Pedestrians in Bakersfield are put in harm’s way on a daily basis. Many of us use cars to get around, but we may forget that we become pedestrians each time we park and walk into a local business, a restaurant, or a school.
Drivers can be focused on finding empty spots or staring at a cellphone map, as they proceed carelessly through a parking lot.
If you are struck by a reckless driver, you should not trust that a car insurance company will automatically provide support for your recovery. Talk over your case with Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield in a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s the best way to gauge what an insurer should pay you and how to force them to help.
Parking Lot Dangers for Pedestrians
People may be able to easily spot the hazards of crossing 8 lanes of traffic on a busy street like The Stockdale Highway. But crosswalks and intersections aren’t the only spots in Bakersfield that put those on foot at risk.
Locals may drive to Walmart for a grocery day or to Dignity Health Arena for a show, but at some point, they’ll have to get out of their vehicles and use their feet. They may have to walk in front of numerous cars and drivers in a hurry to traverse a huge parking lot.
The hazards can come from many different angles in busy spots around Bakersfield.
These are just a few of the most common parking lot dangers that lead to injuries:
- Drivers rushing to get an open parking spot
- Drivers going slowly and thinking that means they can use their cellphones safely
- Drivers not showing caution to the stream of people quickly exiting the front of the business
- Drivers attempting to back out of a parking spot, but not checking in all directions
- Drivers in parking garages going around too fast to stop when they find a pedestrian simply trying to cross to their car.
- Drivers pulling into a parking spot recklessly and hitting someone opening their own door to get out (sometimes crushing people between the door and their vehicle)
Those on foot can be careful. They may watch for back-up lights and avoid drivers who don’t see them, and still get hurt in a collision.
Car insurance companies can try to blame the pedestrian or attempt to devalue the injuries they have. It’s often up to a skilled Bakersfield pedestrian accident lawyer to fully investigate what happened and collect the medical evidence to force insurers to accept blame.
Who Is Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in a Parking Lot?
Pedestrians in parking lots can be run over and end up suffering a broken bone. A tire may catch someone’s foot and break a toe. People can also be knocked to the pavement hard and suffer a serious brain injury.
As injured victims go to the hospital and struggle to get around for the next few months, perhaps even missing hours at their jobs, they might have some big questions about who should be picking up the bills.
Patients may need immediate help getting debt collectors off their backs as they fall behind on hospital bills, and normal monthly bills, while they can’t work.
In most cases, the negligent driver would be liable for injury costs and other hardships. Pedestrians would be able to file injury claims against the driver’s car insurance provider to earn a settlement check.
In some pedestrian accidents, the pedestrian might be assigned some blame. But this blame usually involves a victim who acted recklessly. For instance, a pedestrian who suddenly steps out in front of approaching cars, not giving drivers enough time to react and avoid an impact, could be held liable or partially liable.
But these instances generally apply to crosswalks and intersections, and around fast-moving traffic. With the much slower speeds involved in parking lot collisions, pedestrians usually wouldn’t be liable for accidents. In a lot, drivers should not be moving so fast that they can’t avoid collisions. They should also come to a complete stop as pedestrians cross in front of them, not just slowing down.
These and other careless actions usually leave drivers and their insurance companies fully to blame.
How Can I Tell If I Need a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
If you come away from a pedestrian collision with a serious injury, say a bone fracture or a head injury, talk to a lawyer in a free consultation.
An attorney would be able to help you force the driver to accept blame and keep a car insurance company from finding ways to escape financial liability. A skilled attorney can also often help you earn much more for your injuries than you could by filing the claim yourself.
Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield to schedule a confidential, no-obligation review of your case that comes at no charge.
If you do need a strong Bakersfield pedestrian accident lawyer to help earn more, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that a car insurer must write for you.