Five significant challenges you might face after a parking lot accident
If someone suffers a personal injury, they can file a claim against the party at fault. And if you have been involved in a parking lot accident, you may wonder if you have a case.
Parking lot claims can be tricky, as several factors need to be considered. To help you, in this article we will discuss the challenges faced in a parking lot case and how a personal injury lawyer can help you.
1) Who will you bring a claim against in a parking lot accident?
There are many parties involved in a parking lot accident. Without the help of a personal injury lawyer, it can be complicated to hold a party liable for the accident:
- Careless pedestrians: Were there people talking or texting on the phone while walking?
- Driver: Was the driver not following reasonable duty of care?
- The parking lot owner: Is the parking lot in a bad state- dim lighting, poor design, etc?
- Maintenance providers: Has the accident happened in a parking lot due to improper maintenance?
- Government: Are you hurt in a municipal lot?
Remember, you only have a short window to start the process in this case, so you must act fast.
2) Left the accident site immediately
Parking lot accidents should be treated no different than road accidents. The damage might appear to be lighter in the beginning. However, this can be more than you can imagine. That’s why it is important to analyze the situation.
After an accident, remember not to leave the site without getting the other driver’s insurance information. If you have left the site abruptly, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately to learn about your next course of action.
3) Paid for the damages on the spot
Now, it can happen that you try to offer money to the other person, maybe out of panic or if you think it was your fault. There have been cases where the other party has shown good intentions, accepted the money and filed a personal injury claim with your insurance company.
In fact, paying someone for property damages without getting the insurance company involved could be used as evidence that you admitted it was your fault.
4) The value of your case
If you’ve been involved in a parking lot accident, you may wonder how much your case is worth. Each case is unique, and the final value depends on several factors – medical expenses, present and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, vehicle damage, etc. A personal injury lawyer will help you get an idea of the potential value of your case.
5) Communication with the insurance company
After a parking lot accident, the biggest challenge is communicating with the insurance company. There is a great possibility that the insurer won’t behave the way you want them to do. Moreover, you have to convince them that you’re not at fault, so that you don’t have to end up paying for damages yourself.
Talking to your insurance company without a personal injury lawyer can be tricky. You’ll want to be honest about what happened. However, this might risk your case if you make any statement that could go against you and hurt your chances of getting compensation.
Here are some of the challenges you may face when talking to your insurance company about a parking lot accident claim:
- The insurance company wants your recorded statement.
- The insurer may try to downplay the accident’s severity or may not want to pay any damages to your vehicle.
- The insurance company may try to put the blame on you and avoid paying for any medical bills.
Hire a personal injury lawyer
If you face any of these challenges, don’t give up and hire a personal injury lawyer. The pros include more smoothly navigating through your case, increasing your chances of winning a fair settlement amount for your parking lot injury case, avoiding further legal troubles and peace of mind.
