(864) 582-0416 Whether out shopping, going to work, or trying to park outside an apartment complex, navigating parking lots is a regular part of many people’s lives. Unfortunately, even if you’re careful and attentive while searching for or pulling out of a parking space, that doesn’t mean everyone else will be. It just takes one negligent act by one person to cause a parking space collision with very serious consequences.
Parking lot accidents in Spartanburg can serve as valid grounds for settlements or civil lawsuits, just like any other type of traffic collision that leads to one or more people getting hurt. However, there are a few unique aspects to claims involving wrecks of this nature, so if you want to pursue yours effectively, you’ll want to seek the help of a skilled car accident lawyer from Holland & Usry as soon as possible.
Speeding is among the most common causes of auto accidents in Spartanburg parking areas, as it is in most other places. Considering how slowly cars are moving and how many pedestrians are present, it is particularly dangerous to speed in a parking lot. However, these kinds of wrecks can also stem from other types of illegal behavior, such as running stop signs and driving while drunk, as well as carelessness, like failure to check mirrors before turning into or backing out of a parking space.
If you’re pursuing a claim or filing suit over a traffic crash in a parking lot, what matters is whether you can prove that the actions of the person you’re suing qualify as negligence, rather than focusing on how the crash occurred. As a car accident attorney can further explain, someone is negligent—and liable to pay for damages—if they directly cause another person harm by violating the duty they have under state law to act responsibly under certain circumstances, such as the duty all drivers have to obey traffic laws and pay attention behind the wheel.
The person who directly causes a car crash inside a parking garage in Spartanburg is often the one mainly at fault for injuries and losses stemming from that wreck. However, if you’re wondering whether the person or company that owns the lot where your wreck happened holds some civil liability for your injuries, you may be a little disappointed by the answer.
Generally speaking, parking lot owners are not legally liable for wrecks that occur inside their lots, since their only duty of care toward people on their property is to provide reasonably safe premises and to warn lawful visitors about hazards that they—the owner—already know about. However, if your parking lot accident happened in part because of a serious flaw in the lot itself, such as a pothole or an untreated patch of ice, a qualified legal professional may be able to help you file a claim or suit against the lot’s owner or manager over that dangerous property condition.
Thankfully, parking lot accidents in Spartanburg are less likely to cause life-threatening injuries than most other types of wrecks, but that doesn’t mean collisions in parking areas can’t cause serious losses. If you’ve been hurt in an incident like this, understanding and proactively enforcing your rights under South Carolina civil law could be crucial to protecting your long-term best interests—and so too could getting help from capable legal counsel.
By working with Holland & Usry, you’ll get tailored and compassionate legal support to help you recover your losses and restore your peace of mind. Call today for a free case review of your unique claim.
