Parking lot injuries can leave you with pain, pricey medical bills, and lasting injuries. All too often, these injuries could have been avoided if some other party had simply been more careful or responsible. While that can be little comfort when you or a loved one is suffering from parking lot injuries, here’s something that can help—clear answers about your legal options.
In fact, understanding your rights after you’ve been hurt in a parking lot can empower you to pick up the pieces and take the right steps to pursue financial recovery and justice.
So, if you or someone you love has been hurt in a parking lot, here’s what you need to know about parking lot injury claims and your rights.
When to Sue for Parking Lot Injuries
Whether you were hit by a car, hurt in a falling accident, or otherwise injured in a parking lot, you should sue:
- If another party is mostly to blame for the accident: Under Colorado law, injured people have a right to financial recovery as long as they are no more than 49% at fault for the accident that caused their injuries. So, even if they were partly to blame, they can still be entitled to compensation as long as some else is more at fault. In cases where a victim shares some fault, his or her recovery can be reduced by the same percentage as the fault finding.
- Within two years of getting hurt: Colorado sets firm deadlines for filing parking lot injury claims, only allowing two years from the date of the accident or the date on which the injury is discovered. Not filing in time can bar claims and eliminate the possibility of seeking compensation.
Who to Sue for Parking Lot Injuries
If you have a case, filing a claim against each negligent party is in your best interests. It’s how you hold each of them accountable and how you assert your right to compensation for the harm you suffered.
Who exactly the negligent party or parties are will depend on how you got the injuries. In many parking lot injury cases, the negligent parties end up being at least one of the following:
- A driver: This can include passenger vehicle drivers, motorcyclists, semi-truck drivers, and other motorists. From backing out of parking spots too quickly to failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, there are several ways drivers can be careless and hurt others in parking lots.
- A property owner or premises manager: This can include big box stores, property management companies, individuals, and others. When any property owner or manager fails to keep parking lots safe (or fails to warn visitors of their dangers), they can be sued for the injuries caused by their failures.
- Those who designed or constructed the parking lot: This can include architects, engineers, construction companies, and others. Design and construction flaws that can cause parking lot injuries can range from spots that are too narrow and dangerously angled to obtrusive features, like poorly constructed medians.
- Parties under contract to surveil and/or maintain the parking lot: Failures on the part of these contractors can increase the risks of assaults, obstructions in lots, lighting problems, and more.
Here’s just some of the evidence that may be helpful to examine when it’s time to identify who you need to sue for parking lot injuries:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Property records and contracts
- Debris collected from the scene
- Pictures or videos of the accident or the scene of the accident
How to Sue for Parking Lot Injuries
The best way to sue over parking lot injuries will depend on who is liable and what your goals are. When drivers, property owners, and certain other parties are at fault, insurance companies will usually get involved, and claims may be settled without any need to face off in court.
No matter what it takes to sue those who hurt you in a parking lot, you can count on Injury Attorney Drew Wills II for superior advocacy every step of the way.
Call (719) 358-2762 to get free answers about a potential case.
You don’t have to walk the path to justice alone, and you may only have one chance—and limited time—to seek the compensation you may deserve.
Let Attorney Drew Wills II guide you while advocating your rights and fighting to help you maximize your recovery. He has the experience, skills, and reviews you can trust when it’s time to protect your rights and sue for parking lot injuries.