An Orange County parking lot accident lawyer like those at Bisnar Chase has over 46 years of experience and has won over $900 million for our clients. Having established a 99% success rate, our team of skilled attorneys is ready to fight and win.
The parking lot of a grocery store, beach, mall, or anywhere else people park their cars can be hazardous and chaotic, and it is one of the most common places car accidents happen.
Filled with cars, trucks, motorcycles, and people wanting to get in and out quickly can establish a zone for traumatic experiences and expensive damages.
Because there are typically no stop signs, lights, or other barriers that we are used to driving on our streets, people will blame each other for the accident, and these types of car accidents can be complicated to settle.
If you or a loved one has experienced a car accident, fender-bender, or personal injury due to a parking lot accident, call our experienced team of Orange County Personal Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation at 949-203-3814.
- 2024 Law firm of the year
- 99% success rate
- Familiar with all Orange County courts
Orange County Parking Lot Car Accident Lawyers
How Much Is a Parking Lot Car Accident Case Worth?
The average settlement amount for a car accident case in Orange County, California, depends on several critical factors, including the severity of your injuries, liability, insurance coverage limits for both parties, and the skill of your personal injury attorney.
Typical settlements by injury
- Whiplash: $5,000 – $22,000
- Mild-moderate concussion: $20,000–$30,000
- Knee or shoulder injury: $30,000–$120,000
- Fractured bones: $30,000-$100,000
- Moderate neck or back injury: $30,000-$100,000
- Herniated disc: $50,000 – $120,000+
- Spinal cord injury or back fracture: $500,000 – $1,000,000+
- Traumatic brain injury: $100,000+
- Severe spinal cord injury/paralysis: $1,000,000+
- Wrongful death: $1,000,000+
On average, minor injury claims resulting from a California car accident settle for around $8,000.00, while moderate injuries have an average settlement value of $50,000.00. Catastrophic injuries can lead to eight- to nine-figure settlements.
We recently won a case involving a car vs. motorcycle accident in Orange County. The verdict for our client was $3 million.
Other important factors that influence settlement amounts in Orange County include:
The amount of medical treatment you receive after your accident will weigh heavily on the value of your personal injury claim. The more treatment you receive, the higher the value.
To maximize the potential settlement amount, the plaintiff must work with an experienced Orange County car accident attorney who can assess the case, handle negotiations with insurance companies, defeat the defendants, and fight for fair compensation. The unique circumstances of each case ultimately determine the settlement value.
Call one of our Orange County parking lot car injury lawyers today to determine the best route for your case. Call 949-203-3814.
Who Is Responsible for a Parking Lot Accident?
In some cases, the parking lot owner may bear some liability for poor design, lighting, or maintenance if the parking lot is determined to have contributed to the car accident.
Ultimately, car insurance companies investigate the details of a parking lot car accident, including vehicle damage, witness statements, and any available surveillance video, to determine who’s at fault.
Car accidents in parking lots can potentially involve premises liability claims against the property owner and typical car accident claims against the other driver. Here are the key considerations:
Driver Liability
- In most parking lot accidents, the at-fault driver is liable for damages, just like in accidents on public streets and roads.
- If the accident happened in a no-fault state, each driver’s insurance pays for the damage in minor accidents.
- Common causes include drivers backing out without looking, speeding, making improper turns, or driving the wrong way.
- Surveillance footage from the parking lot can provide evidence of driver fault.
Premises Liability
- The parking lot owner may be liable if their negligence contributed to the unsafe conditions that caused the accident.
Examples of owner negligence include:
- Inadequate lighting
- Uneven pavement
- Unclear parking space line
- Lack of signage
- Failure to remove snow/ice
If a settlement cannot be reached between the insurance companies and your lawyer, the case may go to court, where a final determination of liability is made.
If you were the victim of a no-fault accident, call a top-rated Orange County parking lot accident lawyer for a free consultation. Call 949-203-3814 today.
How Long After a Car Accident in California Can You File a Lawsuit?
In California, you have two years to bring a personal injury lawsuit following an auto collision. For claims involving property damage, you have three years.
The six-month personal injury statute of limitations applies when a government vehicle is involved.
Parking Lot Car Accident With No Injuries
Personal injury cases require bodily harm for us to represent them. Accidents with no bodily harm but property damage are typically handled through the insurance claim process.
Parking Lot Laws in Orange County - Right of Way
Pedestrians always have the right-of-way in parking lots, and drivers must yield to them, even outside designated crosswalks. Maintaining safe speeds is crucial.
If two vehicles approach each other perpendicularly, the car on the right has the right-of-way. This also applies when two cars are backing out simultaneously.
Motor vehicle accidents can be challenging cases to settle on your own. Insurance companies know precisely how to lowball injured victims to pay less. Work with an Orange County car accident lawyer who understands the parking and motor vehicle laws in California.
What To Do After a Parking Lot Accident
After being involved in a parking lot car accident, make sure to do the following to ensure your safety and your rights.
- If injured, call 911.
- Move to a safe area.
- Do not move your vehicle until you’ve taken photos or video of the accident scene.
- Get the at-fault driver’s license plate number and driver’s license information.
- Get a copy of the driver’s insurance information.
- Obtain any witness testimony.
- Contact your insurance company to inform them of the accident.
- Keep all your medical records and contact an attorney if injured.
Dangers in Parking Lots
Parking lots can consist of small spaces, congested driving and parking areas, and an increased risk factor for many potentially dangerous situations.
- Property Damage
- Personal Injury
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Car Accidents
- Hit and Runs
- Wrongful Death
Even when pedestrians and drivers are fully alert, serious circumstances can lead to deadly encounters in milliseconds.
The top dangers of parking lot car accidents
- Distracted drivers – 66% of drivers make phone calls, 56% text, and 52% use social media while driving through parking lots, taking their focus off their surroundings.
- Poor lighting – Insufficient or broken lighting in parking lots and garages can prevent drivers from seeing and safely responding to hazards, especially at night or in bad weather.
- Vehicles backing up – 25% of parking lot accidents involve a vehicle backing out of a space and colliding with another car or pedestrian. Backup cameras help but don’t eliminate blind spots.
- Busy, chaotic environment – Parking lots are full of activity, with pedestrians, shopping carts, and vehicles moving unpredictably. A moment of inattention in this environment can easily lead to a collision.
- Slippery surfaces – Spills, oil spots, snow, and ice can create slick conditions that make vehicles more challenging to control and pedestrians more prone to slipping and falling.
- Lack of pedestrian safety infrastructure—Many lots lack proper crosswalks, signage, speed bumps, and other features to safely separate foot and vehicle traffic.
Over 50,000 crashes occur in parking facilities annually in the U.S., leading to 60,000 injuries and 500 deaths. Following traffic rules, minimizing distractions, and staying vigilant are crucial in these deceptively dangerous environments.
If you’ve incurred injuries from this type of accident our California car accident lawyers can review your evidence to determine if you have a personal injury claim. Our law firm has won over $900M for our clients.
Parking Lot Accident Statistics
With the low speeds and confined space of parking lots limiting the ability of reckless drivers, the congested confines, and heavy pedestrian foot traffic, parking lots can be one of the most dangerous places for drivers and pedestrians.
Here are some scary statistics that will make you look twice, even three times before walking from your parking spot to the grocery store entrance.
According to a report by CBS News:
- 2 out of 3 drivers in the parking lot are distracted
- 1 out of 5 of all car accidents take place in a parking lot
Statistical information provided by The National Safety Council:
- 60,000 injuries per year from parking lot accidents
- 500+ deaths per year from parking lot accidents
- 50,000+ crashes per year from parking lot accidents
Even though slower speeds give drivers the false sense of having the ability to multi-task safely, it is just as distracting at five mph as 50 mph to multi-task.
While driving through a parking lot, drivers feel comfortable
- Making phone calls – 66%
- Texting – 56%
- Emailing – 50%
- Video Chatting – 42%
- Social media, games, and other electronic distractions are also prevalent
According to the National Safety Council (NSC) and other sources, pedestrian injuries and fatalities in parking lots are a significant problem.
- Tens of thousands of crashes occur in parking lots and garage structures annually, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.
- A Bureau of Labor Statistics study found that pedestrian deaths accounted for 13% of all accidents in parking lots from 1993 to 2002.
- Auto insurers report that the number of claims spikes on Black Friday and runs above average throughout the holiday shopping season, with the actual number of incidents likely higher than insurance claims indicate.
- In 2021, an NSC analysis found that children aged 0 to 4 experienced the most pedestrian fatalities in parking lots and driveways, with most deaths resulting from crashes on residential driveways.
- Adults aged 45 to 54 experienced the most nonfatal injuries, mainly from crashes in commercial parking lots.
- According to the NSC, parking lot crashes lead to over 60,000 injuries and 500 deaths each year.
Top 4 Most Common Parking Lot Accidents
There are many different types of vehicles and types of drivers you may encounter in a parking lot or parking garage, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and distractions.
Here are the Top 4 Most Common Parking Lot Accidents:
- Wrongful Deaths: Even though traffic speed in a parking lot is considerably lower than speeds on streets and highways, the size, weight, and potential danger of a vehicle are still extreme at any speed.
A slow impact or fast hit can result in a casualty or fatal injury and can be experienced while walking to and from your car, waiting for a parking spot in your car, and generally anywhere, especially when dealing with negligent and reckless drivers.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Whether a pedestrian feels entitled or is just unaware of their surroundings, vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and other forms of transportation like skateboards and rollerblades can be very dangerous.
Pedestrians who are on their cell phones or electronic devices, and those who are wearing headphones, possibly listening to music, talking on the phone, or just muffling the load outside parking lot sounds can be an increased danger to themselves, drivers and other innocent and vulnerable lives standing nearby.
- Hit-and-Runs: Hit and runs are a very common factor of pedestrian accidents, car accidents, and wrongful death situations.
Unfortunately, hit and runs are usually a reaction of a driver who does not want to deal with the situation, has prior history with the law, and does not want it to impact him or her, or is negligent and oblivious to the severity of the circumstances.
If you witness a hit-and-run accident, try and get a license plate, color, year, make, and model of the hit-and-run vehicle.
If possible, photos and videos can be very helpful, especially when identifying the suspect. It is in no way indicated that Bisnar Chase is advising you to gather this content and information based on the potential danger you could be subjected to when doing so.
If you happen to have any of this information while witnessing a hit-and-run accident or any other crime, such information will be beneficial.
If witnessing a hit and run, pedestrian, car accident, or any other type of accident or crime, call 911, seek medical attention if you were harmed, and do not move, touch, or contaminate the crime scene in any way.
Remember to stay alert, safe and take your own health and safety as a number one priority at all times.
- Fender-Benders: Fender-benders can be hazardous to drivers, passengers as well as bystanders. Flying debris, violent impacts, and serious and fatal injuries are major possibilities.
Being rear-ended, side impacts, sudden acceleration, head-on, brake, windshield wiper, and other auto defects can cause fender-benders and car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and serious injury and death.
If you have been injured, call a top-rated Orange County parking lot accident lawyer for a free consultation today. Call 949-203-3814. Our personal injury law firm has a success rate of 99% in winning cases.
Parking Garage and Parking Structure Hazards
As if parking lots were not dangerous enough, parking garages, parking structures and other types of enclosed parking areas have an increased amount of hazards and dangers consisting of:
- Low-hanging ceilings
- Steel Cables
- Tight and narrow surface area
- Concrete beams
- Elevated levels
- Poles, posts, and other metal structures
Other hazards pose the increased risk of:
- Failure of a structure or support beams
- Collapse; especially in areas prone to earthquakes
- Premise liabilities
What car insurance is required in California?
In California, drivers are required by law to carry liability insurance with the following minimum coverage limits:
- $15,000 for injury/death to one person
- $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person
- $5,000 for damage to property
This is often referred to as 15/30/5 coverage. Liability insurance compensates others for personal injury or property damage in accidents where you are at fault.
While these are the minimum legal requirements, we recommend higher coverage to protect yourself financially.
Comprehensive and collision coverage are not legally required but may be necessary if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, while optional, is also strongly recommended in California.
2024 Best Lawyers in America
Our team of dedicated and skilled Orange County parking lot accident lawyers has established a 99% success rate for our clients. With decades of experience, our lawyers, paralegals, legal advisors, and staff have the resources, ability, and know-how to take on a complex case and win so that you can get on with your life.
Call and get a free case evaluation and consultation, and receive answers to your questions about your insurance claim and rights.
For immediate assistance, Call 949-203-3814.
