There are many myths about parking lot accidents. From a legal standpoint, though, they work in much the same way as any other traffic accident. Even on private property, a driver’s negligence can lead to personal injuries. They may be held responsible for those injuries and any related losses through an insurance claim or in civil court.
A Lafayette parking lot accident lawyer from the Morris Bart law firm may represent you, gather evidence to prove your case and handle your claim or personal injury lawsuit with no up-front fees. A member of our legal team will review your case for free to determine if we can help. Call (337) 446-4571 today to get started.
Determining Liability in Parking Lot Accidents
While there are not usually traffic signals or other similar devices in a parking lot, drivers are still expected to drive safely and to take the necessary steps to reduce the risk of an accident, such as following all signs, driving slowly, and watching for pedestrians.
In many parking lot accidents, a moving vehicle strikes a parked car. When this occurs, the fault falls on the driver, who was in motion when the accident occurred. In others, a driver on a main “road” in the parking lot collides with someone who pulled out of a smaller feeder lane. In most cases, the driver turning from the feeder lane should yield.
If we agree your case has merit, our parking lot accident attorney will take a close look at your accident in a parking lot to assign liability. Occasionally, the liability may be shared. Per Louisiana Civil Code (CC) §2323, the state follows a pure comparative negligence doctrine when liability is shared. You can recover compensation, but your recovery will go down based on your determined share of fault.
The Morris Bart law firm in Lafayette can help you understand more about your case. Call us today at (337) 446-4571 to speak with a member of our legal team.
For a free legal consultation with a Parking Lot Accident lawyer serving Lafayette, call (337) 446-4571
Importance of Gathering Evidence for Accidents in Parking Lots
A Lafayette parking lot accident lawyer can work with you to seek and possibly secure compensation if you were a victim of a parking lot accident and qualify to take legal action.
Because there were injuries in your accident, police officers will generally respond and file a report. This report may be a traffic accident report, an incident report, or another type of report. If law enforcement does not file a report for some reason, you may want to record as much information on the scene as you can while prioritizing your injuries or gather this information after you are home from the hospital. This information could include:
- Details about what happened, when, and where
- Any photos or videos you took
- Whether or not you noticed security cameras nearby
- The identity of everyone involved and witnesses
- Contact and insurance information
Once you bring your case to us, we will also take steps to accurately portray what happened and the expenses you incurred as a result. This portrayal will require us to:
- Obtain the police report, your medical records relevant to the case, proof of your expenses and losses, and other paperwork
- Identify and interview eyewitnesses
- Enlist the help of accident reconstruction professionals
- Analyze physical evidence
- Calculate the settlement values of your case based on your documented expenses and losses
After we take these steps, we will file a claim with the insurer who represents the at-fault driver and offer the evidence we collected to support the demand for a fair payout. This claim often leads to settlement negotiations and a negotiated agreement. If a fair settlement is not possible, we can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
All parking lot accident cases begin with a complimentary consultation. Contact our law office to get started today.
Parking Lot Accident Recoverable Damages
If we handle your Lafayette parking lot accident case, we will provide documentation of your expenses and losses, including current and future care needs, ongoing costs, and intangible losses. The recoverable damages in your case may include:
- Necessary medical treatment and care for your injuries
- Lost wage benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Loss of services
- Property damages, including repairs to your car
- Pain and suffering
- Other non-economic damages
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
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Louisiana Limits the Time to Pursue Compensation from the At-Fault Party
Like most states, Louisiana has a time limit on how long you are legally eligible to pursue compensation. Allowing this statute of limitations to expire could jeopardize your financial recovery, as well. Under CC §3492, you likely only have up to a year to file a civil suit in court to hold the at-fault motorist legally responsible in your case.
Get a Free Consultation with the Office of a Parking Lot Accident Attorney Today
A Lafayette parking lot accident lawyer from the Morris Bart law firm represents accident victims in cases similar to yours. If we feel we can assist you in your pursuit of compensation, you will pay nothing out of pocket for our services and nothing if we do not recover compensation on your behalf.
We have team members who will discuss your case with you today from our Lafayette office. These free consultations allow us to evaluate your case, learn more about your needs, see how we can help you, and determine if you qualify to take legal action against the other driver.
We have 15 offices in four states that provide services to accident victims throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. Let us review your parking lot accident case from anywhere in our service area.
You can speak with a member of our Lafayette office today by calling (337) 446-4571. We can get started with your complimentary consultation right away.
Questions?Call (337) 446-4571
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
