Parking lot accidents are common in Florida. And although they don’t typically take place at high speeds, they can result in property damage, injury, and even death, particularly if pedestrians are involved. In addition, parking lot accidents often result in insurance rate increases. Therefore, parking lot accidents should be taken seriously, as they can have a number of serious consequences. If you are a Florida driver, below are some things you need to know about parking lot accidents.
Common types of parking lot accidents
Parking lot accidents occur for a variety of reasons. Most parking lot accidents take place when:
- Two drivers back out at the same time
- A driver pulls out of a parking space into traffic
- A driver backs out of a parking space into an oncoming vehicle
- Two cars attempt to pull into the same parking space
- One car hits another at a stop sign
Determining fault
Although Florida is a no-fault state, responsibility for a parking lot accident becomes a factor when a parking lot accident results in injuries that exceed PIP coverage. Determining fault can be complicated, and any driver injured in a parking lot accident should contact a Pensacola car accident attorney for assistance with this task. And although it is difficult to establish fault without the assistance of an attorney, the following situations below represent common fault determination scenarios:
- Two drivers back out at the same time – In this situation, both cars are moving, and both drivers are responsible for looking before backing out. Therefore, unless clear evidence of negligence on the part of one driver is present, it is likely that fault will be shared by both drivers.
- A driver pulls out of a parking space into traffic – When a driver pulls out of a parking space into traffic, the driver in the lane of traffic has the right of way, making it likely that the driver pulling out of the space will be held liable.
- A driver backs out of a parking space into an oncoming vehicle – Similar to the scenario above, the oncoming vehicle has the right of way. Therefore, the car backing out the space will likely be found at fault for the accident.
- Two cars attempt to pull into the same parking space – In this scenario, fault will be determined based on which driver had the right of way.
- One car hits another at a stop sign – In this situation, the car that hits the other from behind is almost always found to be at fault.
Pensacola Car Accident Attorneys
If you’ve suffered injuries in a parking lot accident in Pensacola, Florida, you need an experienced Pensacola car accident attorney on your side. Located in Pensacola, Florida, Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., has over seventy years of combined experience representing car accident victims in Northwest Florida and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties. If you or a loved one has been injured in a parking lot accident in Northwest Florida, Staples Ellis is here to help you overcome the harm you have endured. Please contact our office as soon as possible to set up a consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
Posted in: Auto Accidents