Accidents happen in parking lots every day. Careless driving and hazardous parking lot conditions regularly cause injuries. Philadelphia parking lot accident lawyers help victims find those responsible for their injuries and hold them accountable for compensatory damages.
Why Choose Us?
Record Wins
At Wapner Newman, our clients and their needs are what drive our efforts. We strive to make clients as close to whole as possible by vigorously pursuing the damages they deserve.
Choosing Wapner Newman means choosing a firm with:
- An extensive record of wins
- Industry-respected parking lot accident lawyers in Philadelphia
- No-win-no-fee billing
- Personalized service.
Your compensation is our sole concern. Although we can never guarantee results, know that our parking lot accident lawyers in Philadelphia always pursue the best settlement possible. Trust our record.
To speak with an experienced parking lot accident lawyer in Philadelphia, contact Wapner Newman. You don’t have to settle for less than you deserve. Call our team at (215) 569-0900 today.
Parking Lot Accident Compensation: Who Pays?
Who pays when you get injured in a parking lot? The answer depends on who harmed you. In a parking lot accident, various parties may be liable. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for some or all of the following losses:
- Hospital and medical expenses
- Loss of income and future employment
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Other non-monetary damages.
If it is found that reckless or intentional behavior caused your parking lot accident, you may also be entitled to seek punitive damages.
Parking Lot Owner or Operator
In many parking lot accidents, the owner or parking lot operator is to blame because of a hazardous condition on the property. Hazardous conditions can lead to various types of accidents, including:
- Slip and fall accidents from snow and ice
- Falls from broken stairs or walkways in disrepair
- Blows from falling objects
- Incidents involving dangerous persons.
Parking lot owners and operators have a duty to remedy or warn of hazards. Allowing dangerous conditions to develop or remain is a basis for premises liability.
Liable Motorist
Although speeds are slower in parking lots, victims of parking lot crashes can experience significant injuries and even death. Pedestrians and bicyclists are most at risk for serious bodily injury or death in parking lot accidents. Unshielded from impacts, they are vulnerable to even the slightest strike from a motor vehicle.
Parking lot accidents are often the result of driver negligence, which typically involves one or more of the following acts:
- Texting while driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield
- Failure to use signals.
One common type of parking lot accident involves a vehicle backing out of a parking space and hitting another vehicle. In these cases, the vehicle backing out is almost always determined to be the party at fault, regardless of whether they hit a moving or stationary vehicle.
Most accidents leading to pedestrian injury are also typically labeled the fault of the driver, but this is rebuttable by clear proof of pedestrian negligence. However, most parking lots are places where drivers should expect a certain amount of unorganized foot traffic.
As with any traffic accident, parking lot accident victims do well to retain the services of an experienced Philadelphia parking lot accident lawyer.
Common Parking Lot Hazards
Parking lot hazards are present in varying degrees even in the safest of parking lots. Drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians should be as vigilant in parking lots as they are in traffic.
Poor Lighting
People need adequate lighting when navigating parking lots. Lack of visibility leads to crashes with other vehicles, stationary objects, and pedestrians. Property owners must protect their guests from the hazards caused by lack of visibility by installing reasonably adequate lighting.
Inadequate Signage and Signals
To make their parking lots reasonably safe, parking lot owners should have sufficient signs and signals to manage and direct drivers and pedestrians throughout the parking lot. Stop signs, crossing markings, and arrows are a few of the basic essentials for a safe parking lot.
Unreasonably Tight Turns
Parking lots with unreasonably tight turns present a high risk of property damage as well as injury. Tight turns and corners can bring vehicles dangerously close to pedestrians and lead to accidents with the slightest driver misstep.
Poor Driving Lane and Other Markings
Vehicles need driving lines in many parking lots just as they do on the road. These lines prevent drivers from simply cutting across a lot to get to where they are going. Parking space markers also prevent haphazard, free-for-all parking.
Poor Concrete or Asphalt Installation or Maintenance
Private parking lots are just as prone to damage and disrepair as public lots and roads. Property owners carry the responsibility of maintaining and repairing damage when it becomes reasonably discoverable to help prevent accidents. Additionally, a negligent asphalt or concrete company may be liable for defective repair or installation of a parking lot surface.
Dangerous Individuals
Security companies that guard parking lots may be held liable for negligent security operations. Guests who use the services of these types of parking lots have a reasonable expectation of a certain level of security. If the security service or its employees are negligent and a legitimate guest is injured, the security company — and potentially the property owner — can be held liable. Whether a security guard or service is negligent in relation to a parking lot incident depends on the parking lot and the circumstances of the occurrence.
A Note on Compensation
Parking lot accident compensation may come from a variety of sources, and it may be limited for some. As parking lots are parts of places of businesses, many parking lot accidents involve on-the-clock workers. When a person is injured in a parking lot while on the clock, they must seek compensation through workers’ comp insurance, which is limited to abridged economic compensation. They may not sue their boss for negligence.
However, an injured worker may sue the property owner if the owner is someone other than the boss. In fact, an injured worker can sue any negligent third party that contributes to their injuries.
Regarding auto accidents in parking lots, personal injury protection (PIP) insurance must be the first line of compensation for injury victims who do not have full-tort insurance. PIP is like workers’ comp in that it pays without regard to fault. Like workers’ comp, it also pays significantly fewer benefits than a personal injury lawsuit.
In some accident cases, however, injury victims may seek compensation outside of PIP insurance with a personal injury lawsuit. This is an option when their injuries are serious enough or when they have full-tort insurance.
Our parking lot accident lawyers in Philadelphia bring decades of combined winning experience to bear on every case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to questions we commonly hear. Please call our office at your convenience to receive more answers.
How long do I have to file a parking lot accident lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
There is a two-year window for personal injury claims in Pennsylvania. This window begins on the date of the accident. If, however, you are filing a workers’ comp claim, you have three years to do so. Minors have until their 20th birthday to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages.
What is the average time it takes to resolve parking lot accident cases?
There is no average time to resolve parking lot injury cases because each case is different. Some cases are closed within a few months of the accident. In these cases, the victims typically take prompt action soon after they are injured. These cases are also more straightforward. Some cases, on the other hand, may take over a year, especially if they go to trial.
How much do Philadelphia parking lot accident lawyers charge?
Parking lot accident attorneys in Philadelphia do not charge a set amount for each case. Instead, they are paid a percentage of the compensation when the case terminates. This means you pay nothing up front and zero if you receive no compensation.
What if I am partially to blame?
In many parking lot accident cases, the injured party shares in the blame for the accident. When the victim shares part of the blame in Pennsylvania, they may still sue another at-fault party as long as the victim is not more than 50% responsible for the accident.
Need more information? Contact the Philadelphia parking lot accident attorneys at Wapner Newman for more answers and to learn how we can help.
Speak With a Philadelphia Parking Lot Accident Attorney Today
Get the Justice You Deserve
Were you driving, bicycling, or walking through a parking lot only to be struck by a vehicle? If so, you are not alone. Parking lot accidents are common and devastating, and Wapner Newman can help.
Call (215) 569-0900 for a free consultation to get justice through compensation for your injuries and pain. An experienced Philadelphia parking lot accident attorney is ready to explore your options for compensation and peace of mind. Contact Wapner Newman today.