No pedestrians do not always have the right of way, but in times that they don’t, it’s usually reserved for when a person dashes out onto a busy freeway. In parking lots, the drivers are expected to maintain a keen lookout for any pedestrians and yield to them. Most parking lots don’t have marked crosswalks, and even so, it doesn’t matter. A parking lot is private property, and the crosswalks and signs in them are merely to aid drivers, not act as the end-all, be-all. Basically, pedestrians will have the right of way in a parking lot.
If you were a pedestrian hit in a parking lot, then you may wonder what you can do in terms of compensation for your medical bills. Keep reading to learn more about how car accident attorneys in the City of Carrollton handle these cases.
The Trouble With Private Property Car Accidents
There are plenty of good tips on how to drive safely while coasting through a parking lot. But, every driver must keep their eyes peeled for pedestrians. People are walking through parking lots, and they don’t need to walk in any particular place, they can weave through aisles or lanes, and there’s little structure to help drivers anticipate pedestrians.
With private property car accidents, there is still jurisdiction in that if someone is hit, then the police will likely arrive. However, private property accidents don’t inherently involve the police. The trouble is that initially, the property owner has the first say when the damage is minor. Drivers still must exchange information but, they can do so typically without filing a police report or having police arrive on the scene.
When there are pedestrians involved, however, it’s something different. Now you have a hurt pedestrian, and that will often involve the police, but it may also involve the owner of the property. If someone slipped and fell into the path of your vehicle, then you could have a much more complicated case.
What if the Pedestrian Was Seriously Injured?
If the pedestrian was hurt, then the driver needs to file a claim through their insurance and alert the police. They should also stop and ensure that the pedestrian is receiving the help that they need for their injuries. Even at low speeds, a pedestrian could experience bone fractures, hip fractures, or worse.
The serious injury will require attention from the police. Even though there are some laws that don’t apply to private property parking lots in Georgia, the driver could still face some charges. For example, if the driver was under the influence or driving recklessly, then they would likely receive a citation if not arrest and face formal charges.
The state of Georgia doesn’t observe jaywalking, and that term especially doesn’t apply to an accident when the pedestrian had the right of way in a parking lot.
What to Do If You Were the Injured Pedestrian?
As a pedestrian, it can be unclear about what you should do. Although it doesn’t seem like the next step, you should contact your car insurance company, and in that same step, contact a Carrollton auto accident attorney. If you have UIM/UM insurance, you may be able to get access to coverage even if the driver didn’t stop.
It is absolutely critical that you, as the injured pedestrian, obtain the driver’s information or have a police officer take a full crash report. The crash report and everything involved in that should provide you with enough information to initiate a claim against the driver.
As a pedestrian, you are most likely not at fault, and you should go after all the compensation you need. Injured pedestrians need support for this compensation as you don’t want to end up with mountains of medical debt for your injuries.
Should You Get a Carrollton, GA Car Accident Attorney Involved in Your Parking Lot Accident?
Generally speaking, if you’re a pedestrian you should have the right of way in a parking lot. If you were injured in a parking lot as a pedestrian, you should contact a local Carrollton car accident law firm. This particular type of attorney will pick apart your case and look at the other elements, such as it is taking place on private property. Involving the right attorney can help you recover the amount that you need to cover the medical bills involved in the wreck, or to repair the property damage done to your vehicle.
Getting touch with our attorneys at John B. Jackson’s law office in Carrollton. Our team strives to help our community, and that means providing the best legal advice and guidance that we can to victims of car accidents.
