Recovering Damages After a Parking Lot Accident

 Posted on April 26, 2022 in Car Accident

Even at the slow speeds typically involved in parking lot collisions, getting hit by a car while you are walking can be incredibly harmful. A car does not need to be moving very fast at all to seriously injure a pedestrian who does not have the benefit of a car protecting them. Pedestrian accidents are very common in parking lots because vehicles and people on foot are expected to share space. There are no sidewalks in parking lots, so people have to walk through the same areas cars are driving in. Drivers should be well aware that there are people walking around and must take care to avoid them. If you were hit by a car in a parking lot, you should speak to an attorney to find out what rights you may have. You could be entitled to compensation.

What Do I Need to Prove in Order to Recover Damages?

One of the things you will need to demonstrate is that the driver who hit you was negligent. It is fairly rare for a driver who was using the appropriate level of caution to hit a pedestrian, but this is sometimes shown to be the case. Some common types of careless conduct that cause drivers to hit pedestrians in parking lots include:

• Not looking behind them - Drivers should always be looking in the direction that their vehicle is moving. In parking lots, drivers typically need to back up to leave their spot. Careless drivers will sometimes glance behind them once to see if any other vehicles are coming and then back out without continuing to watch behind them for pedestrians. The driver may try to argue that the pedestrian was not visible to them.
• Distraction - When leaving a location, drivers are often distracted. They may be looking through a shopping bag, returning a missed call, checking their email, reading over a receipt, or lighting a cigarette. Distracted drivers can easily hit a pedestrian before seeing them.
• Lack of care - Some drivers majorly let their guards down in parking lots. They figure that they are only driving at slow speeds and do not need to be as careful as they might be on the main road. This is often a mistake.
• Priorities - Fender-benders are common in parking lots for obvious reasons. Many drivers are very focused on not damaging their cars by colliding with another vehicle rather than watching out for vulnerable pedestrians.

Drivers often attempt to argue that they could not see the pedestrian because another vehicle was blocking their view, or because the pedestrian suddenly stepped behind them. A skilled attorney may be able to overcome this type of argument.

Call a Cook County Pedestrian Accident Attorney

If you were hit by a car in a parking lot, Adler Law Offices, LTD may be able to recover financial compensation for you. Our Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers will conduct our own investigation on your behalf to help try to prove your case. Call 312-236-2700 to arrange a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/distracted-driving/parking-lot-safety