Parking Lot Accident Attorneys in Long Branch NJ

Experienced Representation for Injured Victims in Parking Lot Accidents in Toms River, Red Bank, Asbury Park,  Rumson, and Surrounding Communities in Monmouth and Ocean County

You do not expect to injure yourself in a parking lot or garage when going to or from a business or private residence. However, many dangerous conditions can exist in a parking lot. For example, inattentive drivers back up without seeing you walking behind their car, hitting you as they exit a parking space. And spilled oil can cause you to slip and fall while heading to your vehicle. Dangerous ice can also cause you to lose your footing and land hard on your back or knees, just as a raised paver can cause you to trip and fall. Business owners must inspect their properties to protect visitors from dangerous conditions by fixing or warning those entering the property of hazards that can cause injury.

Our team of skilled New Jersey parking lot accident lawyers can assist you if you or a loved one is hurt in a parking lot. With over 50 years of exceptional experience, Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh can help you handle your claim for compensation and work to ensure that you receive damages for your injuries in Belmar, Freehold, Shrewsbury, Tinton Falls, Neptune, and other towns across Monmouth County and Ocean County. Contact our West Long Branch office at (732) 440-3950 to discuss your case and your options for seeking compensation in a no-cost consultation.

Identifying Responsibility for Parking Lot Accidents in New Jersey

New Jersey’s laws protect people against negligent property owners causing injuries. Premises liability laws establish a duty for business owners and residential property owners to ensure their parking lots are well-lit, safe, and free of obstructions, potholes, slipperiness, and other unsafe conditions. Thus, a store owner who fails to replace a broken parking lot light and uneven surface may be responsible for the customer’s trip and fall injuries over uneven pavement. By law, they must inspect and repair their premises, including the parking lot, to maintain safety for those coming onto the property.

Frequent Injuries Suffered in Parking Lots

Slipping and falling in a parking lot or getting knocked down by a moving vehicle may result in broken bones, sprained muscles, cuts, bruises, back injuries, neck pain, internal bleeding, concussions, spinal cord injuries, and death. Injuries can range from aches and pains to severe brain damage. A slow-moving vehicle colliding with another slow-moving vehicle may not cause many injuries, but a car vs. pedestrian accident always results in more severe injuries. Ultimately, another’s negligence can permanently alter someone’s life by a fall that injures the head, neck, or spine. Those who hurt these areas of the body may live with chronic pain after an accident.

Common Factors Leading to Parking Lot Accidents

The most common causes of parking lot injuries are poorly maintained conditions, inattentive drivers backing out of parking spaces, distracted drivers circling for a parking space, speeding, and texting while driving. But pedestrians absorbed in their phones and unaware of their surroundings can cause accidents, too. Sometimes more than one person is responsible for an accident, or the sole cause is the owner or one responsible for ensuring the parking lot is free of holes, cracks, broken curbs, or ice. An unmaintained parking lot may result in dangerous snow and ice levels threatening pedestrian and driver safety.

Another cause of injury in parking lots is breaking traffic laws. Failing to stop where indicated can injure another driver or a pedestrian when suddenly turning into a parking space or walking across the parking lot. And backing up a vehicle without looking out for other vehicles or pedestrians is a recipe for disaster. Two cars can back up into each other when both or either is inattentive or not checking their blind spot. Unfortunately, many drivers need to remember traffic laws in parking lots. They should be extra cautious with pedestrians leaving and heading to their cars, especially in mall or strip mall parking lots where multiple stores attract traffic.

Is Suing an Option for an Accident in a Parking Lot in NJ?

Given the multiple causes of parking lot accidents, you may find it challenging to identify the responsible party for your injuries. An inattentive driver who hits you might be solely or partially accountable if the parking lot design contributed to the accident with inadequate space to turn or obstructions that cause blind spots. But when a commercial owner fails to inspect or maintain their parking lot, the cause may be evident. You may sue the commercial property owner for your injuries in that case. To establish liability, you must prove the business owner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition on their property but failed to fix it or warn people about it. And because the owner did not fix the hazardous situation, you injured yourself.

But it may not always be clear who is at fault. Though a parking lot owner must maintain safe conditions, like shoveling snow, pedestrians and drivers are responsible for conducting themselves accordingly, given the dangerous conditions. And it may only sometimes be clear who has the right of way. Moreover, you may need to find out who is responsible for maintaining the parking lot. The store manager or residential garage owner may not be the responsible party. And if the parking lot is city or township-owned, you may have specific notice requirements to sue a municipality.

Recovering Damages for Accidents in NJ Parking Lots

When your injuries occur in a parking lot, get medical help and contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney to help you establish who is responsible for compensating you. Multiple parties may be responsible, from the parking lot owner or property management company to a driver or pedestrian. You may be partially responsible, but you can claim your damages as long as you are not more than 50% liable. New Jersey’s comparative fault laws allow you to claim up to the percentage of your fault.

Get in Touch with our Freehold Parking Lot Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

At Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh, our experienced personal injury attorneys can investigate the accident and locate the responsible parties who had the right of way or caused the conditions resulting in an accident. We can also help you gather the evidence you need to support your claim to an insurance company or a jury if the case cannot settle and you must go to a trial.

Contact our parking lot accident lawyers to assist you immediately after your accident, as missing important dates may jeopardize your claim. A municipal parking lot accident may require you to notify the municipality within a specific time or lose your right to sue later. All personal injury claims have expiration dates, meaning the legal date or statute of limitations by which you must file your lawsuit, typically two years from the date of the accident. Do not lose your right to compensation for damages by waiting too long. Instead, be proactive and get in touch with our personal injury team for advice on how to get your medical bills, lost earnings, and future financial needs covered by a personal injury claim in Point Pleasant, Spring Lake, Brick, Holmdel, Manasquan, Colts Neck, and throughout Ocean and Monmouth County. Let our talented legal representatives prepare your case for maximum compensation for parking lot accident injuries while you recover your health. Call (732) 440-3950 to speak with our legal team, get the support you require, and let us begin working on your case.