It can be extremely frustrating to come out from the local grocery store only to find that someone has hit your car. Our Marietta accident lawyers have handled hundreds of cases like this. The question is what you’re supposed to do in the moments after your parking lot collision.
Most People Are Surprised to Learn How Often This Happens
Some of our clients assume that the only time of year people experience parking lot accidents is during the holidays. The truth is that people get hit in parking lots all year round. All it takes is one impatient person who doesn’t want to wait until it’s clear to move out of their own parking spot.
There are also times when people are so intent on getting into an open spot that they put blinders on. The next thing you know, someone’s plowing into the side of your vehicle. Depending on how fast the other car is going at the time, you could suffer serious injuries.
Parking Lots Are Busy All Year, Not Just During the Holidays
It is true that drivers who are out shopping during the holidays get frustrated. Nobody wants to deal with crowded parking lots. In fact, it is true that people can get reckless this time of year.
However, just because parking lots are insanely busy during the holidays, that doesn’t mean this is the only time of year when parking lot crashes happen. Our Marietta accident lawyers have met with clients throughout the year who are injured in these types of crashes.
The Parking Lot Doesn’t Have to Be Full for Someone to Hit Your Vehicle
A lot of people, including Marietta accident lawyers, assume that the only time people get into an accident in the parking lot is when the lot is busy. The truth is that it doesn’t matter what time of day it is or how busy the lot is, there are some people who forget their manners when they’re out shopping.
If this happens to you and you end up on the receiving end of a parking lot collision, you may have a claim for damages period of course, the first thing you need to determine is whether it’s even worth filing an insurance claim.
Once you’ve moved forward with your claim, the question will be whether or not the insurance company pays your claim.
Your Marietta Injury Attorney Will Need Information on the Vehicle That Hit You
In order to help you file your insurance claim, your Marietta accident lawyer will need information on the vehicle that hit you.
Hopefully, the person was conscientious enough to either leave a note or stick around until you return to your vehicle. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Ideally, the Other Driver Will Stick Around So You Can Call 911
If the other driver does wait for you to call 911, the police will come out and do a thorough investigation of the accident. These cases are treated no differently than any other motor vehicle accident.
The nice thing about this is that your Marietta accident lawyer will have a copy of the police report. Not only can this help them prove fault, but it is also critical to tracking down witness statements and other helpful evidence.
Your Marietta Accident Lawyer Can Also Look at the Store’s CCTV Footage
If you have no idea who hit your car, your attorney can always speak with the store’s manager and ask to view their CCTV footage. There is a good chance that either the store or the company that manages the parking lot will have video footage showing what happened.
When your Marietta accident lawyer has a copy of this video, they will then track down the driver of the vehicle. If need be, you can even file a criminal complaint against the other driver for fleeing the scene.
How Much Damage Did Your Vehicle Suffer?
Whether you and your Marietta accident lawyer decide to file suit will depend on whether you were injured. It will also depend on how much damage was caused to your vehicle.
Once you file your insurance claim, you’ll have a much better idea of what it will cost to repair or replace your car or SUV. If this amount happens to be more than your deductible, then it makes sense to file a claim.
If, however, it would be cheaper to just pay to get it fixed, you’ll have to rethink things.
Your Damages Are Typically Limited to Property Loss in These Cases
In most parking lot accident cases our Marietta accident lawyers handle, there are no physical injuries. This is especially the case if you weren’t in the car when the other driver hit you.
With this in mind, your lawyer will have to evaluate your claim to see if it’s worth pursuing. However, if you did suffer significant damage to your vehicle, you may be able to pursue the other driver for damages.
Speak with an Experienced Marietta Injury Attorney Today
Some people think they don’t need a Marietta injury attorney if they didn’t suffer a physical injury. For the most part, this may be true. If the only loss you suffered was damage to your car or SUV, you may not need to sue anybody.
However, there are times when the damage to your car is much more than your deductible.
There’s also the chance that you suffered a serious injury. Just because you were in a parking lot doesn’t mean that you don’t have a valid claim.
We suggest that you call our office so you can schedule your free, initial consultation. Take the time to sit down and have a seasoned Marietta accident lawyer review your case. Since the consultation is free, you don’t have anything to lose.
