The typical image of a car accident in Phoenix may trigger the idea of one car rear-ending another, causing damage to the vehicles but perhaps sparing the drivers involved from the suffering that comes with personal injuries. While this is an image often depicted in the media, the truth is much more complicated. Car accidents can happen anywhere that vehicles may be located, can involve a single car or dozens, and can happen at low or high speeds.
The population boom in the greater Phoenix area has helped to highlight how widespread of an issue car accidents can be to those who drive, walk, or ride a bicycle near the streets of the Valley of the Sun or to those who call the area home. While it can be easy to visualize the apparent threats that exist when a car is on a road, it may be more challenging to appreciate the risks of a car crash when in a parking lot.
Despite this, parking lot accidents are estimated to account for nearly 20 percent of collisions across the country and the damages inflicted by these collisions can total in the billions of dollars every year.
Types of Parking Lot Accidents in PhoenixIn the simplest terms, a parking lot accident can involve a crash between multiple vehicles, a vehicle and a fixed object, or a vehicle and another type of victim like a pedestrian or a bicyclist. Some crashes may combine several factors and forms of the preceding types of collisions and may involve multiple errors before the impact takes place.
Parking Lot Crashes with Other VehiclesCollisions involving multiple vehicles usually occur because of an error or a mistake on the part of one or more drivers involved. Whether a driver fails to look before backing out of a parking space, fails to yield the right-of-way, or chooses to drive in a negligent manner by crossing multiple parking spaces instead of utilizing the driving aisles, a mistake may lead multiple vehicles to collide.
In some instances, these accidents will be minor and will not lead to anything more than frustration for the drivers involved. But in others, a driver or another passenger may be injured and may be in need of medical help.
Parking Lot Accidents with Stationary ObjectsA typical parking lot is rife with inherent dangers that can catch a driver by surprise, even if those dangers do not move their positions.
Common examples of fixed objects in parking lots include large ground-based lights that are encased by concrete, shopping cart corrals, and even a building itself. Colliding with any of these fixed objects can lead to serious consequences and may leave a driver or passengers hurt but many of the most serious fixed object crashes take place when a vehicle collides with or even penetrates into a store or other building.
In these instances, the driver of the car and any passengers inside may be hurt but so may pedestrians who are near the building as well as employees and customers who are inside and happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Pedestrian, Bicyclist, and Motorcyclist Accidents in Parking LotsSome of the most violent and threatening accidents that happen in Phoenix parking lots involve only one car and a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist. These victims outside of the car are likely to sustain serious or even life-threatening injuries when an accident occurs because there is little to no protection available to absorb the impact of a crash, leaving these victims to take the full blow and to suffer as a result.
Common injuries from parking lot accidents include broken or fractured bones, head and neck injuries, and injuries that may lead to internal bleeding. Open and closed head injuries like concussions are common and in some cases, the full extent of the damage sustained may not be readily apparent.
Distracted Driving as a Cause of Parking Lot AccidentsWith people spending more time on mobile devices than ever before, distracted driving and texting while driving have never been so dangerous. This is especially true in parking lots where drivers may feel a sense of ease since driving speeds are typically low.
However, drivers who look away from the road while driving through a parking lot or pulling into or out of a parking space pose a risk to pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and other drivers in the parking lot. It’s not unheard of for a parking lot accident to be caused by a driver being distracted, whether by their phone or by a passenger or other reason.
This is why it is critical to always be focused on the road and the people around you so that we can work together to keep each other safe
Legal Relief Available for Parking Lot Accident VictimsOnce a collision takes place, nothing can erase the damage that was done or return a victim to a pre-injury state overnight. The loss felt by a victim and that victim's family may vary based upon the nature of the injuries sustained, the treatment that is necessary, and the resources available to the victim.
Fortunately, the laws in Arizona, including those that apply in the greater Phoenix area, are on the side of those who are hurt in parking lot accidents through no fault of their own. Whether it is a driver, passenger, or someone outside of a vehicle, victims who are injured may be entitled to financial compensation for their losses, like medical bills, and may be able to recover for their pain and suffering.
Contact the Experienced Accident Attorneys at Abels & AnnesThe personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are dedicate to fighting for victims' rights and if you have been injured, we want to fight for you. We offer a free case consultation without obligation to all victims who contact us toll free at (855) 749-5299 or locally at (602) 819-5191 and to help you, we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
When an accident occurs and changes your life, do not continue to suffer in silence. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us fight for the relief and the compensation you deserve.
If you have been injured in a parking lot accident in the greater Phoenix area, call Abels & Annes, P.C. at (855) 749-5299 or Contact Us online for a free case consultation.