An Atlanta Parking Lot Accident Lawyer Can Help You

Parking lots are among the busiest areas for both drivers and pedestrians. Their frequent use often leads to complacency or a false sense of security, especially in familiar places such as your local grocery store parking lot that you frequent weekly. However, parking lots are filled with potential hazards: cars reversing, children running at crosswalks, employees gathering carts, stop signs, and speed bumps. This constant activity creates an environment ripe for car accidents.

If you have experienced a serious injury in a parking lot, either as a pedestrian or as a driver or passenger in a vehicle, an Atlanta parking lot accident lawyer from Mabra Law can help determine if you have a personal injury lawsuit and explain your legal options.

Types of Parking Lot Accidents

Distracted drivers, confusing road signs, poor weather, insufficient lighting, and aggressive or rushed driving are all common reasons that can lead to an accident in a busy parking lot. The most common types of accidents that happen in parking lots include: 

• Pedestrian Accidents
• Crosswalk Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Scooter Accidents
• Rear-End Accidents
• Fender Benders
• Side Impact Collisions
• Hit and Run Accidents
• Collisions with Stationary Objects (such as parking stones or lighting)
• T-Bone Accidents
• Slips and Falls

At Mabra Law, we represent Georgia residents who were injured in parking lots. For drivers, that often means cases of whiplash that prove long-term. For pedestrians, that may mean severe injuries to the head, neck, and spine, as well as initial accident injuries such as cuts and broken bones or sprains. As your Atlanta parking lot accident lawyer, we will gather the necessary evidence to determine liability for your accident and build a case to help you get the support you need to recover from your injuries.

Other Risk Factors for Accidents in Parking Lots

While driver negligence is the primary cause of parking lot accidents, including both motor vehicle collisions and pedestrian accidents, many risk factors also impact parking lot accidents: 

• Failure to maintain the parking lot premises (such as potholes or inadequate lighting)
• Insufficient safeguards, such as speed bumps and lanes
• Inadequate traffic control 

There are some instances in which the premises will be liable for your injuries, and working with an experienced attorney who knows how to use this evidence to your advantage helps make sure the success of your claim. 

Understanding Georgia’s Comparative Fault Laws

When vehicles collide in a congested retail environment, figuring out who caused the crash is rarely straightforward. It is highly common for both drivers to share a portion of the blame. Georgia handles these complex liability situations using a legal standard known as “modified comparative negligence.”

In short, an injured party’s financial compensation is proportionately reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, if someone is injured and suffers $100,000 in damages but is 30% responsible for the accident, then their legal compensation is reduced by 30% to $70,000. Furthermore, if the injured party is 50% or more responsible for the accident, then they cannot recover anything.

As a result, insurance adjusters will try their best to assign as much fault as possible to injured people. Even a few percentage points one way or the other can be worth several thousand dollars. By calling Mabra Law for a free consultation with our Atlanta parking lot accident attorney team, you can understand how much your case is worth.

Our Atlanta Parking Lot Accident Lawyer Team Is Ready to Speak to You

Connecting with a lawyer as soon as practicable after your accident helps to support the most substantial claim on your behalf. At Mabra Law, we provide you with a free initial consultation, and we only get paid if we win due to the contingency basis of our representation. Give us a call today to learn more and get started.

Frequently Asked Questions about Atlanta Parking Lot Accidents

Should I call the police for a minor fender bender?

Yes. Under Georgia law, you are required to contact the police as soon as possible if there are any injuries or there is $500+ of damage. In even minor cases, that $500 threshold will usually be met. Additionally, even if the accident seems like no big deal at first, having the police respond to the crash means that an official police report will be generated. If you later discover you have late-onset symptoms, such as headaches or sensitivity to light, that report is invaluable evidence for your case.

What are the most common types of parking lot collisions?

The daily congestion in retail centers creates an environment highly susceptible to specific types of crashes. Distracted drivers, confusing road signs, poor weather, insufficient lighting, and aggressive or rushed driving are all common reasons that can lead to an accident in a busy parking lot. Common incidents include:

• Pedestrian accidents
• Crosswalk accidents
• Bicycle and scooter accidents
• Rear-end accidents and fender benders
• Side impact collisions and T-bone accidents
• Collisions with stationary objects (such as parking stones or lighting)
• Slips and falls

What should I do if the other driver flees the scene?

Hit-and-run accidents happen frequently in crowded retail spaces, especially when inattentive drivers strike parked, unoccupied vehicles. If you are the victim of a hit-and-run, never attempt to chase the fleeing driver. If they are willing to hit you or your car and dash off, there is no telling what else they may be willing to do.

Instead, immediately record the license plate number, along with the vehicle’s make, model, and color. Canvas the immediate area for bystanders and collect their contact information. Scan the surrounding storefronts and light poles to identify any security cameras that may have captured the impact.

Can the property owner be held liable for my injuries?

In certain scenarios, the owner or management company of the commercial property shares liability for a crash. Businesses maintain a strict legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for invitees. Property owners can be held accountable if the accident directly stemmed from a failure to maintain the parking lot premises, such as ignoring massive potholes or failing to repair inadequate lighting. Furthermore, a lack of sufficient safeguards, such as missing speed bumps and lanes, or overall inadequate traffic control, can shift liability heavily onto the property management firm.

Do insurance companies take parking lot accidents seriously?

Generally, insurance companies and their adjusters downplay parking lot accidents. This is because parking lots rarely have the dramatic high-speed impacts that interstate and highway accidents have.

Nonetheless, parking lot accidents can cause significant injuries, regardless of how fast the cars are moving. If you are a pedestrian, even slow-moving vehicles can crush your limbs and cause lifelong injuries. Even in a vehicle, a sudden jolt can cause spinal cord damage or ligament tears.

How long do I have to file a claim in Georgia?

Georgia has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury and damaged property claims. That by no means suggests that you should wait that long. For example, if you were hit by a government-owned vehicle, you may only have a few months to file a claim. Furthermore, witnesses become harder to locate, and memories fade as time moves on.

The best way to protect your rights and increase your odds of getting the full compensation you deserve is to contact Mabra Law and speak to a parking lot accident attorney during a free consultation.