BANG! You hear a loud sound or feel a jolt and look out of your mirror to realize you’ve collided with another car in the parking lot. Now what do you do? Who is liable? Do you have a right to compensation? If you find yourself in this situation, contact our skilled and insightful New Orleans parking lot accident attorney today.
Car accidents can happen anywhere, typically on public roads and highways. Nevertheless, they may also occur on private property. Most individual’s first instinct after an accident is to call the police and obtain a police report. But, the truth is police may not always respond to accidents on private property such as parking lots because they are less of a risk to the public and often do not produce major damages. In this case, an injured party should collect all information essential to their claim in order to submit to the insurance company. This includes the location, date, and time of the accident as well as the other party’s contact and insurance information. Even if you believe your accident is minor, it is crucial that you contact a skilled attorney to help you receive rightful compensation.
A popular misconception is that parking lot collisions only result in fender benders with little to no injuries, but this is not the case. Significant bodily injury and sometimes even death are the result of these types of accidents. Just like any other car crash, you are entitled to receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and any pain and suffering resulting from a parking lot accident.
The most common causes of parking lot accidents include two vehicles reversing at the same time, trying to navigate through a crowded lot, one vehicle backing into another, and driving out of space going forward and colliding with oncoming traffic. A number of these accidents are often due to inattention, distracted driving, and speeding.
Whoever was the cause of the accident is ultimately liable for any damages. This may be the fault of one driver completely or fault of both parties to the collision. For example, if two vehicles collide when backing up in the same moment and neither had the right of way, then both parties may be liable. The damages awarded would be reduced by any percentage of fault. But, a driver backing up or pulling forward will likely be liable if they hit a vehicle traveling in the traffic lane. In addition to the driver of the at fault vehicle, the owner of the parking lot may also be on the hook for damages if their lot was the cause of the accident and found to be hazardous.
Because an incident like this can suddenly happen to anyone, an injured party should hire an experienced New Orleans parking lot accident attorney who is fit to handle their case. Mr. Cardone has represented clients in nearly all Louisiana parishes for over 40 years. The Cardone Law Firm is equipped to assist their client’s in receiving the best medical care as a result of their injures as well as hiring experts to ensure the value of the case is not lowballed by the insurance company.
If you have been injured in a parking lot accident, Phone Cardone at 1-504-522-3333 for a free consultation. He is direct, insightful, proactive, and passionate about his client’s cases.