Injured in a Parking Lot Accident? - St. Louis Law Firm

Parking lot accidents are usually minor, because the cars are normally moving at low speeds. However, it is in your best interests to contact your St. Louis accident lawyer if you have been in a parking lot accident.

While most of us are well aware of the rules of the road, not many are clear about the rules in the parking lots.

Parking lots, especially large ones, include traffic signs such as yield and stop signs, which must be followed in the same way as traffic signs at intersections. Failing to obey any of these signs would generally make you liable for the resulting accident.

Cars in thoroughfares generally have the right of way over cars in feeder lanes. Similarly, whenever a car is coming out of a parking lot on to a street, the driver should yield to the oncoming traffic. When exiting a parking space, the driver should yield to moving traffic such as cars, motorcycles, bikes and pedestrians.

If a parking lot accident occurs, you should report it to the police and insurance company. You will not know the exact amount of losses until you get an estimate from a repair shop.

Many people choose to pay for the damages out of their own pocket in order to avoid any increase in the insurance premium. However, this may not be a very good idea, because the other party may still file a claim against you, and you may end up paying the damages twice.

If your legally parked car was hit and no note was left, you should try to find out who the culprit is. Ask the parking lot owner for any information they may be able to extract from the surveillance cameras. If both drivers are present on the scene, the procedure will be similar to being involved in a road accident. Take photos of the damage and accident scene, gather contact information from the driver and eye witnesses and inform the authorities.

If you have been in a parking lot accident, you should contact an experienced St. Louis auto accident attorney. Call The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. 24/7 at(314) 361-4242.