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Parking Lot Accidents

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Posted by Christopher Combs on January 30, 2024

Parking Lot Accident Lawyer St. Louis, MO. It’s a fact that parking lots in St. Louis, MO are often some of the most crowded, congested places to be at any given time. Between other drivers, shopping carts, road markings, and pedestrians, there are a large amount of hazards that drivers must navigate–all with the potential for causing a car accident. And when an accident occurs, proving liability can occasionally be difficult simply because there are so many factors at play in a parking lot accident.

The St. Louis, MO parking lot accident attorneys at Combs Waterkotte have helped many people from all over St. Louis, MO get the compensation they deserve after being in a parking lot accident. Whether you were a pedestrian, rear-ended by another driver, or your car was damaged by a runaway shopping cart, our firm will work tirelessly to help you get the best possible outcome for your situation and ensure that your rights are protected. Call us today at (314) 900-HELP to schedule a free, no-obligation case review.

Parking Lot Accident Liability

Anyone who has ever been in a parking lot in St. Louis, MO can agree that they can be hectic places where the rules of the road are often bent, if not broken. While most parking lots have fairly clear lines to follow and arrows painted on the pavement to direct traffic, frequently drivers ignore these directions and decide to drive wherever they see fit. Combined with your sight lines being limited when backing out of a parking space (even with backup cameras being standard equipment on new cars) and it can be very easy to miss when a car is coming into your path or too close to you.

Even when your car is parked, there is no guarantee that it will be safe from damage. Shopping carts can easily cause scratches, dents, or other damage to a car, and other drivers may not notice your car and strike it.

As you can guess, since there are so many variables at play in a parking lot accident in St. Louis, MO, determining who all is liable for your damages can indeed be very difficult. Here are a few things our attorneys consider when taking a parking lot accident case:

  • Right of way: vehicles driving, for instance, in between two rows of parking spaces are deemed to be in the thoroughfare and thus have the right of way. Cars backing out are judged to be “entering the thoroughfare” and are liable for damages in these kinds of accidents.
  • Accidents involving parked cars: Usually, the driver of the car that was in motion at the time of the accident is held liable, unless the stationary car was not properly parked–for instance, it was not fully inside a marked parking space.
  • Shopping cart accidents: usually, parking lots have rules for shopping cart damages, and it is expected that customers safely return their carts into a provided cart corral after they have finished shopping. However, stores or parking lot owners can be held at fault in certain cases. Not providing adequate cart corrals, not clearing the lot of loose carts, and cart wranglers failing to properly control carts can all be grounds for proving liability.
  • Crosswalks and walkways: pedestrians have the right of way in all walkways, and all drivers must yield to pedestrians if they are in a walkway. Someone struck by a car that ignored this law can sue the driver for damages.
  • Driving within a parking lot: general rules that govern turning, right-of-way, and stopping at intersections apply in parking lots.

Talk To A Parking Lot Accident Attorney in St. Louis, Missouri

The motivated personal injury lawyers at Combs Waterkotte have helped all sorts of St. Louis, MO parking lot accident victims. Regardless of what caused your parking lot accident damages or whether you were a driver or pedestrian, our firm is here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Our firm provides a level of client satisfaction that is unmatched among St. Louis, MO personal injury law firms, and we promise that you will have 24/7 access to the lawyer working on your case.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident while in a parking lot in St. Louis, MO, contact Combs Waterkotte today. We offer free initial consultations with one of our St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyers, and take all our cases on a contingency basis–if you don’t win your case, you will not owe us anything.