Parking Lot Injuries: When Can You Sue?
During the holiday season, parking lots are extremely busy. Last minute shoppers can hardly find ample parking spaces. In addition to stormy weather conditions and high traffic volume, criminals seize on opportunities to steal valuable items left inside unlocked vehicles.
Here is a list of various legal liability situations involving stores and parking lots:
Slip and Fall Injuries
Laws regarding premises liability mean that property owners who do not maintain properties are legally responsible for any injuries that take place on their properties. The legal definition of the word property is not confined exclusively to the interior of a store. A property owner is also violating a premises liability law if an accident or injury takes place in the adjoining parking lot.
In other words, if a property manager or owner knows that the parking lot is slippery because of snow and ice, the party must take all necessary precautions to prevent customers from incurring injuries. The property manager or owner must shovel all the snow and put salt on the ice so that the parking lot is safe. If these precautionary activities do not take place, an injured person can sue the property management company for lost wages, medical bills and other expenses, especially if the individual experiences a slip and fall accident while walking in the parking lot.
Serious Collisions Require Legal Actions
If your car incurs serious damages, you may have a claim against either the negligent driver or property manager. If the accident is caused because the owner failed to provide proper measures to make the property safe, you need to speak with a lawyer right away. If another car in the parking lot collides into your vehicle, it is the same situation as when a similar accident occurs on a highway.
Parking Lot Crimes
Recent lawsuits have involved negligent store owners. These property owners were found legally negligent for crimes that took place in their parking lots. Liability law depends on whether property owners are able to predict the crimes.
Properties that exist in bad neighborhoods are more prone to criminal activity. Property owners who fail to secure their parking lots from the intrusion of criminals may face negligence charges.
If you are the victim of an injury that occurred in a parking lot, you may want to know if you can file a lawsuit against the negligent party. Set up a free consultation now with a neighborhood personal injury lawyer.