Pedestrian Accidents in King of Prussia Parking Lots: Common Causes and Next Steps
Parking lot injuries (including pedestrian-car accidents as well as slip and falls) can cause significant injuries for those involved. An injury victim must attempt to address the bad actions of a property owner and possibly a vehicle driver, on top of recovering from their injuries.
Fortunately, pedestrians injured in parking lot accidents do not have to proceed alone. Instead, there are ways to move forward with confidence and a plan. Rather than wandering into a complicated and high-stakes personal injury case, it is better to develop a strategy geared towards injury recovery and receiving the compensation they deserve.
Parking Lots Are More Dangerous Than They Seem
Most people in a parking lot are in a hurry, driving frantically to find the closest parking spot near the front door of a store. Parents attempting to drop children off at school before the morning bell rings. People on cell phones attempting to navigate a dark parking lot while avoiding pedestrians. Unfortunately, sometimes a distracted driver or dark spot in the parking lot can lead to a pedestrian injury.
What makes parking lot accidents especially difficult for an injured pedestrian is how quickly they occur. With little warning, tripping on a broken parking lane divider or being clipped by an oncoming vehicle can cause significant pain. Balancing the need for injury recovery, receiving appropriate medical care, and returning to work as quickly as possible are stressful and competing interests for these injured pedestrians.
What are the Most Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Parking Lots?
Parking lot owners do not always maintain the surfaces of the lots that they own to the best of their ability. Frequently, uneven roadway surfaces make for bumpy driving. They also create hazards for pedestrians who can easily trip, stumble, and otherwise lose their balance while walking. Weary shoppers, exercisers,s and everyone in between are susceptible to losing their balance and falling after tripping.
A business owner has an obligation to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition. For parking lots, which constantly receive the brunt of extreme weather conditions and daily sun/snow/rain, this responsibility is especially important. When parking lot owners fail to repair uneven concrete or blacktop and do not put up signs warning pedestrians about oncoming traffic, the results can be disastrous.
Consider also poor lighting in certain parking lots in and around King of Prussia. All of the aforementioned parking lot hazards are made even more difficult to manage when there is poor lighting. Walking through a parking lot at night or early in the morning becomes treacherous when the area is not well-lit.
Finally, consider the risks for pedestrians who must make it from their vehicles to a storefront and back without slipping on wet surfaces. Snowfall and rainfall both occur throughout the year. As a result, there are ample opportunities for even a careful pedestrian to slip and fall in a parking lot.
What Injuries Commonly Result from Pedestrian Accidents in Parking Lots?
Depending upon what happens in a pedestrian accident, parking lot injuries can vary significantly. Broken bones occur when a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle or slips and falls, then tries to brace themselves for impact against the parking lot surface. Arms, elbows, shoulders, and more- these are bones and joints that may require surgery and extensive recovery time, including physical therapy.
Consider a pedestrian walking towards the front of a grocery store when a vehicle turns too closely and contacts the person. From there, the pedestrian is propelled forward and hits their head on the pavement. Needless to say, this is a scenario that would result in a severe injury. Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries do not require extreme speeds and high falls to occur. When they do, the impact may include missing work, lost wages, and the need to recover damages for medical bills incurred.
Even relatively minor injuries- sometimes referred to as “soft tissue injuries”- may not have long-term, chronic impacts but can nonetheless harm a person’s immediate ability to provide for their family and even function in activities of daily living. Seeking medical care for soft tissue injuries is essential to ensuring these commonly suffered harms do not progress into something more significant.
What Responsibility Does a Parking Lot Owner Bear in a Pedestrian Accident?
Hazards can occur in any setting. In outdoor parking lots, hazards are especially common. As a result, a parking lot owner must regularly inspect their lot to ensure that hazards are identified and remedied. If a hazard will take an extended period of time to fix, then sufficient warning must be provided to patrons.
When a property owner fails to abide by the law when it comes to maintaining their property, it becomes much more likely that pedestrians will suffer preventable injuries. King of Prussia parking lot owners must take precautions and provide a heightened level of care for business patrons as compared to guests visiting residences and trespassers.
A property owner may be solely responsible for the upkeep of their parking lot. Or, the owner may have a contractor under their supervision who is responsible for maintaining the grounds. This includes ensuring that lighting is sufficient and that hazards are fixed and marked to minimize the likelihood of an accident.
Comparative Negligence and Its Impact on Your Pedestrian Accident Case
Pennsylvania adheres to a modified comparative negligence rule when considering parking lot accidents. So long as an injured person is found to be less than 50% at-fault for an accident, they may recover damages. However, the percentage of fault attached to that person will reduce the damages awarded by the same amount.
As insurance companies, property owners, and motor vehicle insurance carriers attempt to deflect blame and minimize damages, a pedestrian needs all available help to ensure a proper recovery of damages.
Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire. P.C today for a Free Case Review
A King of Prussia pedestrian accident lawyer, Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., understands the difficult circumstances an injury victim faces after a pedestrian-parking lot accident. Contact our office today for a free case review.