You may have traveled safely thus far from Point A to Point B. So it may be frustrating, and frankly unexpected, when you experience an accident inside the parking garage of your destination. Well, in this case, please follow along to find out how parking garage accidents typically happen and how a proficient St. Mary’s County parking lot accident lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you better understand your ability to sue.
In what manner do parking garage accidents typically happen?
Parking garage accidents are unique in that they cannot fit into a single personal injury category. That is, they may occur in the form of an auto accident, slip and fall, or act of theft or vandalism. More specific examples of each read as follows:
- Auto accidents within a parking garage:
- A driver may not notice or yield to pedestrians when reversing out of a parking spot.
- A driver may not come to a complete stop and turn slowly enough at a corner with large blind spots.
- Slip and fall accidents within a parking garage:
- A pedestrian may be unable to see a curb or uneven surfaces due to inadequate lighting.
- A pedestrian may lose their balance if there are missing handrails or broken stairs in a stairwell.
- Theft and vandalism within a parking garage:
- A pedestrian may have their handbag or other personal property stolen when walking back to their vehicle.
- A driver may have their vehicle windows shattered, tires punctured, and doors scraped while they are gone.
Am I able to sue for damages after my parking garage accident?
You most certainly may seek recovery in a personal injury claim if you were made the victim of a parking garage auto accident or slip and fall accident. For this, though, you must ensure that your accident event was due to no fault of your own. This is because Maryland observes the contributory negligence statute, which holds that you may not sue for damages if you are even one percent to blame for them.
But if your parking garage accident was specifically due to an act of theft or vandalism, it is less likely that you may have the option of a personal injury claim at your disposal. This is if you only incurred property damage from this act. But if you got injured in the process, then you may have a more solid foundation for this claim type. For example, if you got hurt while trying to fight off the perpetrator from taking your handbag or other personal property.
What’s more, in the perpetrator theft or vandalism criminal case, the court may order them to pay restitution. This means that you may be compensated for your incurred damages after all.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that you retain strong legal representation to get you through this critical case. For this, please contact a talented St. Mary’s County slip and fall lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm today.
