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What is the best thing you can do if you are involved in a parking lot accident?

Auto accidents can happen in many different settings - such as on freeways and highways, four-lane roads and city streets, or residential streets and even dirt roads. Many of these collisions can injure or kill the motorists or pedestrians who are involved.

But there's another common location where accidents take place: in parking lots across Illinois.

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While it's true that the majority of parking lot accidents are low-speed crashes (aka "fender benders"), it would be a mistake to assume that they do not take a toll on people's health and well-being. Individuals like elderly people, young children, and pedestrians are frequently injured (and sometimes killed) as the result of a parking lot accident.

But there's one major difference between parking lot accidents and those which occur on public roads: because parking lots are usually private property, there are no laws in place to govern traffic flow or right-of-way. (This is true even when parking blocks, warning signs, or road markings are present.) Because of this, criminal citations are rarely issued by police to motorists involved in parking lot accidents - and that means it is more difficult to prove fault.

What should you do if involved in a parking lot accident?

Therefore, if you feel that you are injured as the result of a parking lot accident caused by someone else, it is wise to seek medical attention and notify the police as soon as possible. If you are able to do so (or someone with you can), take pictures of the accident site with a cell phone camera or digital camera and get witness statements from people who saw what happened. While the police may file a report about the incident, it is to your advantage to obtain this information on your own. That's because in the absence of criminal citations by police, it is this information which will help show a jury that the accident was caused by someone else.

In some cases, the owner of the parking lot may be held partially responsible for an accident. Property owners must properly maintain their lots and make sure that there are no areas which can facilitate collisions (such as an "intersection" blocked by signage or landscaping). If that duty is not upheld, a court may order a property owner to pay some damages to the accident victims.

Many times, parking lot accidents involve two or more drivers who share some part of the liability. Even if this is the case, it does not preclude you from filing a personal injury lawsuit against another party and receiving compensation for medical expenses and other damages. A qualified auto accident attorney can answer all of your questions related to your parking lot accident.

Sometimes injures in a parking lot will be covered by worker's compensation.

The Law Offices of
Barry G. Doyle, P.C.
5215 Old Orchard Road
Suite 710
Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: 312.263.1080
Fax: 312.263.0153

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