Parking lot collisions are surprisingly common. According to some estimates, about one in five car accidents will occur in a parking lot or garage. Even though many of these crashes happen at low speeds, they still kill hundreds and injure thousands of people annually.
These injuries can result in significant disabilities, particularly when they involve pedestrians and cyclists. The Fort Walton Beach parking lot accident lawyers at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers help victims pursue injury compensation after parking lot accidents in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
Contact our law office in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, at (850) 863-5297 to schedule a free consultation with a Fort Walton Beach parking lot accident attorney.
How Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Parking Lot Accident In Fort Walton Beach
Since our founding in 1990, Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers has represented thousands of accident victims in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Over the course of our more than 30-year history, our Fort Walton Beach car accident attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for injured clients.
If you’ve been injured due to another person’s negligent or wrongful actions, our Fort Walton Beach personal injury lawyers can offer you the following services:
- Explaining your legal rights and options so you can make informed decisions
- Collecting records, documents, and witness statements to prove your contentions
- Preparing an insurance claim and negotiating with claims adjusters
- Filing a lawsuit against the other party if negotiations with the insurer fail
Injuries from a parking lot accident can require expensive medical care and prevent you from working. Contact us for a free consultation with a Fort Walton Beach parking lot accident attorney to discuss the injuries you’ve suffered and how we can assist you in pursuing an accident claim.
How Many Injuries Happen In Parking Lot Crashes?
Florida offers some insight into the scope of the problem parking lot crashes pose.
In its 2022 Crash Facts Report, the state reported that the following injuries resulted from parking lot crashes:
- 32 deaths
- 432 serious injuries where the victim needed an ambulance
- 2,574 minor, visible injuries that did not require ambulance transport
- 5,643 complaints of pain and other injury symptoms without visible wounds
These injuries included people hit in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and car collisions in parking lots. In total, 8,681 people were injured or killed in Florida parking lots in 2022. While this number may seem high, parking lot crashes only accounted for about 3.3% of traffic crash victims across the state that year.
Characteristics of Parking Lot Accidents
Parking lot accidents often share several characteristics. In many cases, these traits will help you and your attorney determine where liability for the crash might fall.
Causes of Parking Lot Crashes
Parking lots are alive with activity. Pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles mingle within inches of each other. Just when drivers should be at their most attentive, they are often dangerously distracted.
According to a survey conducted by the National Safety Council, respondents admitted to doing the following tasks while driving in parking lots:
- 66% make phone calls
- 63% program their map applications
- 56% read or type text messages
- 52% read or post on social media
- 50% send or read emails
- 49% take photos or watch videos
Drivers often believe that these tasks are safe when they drive at low speeds in a parking lot. However, because parking garages and lots are so crowded, even a brief distraction could result in a collision. For example, if a driver begins backing up while entering an address into their GPS, they could hit a pedestrian before they realize someone was there at all.
Other causes of crashes include:
- Lack of traffic control signs and lane markings
- Poor lighting
- Jaywalking
- Failing to yield the right of way
The cause of the crash will determine the person or business liable for the resulting injuries.
Parties Potentially Liable for Injuries
The law imposes liability for parking lot accidents on the negligent party. Negligence happens when someone fails to exercise reasonable care. Road users, including pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists, owe each other a duty of care to follow traffic rules.
Pedestrians should use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing traffic lanes. Drivers should obey signs and markings. They should also yield to vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles when those road users have the right of way. Cyclists should ride on the right side of marked lanes and stay on the shoulder.
The business that owns or operates the parking lot may also bear the liability for a crash. If it knows of hazards in the parking lot, like blind corners or unlit exits, it should take reasonable steps to address them. If the business fails to do so, it may be responsible for any resulting injuries.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Fort Walton Beach Car Accident Lawyers
A parking lot collision in Fort Walton Beach, FL, can damage your vehicle and injure your body. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Fort Walton Beach parking lot accident lawyer to learn how we can help you recover financial compensation for the losses you incurred due to your crash.
