When we think about crippling
injuries in an auto accident, most of us think about cars traveling at high speeds on the highway and head-on collisions. Sometimes, serious accidents happen in that fashion. But, believe it or not, serious
personal injuries can also be sustained in low-speed collisions, such as the kind that happen in parking lots in
Hickory.
One of the difficult aspects of a parking lot accident is the question of fault. Because most parking lots are privately owned, the police will not issue a citation to anyone. In fact, unless they are informed that there are serious
injuries, police may be hesitant to respond to a call in a private parking lot where there has been an accident.
If someone has
injuries, the police may respond so that proper care can be given to the injured person, but again, it is unlikely that a citation will be issued since a parking lot is not the proper jurisdiction of the police department. The lack of a police citation can prove difficult once the insurance companies get involved. One of the first concerns of the insurance companies is going to be who was at fault. Without a citation issued in the incident, it can often degenerate into a scenario of who said what happened when.
This question of fault becomes an even greater overriding concern when injuries are involved. Understandably, insurance companies do not want to pay extensive medical bills on a claim if those bills should rightfully be paid by someone else. And so begins the arduous work of trying to gather witnesses, amass medical opinions, and negotiate among doctors, claims adjustors, and the other party in the accident. Such work can become a full time job, and the accident victim may well give up from sheer frustration, exhaustion, or just simple lack of time. In the meantime, the
injuries remain, medical bills need to be paid, and the victim may be unable to return to work.
Because full time work can be required to work out all of the details of a parking lot auto accident, if you or a loved one has suffered
injuries in a parking lot accident, it is important to contact a
personal injuries lawyer. Your
lawyer will be able to engage in the kind of work necessary to prove that the other party is responsible for your
injuries. In addition, a
personal injury lawyer has the background and the expertise to know how to negotiate between all of the medical, legal, and insurance parties involved. Dont let the fact that your accident happened in a parking lot in
Hickory instead of on a busy highway deter you from getting the compensation you deserve.
