Parking lot accidents are not unheard of since there are significant chances of many things going wrong when cars are on the move, including reversing and entering or exiting the premises carelessly.
Thankfully most of the car collisions that occur in the parking lots are minor, but every once in a while, there can be a parking lot wreck that’s life-threatening.
Should You Call the Police for A Parking Lot Accident?
When it comes to assigning responsibility for parking lot accidents and recovering damages, it can be more difficult and complicated than car wrecks on the road or highway. This is because it’s difficult to obtain witnesses in parking lots. Moreover, most states don’t respond to reports of collisions that occur on private property unless they result in significant injury or death.
Law enforcement officers can assist you in stabilizing the situation, moving your vehicles to a safe area if possible, and filing a police report.
Obtaining a copy of this report is critical, as it may contain significant data regarding the wreck as well as the implications of fault. Any responding police officers’ names and badge numbers should be written down in case they are needed later.
If you are in a parking lot accident, we want you to remember to follow these steps:
- Take your vehicle to a safe location
- Move your automobiles out of traffic to avoid another wreck. Turn on your emergency flashers and exit the vehicle if this is unsafe due to extensive damage or a lack of space.
- Check if there are injuries
- Check to see if pedestrians and drivers are safe. You should never attempt to transfer a badly injured person on your own. Call for medical help right away, and let the EMT personnel take care of the victims.
- Exchange information
- Take pictures of any damage with your phone. Speak with witnesses and record the time, date, location, and parking lot conditions on a piece of paper.
- Exchange names, phone numbers, emails, and relevant insurance information with the other driver. It might be impossible to obtain a fair resolution from insurance companies or in a court settlement without this information.
- Contact your insurance provider
- Your insurance company will evaluate and estimate the damages to your vehicle, as well as go over all of your alternatives with you.
- Seek legal assistance
- There are no consistent laws for determining liability because most parking lots are private properties, and with so many circumstances, laws, and people involved, parking lot wrecks can be tricky.
Negotiating with insurance providers after a parking lot accident can be difficult. If you have been injured in a parking lot wreck in Kansas, hiring a highly competent attorney can help you maximize your chances of receiving sufficient compensation for your injuries.
Our attorneys have handled thousands of cases and can utilize their experience to negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies. Our primary focus is to protect your rights, and we will do everything we can to assist you in getting through this difficult time as easily as possible.