a case, we may be able to assist you. Contact our firm today to learn more!
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