Traffic accidents inside crowded parking lots are more common than a lot of people might expect, especially in dense urban areas like Tempe. Even a minor mistake or lapse in concentration while navigating between narrow lanes of parked cars could easily lead to a collision with an occupied car, another driver, or worst of all an unprotected pedestrian. Even at low speeds, these kinds of wrecks can cause substantial and sometimes life-altering injuries.
Just like any other type of automobile crash, parking lot accidents in Tempe can serve as the basis for a civil lawsuit or settlement demand if you can prove that your wreck happened specifically because of another person’s misconduct. If you want a good chance of getting a great final result from your claim, however, you should strongly consider seeking the assistance of a car accident attorney from Phillips Law Group, where we have decades of experience handling cases like yours all over the Phoenix metro area.
How Negligence Can Lead to a Parking Lot Collision
Negligence behind the wheel of a motor vehicle can take numerous forms, from overt violations of traffic law to momentary recklessness or carelessness that usually would not lead to anyone getting hurt. It is worth emphasizing, though, that civil courts generally do not consider how subjectively “bad” an act of negligence was. That means a driver who causes an accident in a Tempe parking lot by glancing away from the road for just a moment is just as liable for accident-related losses as someone who causes such a wreck by speeding while driving drunk.
It should be noted as well that while people or businesses that own parking lots are usually not liable for crashes and injuries that occur within them, some situations could serve as exceptions to that trend. For example, if someone loses control of their vehicle and collides with another car in part because of an unmarked and unaddressed pothole in a parking lot, whoever was responsible for keeping that lot in safe condition for visitors may hold some liability for the wreck.
Getting Around Obstacles to Effective Civil Recovery
By the same token, a person who gets hurt in a parking lot crash in Tempe can be found partially at fault for their own injuries if they too were negligent in some way. Any percentage of “comparative fault” assigned to an injured person along these lines could then be held against them as a proportional reduction from whatever settlement or damage award they ultimately receive, in accordance with Arizona Revised Statutes §12-2505.
Furthermore, A.R.S. §12-542 gives injured people in Arizona a maximum of two years after getting hurt to file suit for all the damages they will ever experience for their injuries, even in situations with permanent and debilitating repercussions. Guidance from capable legal counsel can be key to navigating efficiently around these and other roadblocks to recovery during an auto accident case.
Contact a Tempe Attorney for Help With a Parking Lot Accident Claim
While car crashes inside parking lots are somewhat less likely to cause serious injuries compared to many other types of wrecks, they can still be very dangerous and disruptive to your daily life in the weeks and months after they occur. Just like with any other wreck, though, you may have a right to seek civil restitution from anyone you can prove at fault for causing your parking lot accident in Tempe.
At Phillips Law Group, we know all too well how devastating a traffic-related injury can be, and we are not afraid to take your case to court if that is what it takes to get you paid fairly. Call today to discuss your options with one of our team members or to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation now.
We look forward to having the opportunity to help you!
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