Anyone who spends time in a large city likely needs to park their vehicle in a public parking lot from time to time. While these parking lots offer convenience for what is usually an affordable price, there are legal duties that attach to this situation much like any other. One of the bodies of law that is always relevant in a commercial parking lot situation is that of premises liability, and if you or someone you love has been harmed in this type of location, you need the help of a skilled Phoenix premises liability lawyer.
In the meantime, below is a brief overview of this issue.
The Duty of the Commercial Parking Lot Owner
The owner of the commercial parking lot has a duty to provide a reasonably safe premises for those who will use it in a foreseeable manner. Therefore, anyone who rightfully parks in these lots can be seen as expected ‘invitees,’ or people who are invited to conduct business for the benefit of the owner on that piece of property.
Under the law of premises liability, the owner has a duty to protect invitees from harm. This duty includes the responsibility of removing dangers in the parking lot that are not obvious to invitees and to properly and clearly warn these invitees of any hidden or non-obvious dangers that cannot be repaired with signs and other forms of warning. Failure to meet this duty could lead to liability if an invitee is injured on the premises.
Examples of Situations That Could Lead to Liability
There are many different examples of what could lead to liability on the part of the commercial parking lot owner if an invitee is injured while on the premises.
For instance, if there is a large pot hole in a dark area of the commercial parking lot that is difficult to see and an invitee slips, falls and is injured because of this pot hole, it could lead to a valid legal claim for damages against the owner of the commercial parking lot. The same sort of liability could attach if an invitee damages his or her vehicle on this sort of unforeseen danger.
Another example would involve security measures.
Parking lots need to be reasonably protected with fences, gates or some other form of security to prevent the obvious opportunity for a crime to be committed. If someone is hurt by a criminal on the premises and the law finds that the commercial parking lot owner did not take adequate steps to promote security, the injured person could possibly collect damages as a result.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious personal injury while using a commercial parking lot, you need to secure the help of Arizona premises liability lawyers who have years of experience in holding those responsible for injuries accountable. Contact Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.
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