The U.S. government calculated that Americans owned 98.6 million automobiles and 9.5 million motorcycles in 2022. These vehicles form the backbone of U.S. transportation, but they also require infrastructure like roads and parking lots.
Unfortunately, many drivers ignore traffic rules when navigating parking lots in Galveston, TX. Distracted driving, speeding, and failing to yield all endanger motorists and pedestrians. The resulting car accidents can cause injury or death. The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers has experience helping accident victims after parking lot collisions.
If you need help, contact our Galveston car accident attorneys at 281-992-8633 for a free case assessment.
How The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Parking Lot Accident in Galveston, TX
The attorneys at The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers have been helping accident victims in Galveston, Texas, since 2000. Our lawyers have over 58 years of combined legal experience representing clients in their legal claims against at-fault parties and insurers.
Over their careers, our Galveston car accident lawyers have recovered over $300 million for clients.
If you suffer an injury because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions, we provide the following services:
- Listening to your story and developing a legal strategy
- Investigating your case and gathering evidence to support your claims
- Preparing an insurance claim and negotiating with the insurer to settle your case
- Filing a lawsuit against at-fault parties whose insurers refuse to settle
You can face financial and physical hardships after suffering an injury. Contact our Galveston personal injury attorneys for a free consultation to learn how we can help you fight for accident compensation.
How Many Parking Lot Accidents Occur?
The National Safety Council (NSC) reported that as many as 20% of traffic crashes happen in parking lots.
These crashes include:
- Car accidents involving multiple automobiles, SUVs, vans, or pickup trucks
- Truck accidents involving semi-trucks and delivery trucks
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
When accounting for all of these collisions, the NSC estimated that up to 50,000 parking lot crashes happen each year. These accidents injure roughly 60,000 and kill 500 annually.
Texas maintains a public crash database called the Crash Records Information System (CRIS). By running a query on CRIS for “private drive” crashes, the database will show you crashes that take place on private property, including parking lots and garages.
In 2023, Galveston had 85 parking lot accidents. These crashes included:
- One serious injury accident where a victim needed an ambulance
- Three minor injury accidents where a victim suffered visible but non-disabling injuries
- Seven possible injury accidents where a victim complained of pain or other symptoms
These numbers reflect the low speeds involved in most parking lot crashes. However, the statistics also show that 64 of these crashes, over 75%, caused at least $1,000 in property damage to at least one involved vehicle.
What Causes Parking Lot Accidents in Galveston, TX?
Parking lots bring together automobiles, semi-trucks, pedestrians, and cyclists in an area that typically lacks controls, like traffic signs or lights. Drivers and pedestrians are often distracted as they move through parking lots. Any mistake in these crowded areas can lead to a collision that causes serious injury or even death.
The following mistakes can lead to parking lot collisions:
- Failing to yield to pedestrians
- Reversing unsafely
- Distracted driving
- Incorrectly interpreting another driver’s actions
- Speeding
In many cases, parking lot accidents result in scraped doors or dented bumpers. However, some crashes can result in more serious injuries. Pedestrians and cyclists, for instance, have no protection against a vehicle, even one traveling at low speeds.
When a car collides with these vulnerable road users, it can fracture bones and tear soft tissues. If the pedestrian or cyclist gets knocked to the ground, the impact can cause a brain injury, such as a concussion.
Even low-speed vehicle collisions can be dangerous. Truck drivers have large blind spots and can easily lose track of smaller vehicles in parking lots. The resulting crash has the potential to cause catastrophic injuries simply due to the size and power of a semi or delivery truck.
Determining Liability For Parking Lot Crashes in Galveston
Parking lot crashes can present challenges in determining liability. Without stop signs, stop lines, yield signs, or traffic lights, both drivers could blame the other for a crash. Moreover, the police might not respond to calls for parking lot accidents. As a result, you could end up with unclear documentation from a crash report about the accident.
Fortunately, many parking lots have security cameras that can help insurers and lawyers determine what happened. If you speak to a lawyer promptly after your crash, they can contact the parking lot operator to request copies of the videos for your injury claim.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Galveston Parking Lot Accident Lawyers
Even a low-speed parking lot crash can result in massive medical bills and property damage. Contact The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your injuries and how we can fight for compensation to cover your losses. Call us today at 281-992-8633
