You may dread the store or mall parking lot – for a good reason- whether shopping for groceries, back-to-school supplies, or new clothes. Impatient and distracted by incoming calls and messages, drivers are often rushed and inattentive as they park, back up, and zigzag up and down the rows of cars searching for a spot or exit lane.
Accidents frequently happen when pedestrians – especially small children, who can be challenging to see – are struck by moving vehicles. Speaking with a car wreck attorney can prove helpful if you or your child were injured in a parking lot.
Typical Parking Lot Accidents in Midwest City
Parking lots can feel like an accident waiting to happen. Drivers are frequently distracted, looking for spaces, checking shopping lists, texting with friends and family, or reviewing work emails. With so much movement in so many directions in a relatively small space, it is no wonder that thousands of accidents occur yearly in parking lots.
The most common parking lot accident scenarios include:
- A speeding or distracted driver fails to see pedestrians or another vehicle and causes a collision
- Two drivers backing their cars out at the same time collide with each other
- A driver fails to look or double-check a blind spot when pulling in or exiting a space, hitting pedestrians
Determining Which Parties Are at Fault in Parking Lot Crashes
Sometimes, it is obvious which party is responsible for the accident. Perhaps a driver was sending a text message or checking social media and crashed into pedestrians in a crosswalk. Or a speeding driver looking out for a spot rear-ended another vehicle at a complete stop; in other accidents, such as when two cars back out of their spaces, the assignment of fault may be less clear.
Fault apportionment is crucial to recovering damages for injuries or property damage. Oklahoma follows the modified comparative fault rule, meaning that plaintiffs who bear some degree of fault can still recover damages, albeit in a reduced amount, according to the assignment of fault. For example, plaintiffs deemed 30 percent at fault will be 70 percent of their expected damages.
Consulting with a Midwest City attorney experienced in parking lot accident disputes could increase a complainant’s chances of recovering compensation.
Two-Year Statute of Limitations for Parking Lot Accidents
Oklahoma Statute Title 12, § 95(A)(3)
allows victims of parking lot accidents just two years to initiate legal actions to recover compensation for personal injuries and property damage. Filing a lawsuit on time is critical because courts will almost always dismiss cases brought after the two-year limitations period has expired. Therefore, injured individuals should contact a parking lot accident lawyer in Midwest City as soon as possible.
Call a Midwest City Parking Lot Accident Attorney Today
If you seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, physical and emotional pain and suffering, and damage to your vehicle, connecting with a Midwest City parking lot accident lawyer could be critical to your recovery. It takes time to review medical records, interview witnesses and experts, and gather vehicle repair records – all of which could be necessary in building your case.
Call a Midwest City attorney today and take the initial steps toward a favorable outcome in your parking lot accident case.