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The majority of people fail to realize how often parking lot accidents occur in the United States. Since cars usually travel at a low rate of speed, they assume that it is a safe environment. However, this is not the case. In fact, fatal accidents occur with alarming regularity. For example, delivery trucks routinely drive through parking lots attempting to deliver their goods. If the driver takes his eyes off the road for one second, then a pedestrian could get hit. The injuries suffered from a parking lot accident could range from minor scrapes and broken bones to more serious and life-threatening brain injuries.
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury in a New Jersey parking lot accident, then you need to know how to recover financial compensation. For instance, depending on the circumstances, your case could fall under premises liability law or personal injury law. If the manager or owner of the parking lot neglected his or her duty of care, then your attorney may suggest filing a premises liability lawsuit. On the other hand, if another driver’s negligence leads to your accident, then you may be better off filing a personal injury claim against the driver and his insurance company. Because of this, it is important to speak to an experienced attorney before making any determination about recovering financial compensation.
Steps to Take After a New Jersey Parking Lot Accident
While obtaining legal representation is important, there are also steps you can take immediately after a New Jersey parking lot accident to receive the compensation you deserve.
Step One: Seek Medical Help
You should always seek immediate medical attention when you know you are injured in an accident. If you are not sure that you are injured, because you may be in shock, then you should still seek medical help immediately. Not everyone knows they are hurt immediately at the scene of an accident. Some injuries can take hours or days to manifest themselves. For this reason, it is critical to get a medical evaluation and an accurate diagnosis of any injuries as soon as you know that you are hurt. Medical documentation of injuries, if they were caused by an accident, is critical information your attorney will need to seek just compensation for you.
Step Two: Call the Police
Second, you should call the police to ensure that a proper police report is filed. Doing so is important and can help you and your attorney establish liability against the driver in question. Without a police report, parking lot accidents are often just your word versus the other driver’s word. Also, if you are injured or suffer any damage to your car, then your insurance company requires you to file a timely police report as part of the policy requirements for your insurance.
Step Three: Exchange Information
After seeking medical help and calling the police, you should exchange information with the driver involved. This includes his or her driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information.
Step Four: Gather Evidence
Additionally, if you are able, then take pictures of anything that you believe has contributed to the accident, the damage to all cars involved, and anything else important. You can use your cell phone or ask someone who may have witnessed all or part of an accident or the aftermath to do so for you if you do not have a cell phone available. Ask them for their contact information so you can get the photos from them. Additionally, you may need their help later on in the case, so it is good to obtain their contact information.
Further, do not forget to take pictures of the accident scene. This includes taking pictures of your visible injuries when possible. This evidence will help prove what kinds of injuries the accident caused. Finally, keep records of the damages you suffered, and collect the contact information of any eyewitnesses. They could potentially testify in court if the case heads to trial.
Step Five: Call an Attorney
Parking lot accidents are often complex. There are sometimes multiple parties to blame, including the parking lot owner. When this happens, you need an experienced New Jersey personal injury lawyer on your side. He or she will need to establish liability and negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company to get you the money you need for fair and just compensation.
Contact Our New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers
Did you get hurt in a parking lot accident in New Jersey? At Rosner Law Offices, P.C., our New Jersey personal injury lawyers understand the complexities of parking lot crashes. Since there are often multiple parties involved in these types of accidents, it is important to contact us immediately. Call us today at (856) 502-1655 or fill out our confidential contact form for a free consultation. You can also text us for a quick response using the above number.