San Francisco Parking Lot Accident Lawyers

The San Francisco Parking Lot Accident Lawyers of Bisnar Chase have been representing victims injured in parking lot accidents throughout San Francisco, California and across the country. With over 40 years of experience, our skilled personal injury attorneys have established a 96% success rate

Accidents and traumatic experiences can happen in the blink of an eye, walking to our car through the parking lot after grocery shopping or strolling the mall with friends. If you have been injured in an accident in a parking lot, call our San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyers for your Free consultation at 415-358-0723.

This page will cover the following:

• Are Parking Lots Safe?
• Why Are Parking Lots So Dangerous?
• Assaults and Violence in San Francisco Parking Lots
• Top 10 Most Dangerous Types of Parking Lots in San Francisco
• Top 10 Most Common Types of Parking Lot Accidents
• Why is Seeking Medical Attention Important?
• Documenting Your Injuries Is a Must!
• Let Bisnar Chase Represent Your San Francisco Parking Lot Accident Case

Driving to work, school, the grocery store, shopping, the beach, the park and so on, we encounter parking lots and parking lot activities on a daily basis.

So, in the consistency of encounters we have with parking lots give us the impression that they are harmless and of no danger or consequence. But only says people who have not been involved in a car accident or car crash within a crazy or empty parking lot.

The answer to this is question is yes and no. An empty parking lot, or one with cars that are parked, maybe cars passing through obeying the speed limit, watching for pedestrians and running as a properly functioning parking lot, serving it's purpose for placing cars temporarily while the drivers are shopping, working or doing whatever it is they needed transportation to that place for; it's generally a safe environment given there is no rule breaking, negligent or wrongful acting individuals in the area.

For more on parking lot safety, visit the National Safety Council (NSC) for statistics, steps you can take to ensure safety and more.

Why Are Parking Lots So Dangerous?

To be perfectly honest, they are always dangerous and pose a potential risk in injury or death at all times, especially when the following conditions are present:

• Poor, hazardous or negligent parking lot conditions
• Tight and confined parking spaces and aisles
• Blinds-pots
• Holidays, weekends or busy shopping times
• When school starts, gets out and during lunch time
• Rush hour
• Sunrise (dawn)
• Sunset (dusk)
• Nighttime
• Distracted drivers
• Speeding
• Traffic and congestion
• An emergency situation/evacuation

It's not always another car that can cause serious injury or death, but a person. Assaults are highly possible in parking lots and parking structures for many reasons.

Assaults and Violence in San Francisco Parking Lots

Due to the environment of parking lots, parking structures and parking garages, it can be an ideal hiding spot for predators. Many times parking areas can be poorly lit and have nobody around. Negligent security and no security cameras also makes the conditions ideal for someone lurking around for trouble.

Women are at risk for being assaulted, mugged, violated, even raped and killed, with the significant possibility of no witnesses to help or stop the situation from happening, or ending the confrontation during the process.

But just because a parking lot is busy does not mean that you are safe. Often times, predators use the chaos and busy activities around them to their advantage, keeping the attention off of what they are doing. Busy drivers wanting to get out of the parking lot and get home before dinner aren't exactly keeping their eyes out for potential victims of assault or violence. Stay alert at all times, regardless of the situation, environment or ambiance.

Violent situations can also happen in parking lot many times because the parking lot is where everyone parks together, regardless if everyone gets along. For example, Bryan Stow, a 42 year old paramedic from Santa Clara who was brutally attacked at a Dodger game in the stadium parking lot, for being a San Francisco Giants Fan, by two Latino Los Angeles Dodger fans.

Stow was almost killed but narrowly escaped with his life. After being rushed to a hospital and placed in a medically induced coma, he is currently living life with a traumatic brain injury, leaving him with severe disabilities. He is a motivational speaker and travels around the world inspiring people, standing up and bringing awareness to bullying and violence. BryanStowFoundation.org

Depending on where we are, parking lots can have all different kinds of environments, hazards and types of activity. Some more busy than others, some more open or tightly squeezed and compact than others; here is a list of the Top 10 most dangerous types of parking lots, highlighting parking lot destination and location types in no specific order or ranking:

1. Beach Parking Lots: Many people enjoy spending their time at the beach, but the problem is especially on hot and sunny days, everyone goes to the beach, which means congestion, overcrowded parking areas and people fighting for parking spots. Stay alert, especially during the hours before sunset, when the majority of people begin to head home and it is difficult seeing due to the low placement and high glare of the sun.
2. Shopping Mall Parking Lots:Not just during the holiday season, which is especially dangerous and chaotic, but after work and on the weekends, when moms and dad, sisters and their friends stroll the mall to hang out and spend their money. Parking garages and mall parking lots can become filled up quickly, have aggressive drivers and may have a high amount of young adults and teenagers running around carelessly, with high possibilities of being run over or hit by a car.
3. School Parking Lots: School parking lots can be especially dangerous. Kids get out of school and they want to go home and play, parents have been waiting to pick up their kids from school or are running late and rushing in a hurry. Lunch time can also be hazardous and chaotic due to new teen drivers and students trying to get off and leave campus to get lunch elsewhere, and make it back in time to find a parking space before their 5th period class. Students in their new cars also may lack the driving experience or may be trying to show of for their friends or girls watching. Pedestrian accidents, car collisions and property damage can be high risk factors in these areas. Stay alert, stay aware, stay alive.
4. Movie Theatre Parking Lots: Movie-goers trying to make it to their movie on time or meeting a girl for a date, driving in a hurry to find a parking spot. Usually movie times are at night so visibility is poor, especially if there is inadequate lighting in the movie theater parking lot.
5. Restaurant Parking Lots : People are always in a hurry, rushing around. Sometimes people are distracted before or after dinner, on their cell phones or in the middle of conversations carrying on from after dinner with friends, family, loved ones, a couple on their first date, etc. These are high risk areas for distracted driving.
6. Bar and Grill Parking Lots: Drunk drivers are constantly endangering innocent lives, and many times stem from being over-served alcohol or drinking to much alcohol and then returning to their vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles or some other form of transportation. Whether intoxicated and riding a bike, walking across the parking lot while drunk, or driving drunk, these are all possible scenarios where accidents can occur and claim lives.
7. Amusement Park Parking Lots: When families and friends go to amusement parks and theme parks, they are usually excited, nervous and not thinking entirely clear. Reckless driving due to excitement could be the result of a parking lot accident in these theme park parking lots. After a long, fun and exciting day riding roller coasters and running around the theme park, individuals are very tired, sleepy and driving home, usually in the dark at night time when it is difficult to see. Again, poorly lit parking lots make it hazardous for other pedestrians and cars to navigate.
8. Ski Resort Parking Lots : Like amusement parks, skiers, snowboarders and resort-goers are filled with excitement and ready to enjoy the slopes, lifts and lodge. After a long day on the mountain, people become tired. Unfortunately, road conditions can make it even more dangerous fro drivers and pedestrians. Ice, snow and slippery conditions can make driving difficult, slips and falls more likely, and injuries to be common.
9. Airport Parking Lots : It is never fun to miss a flight or being late to pick someone up from the airport. Airport security does not allow you to park and wait curbside in many airports, making you circle the airport circular roadways over and over until your friends and family finally get their luggage from the terminal and make their way to the street for pick up. Flyer's are tired after hours in the sky on an airplane and want to go home. Rushing around, chaos, confusion, cross-trafficking with rules and guidelines by airport personal and security make it a hazardous place for anyone in the area.
10. Work Parking Lots : Watch your step as you walk from your car into your place of work, someone might be running late to work and speeding into the parking lot, trying to make it on the clock in time. Lunch time, employees leave the lot for lunch with co-workers and may be distracted as they text or call while driving, trying to find a meeting spot with people for lunch. After the working day is over, everyone is rushing to their vehicles, throwing their satchels and purses in the passenger seat and speeding home. Rear-endings while waiting to be let out of the gate, side swipes and side impacts are common as individuals are backing out of spaces and drivers not realizing cars are backing out.

In conclusion, all parking lots are dangerous.

Whether it is during the day or at night, poorly lit or the glaring of the sun in drivers eyes, accidents are always possible, and the only thing you can do to prevent one is staying alert and reacting fast to those who are not.

Top 10 Most Common Types of Parking Lot Accidents

Is there more than just one type of parking lot accident? Answer: Yes, there is an endless amount of ways vehicles can crash, bump, scrape and collide into each other, but not all parking lot accidents involve 2 cars. Whether it's a car, concrete pole or a pedestrian, parking lot accidents are never fun to experience.

Here is a list of the Top 10 most common types of parking lot accidents:

1. Reverse Collision:Backing up out of some parking spots can be a little tricky. Blinds spots, speeding traffic or poorly lit areas make for difficult driving conditions period. In the situation of two cars backing up and colliding into one another simultaneously, each driver is at fault 50/50
2. Head-on collision: Any car crash or wreck can be serious and expensive to fix. Head-on collisions can be very dangerous, especially if anyone in any vehicle involved is not wearing their seat belt. Not wearing your seat belt in the event of a head-on collision can result being ejected from the car or injured in the windshield
3. Side-swipe: Out of control drivers, intoxicated drivers or distracted drivers often side-swipe other vehicles, whether parked or also driving. Usually a low percentage of side-swipe collisions result in serious injury, but in the event of an out of control car or driver side-swiping vehicles runs the chance of hitting or killing a pedestrian
4. Rear-ending: Rear-end collisions hold a very high amount of head, neck and back injuries that can stay with the victim for the rest of their life, as well as a long list of pain medication, physical therapy, doctors visits and more. Usually caused by a sudden stop in traffic, road debris, distracted drivers or other circumstances involving a sudden stop and inability for the rear-ender to stop in time to avoid a wreck. Usually, the rear-ender is at-fault, but not in all cases
5. Physical structure collision: Concrete poles, posts, rails and other objects that can create damage to a vehicle if ran into. Drivers under or over judging a turn and hitting a wall or corner, trucks, SUV's and other vehicles that are too tall for some parking garages and parking structures run the risk of hitting the ceiling and creating damage and injuries if not paying attention
6. Pedestrian-involved accident: Parking lots and parking structures have many blind-spots and can be very dark and poorly illuminated. This can delivery potential hazards to pedestrians and cyclists, making it difficult for drivers to see them, especially when crossing the street around a bend or turn in the road
7. Bicycle-involved accident: Bicycles travel at greater speeds than a pedestrian walks, and if a cyclist turns out in front of a car and is not seen or seen at the very last moment, it can be catastrophic
8. Hit-and-run collision: Often, hit and runs occur and the driver gets away. Parking lots, especially dark and empty parking lots have high percentages of hit and runs because there are no witnesses and the driver is able to drive away ease free. Stay alert, stay alive
9. Distracted driver: Distracted drivers are dangerous in all areas. Whether the driver is on the phone, texting, making a call, emailing, social media and so on, a drivers attention needs to be focused on the road at all times to ensure they are staying alert for possible road debris, stops in traffic, crossing pedestrians, etc.
10. Auto defect: Besides driver error and sudden circumstances, there are some auto defects that can cause serious situations without anyone being able to prevent it, at the moment of the situation happening that is. Auto defects like sticking gas pedals and sudden acceleration, brake failure and tire blow outs, sometimes an auto defect like those listed can cause a vehicle to careen out of control, causing damaging and injuring results in the blink of an eye. You can do you part to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive and has no recalls or auto defect parts by visiting the " Recall Checker" at SaferCar.gov/VIN

Why is Seeking Medical Attention Important?

Many individuals, when not severely injured, feel it is unnecessary to seek medical attention, following, say, a fender-bender or minor reverse end/bump collision. Why go to the hospital, emergency room, urgent care or call an ambulance and pay a ton of money in medical bills when there is no need?

Here is the truth: you never know if you are for sure injured. The body has a shock mechanism that when experiencing trauma, adrenalin is pumped throughout the body, making you feel unscathed and in some cases "extra strong."

But what you don't realize that when you were rear ended at 5 mph, and your head jarred against your headrest, you were slightly looking to the right and just happened to pinch a nerve or hit just right, and now you have bruising or bleeding in the brain and you don't even know it.

Other internal injuries that are not present immediately but serious often happen, and should be looked at by a medical professional. But here is another huge reason seeking medical attention is important.

Documenting Your Injuries Is a Must!

Documenting your injuries in association with the accident is is crucial for the successful outcome and victory of your case or settlement. When taking legal action against a parking lot accident and parking lot accident injury, identifying that your injuries were a result of the incident, and legally having proving documentation can make or break your case.

Don't waste your time and don't miss out on medical bill coverage, financial advances and potentially large compensation, and get your injuries documented by a health care professional.

More Ways To document The Accident and Resulting Injuries

Seeking medical attention, whether by EMS, Urgent Care Facilities or Emergency Room, all have their benefits of ensuring your health and safety, as well as legally and legitimately documenting your injuries in affiliation with the accident you were involved in. But is there more you can do to prove your side? Yes.

• Taking pictures of the scene of the accident, cross streets, signs, location of the vehicles and any other features that can help clarify the situation
• Videos or audio recordings with a time stamp embedded (like on an iPhone or Android/if your camera is broken) can be helpful as well. Any documentation is better than no documentation. You can also ask to borrow a camera or phone to document the situation, or ask someone else to do so if you are seeking medical attention or do not have the ability to do so yourself
• Eye-witness testimonies. Having people who witnessed the incident or accident should have their information recorded (name, number, email, what they saw, when they saw it, how and any other helpful information that can benefit your side of the case)
• Police reports: having law enforcement document the accident and situation will always add a voice of authority to your side of the parking lot accident case or settlement
• Evidence: we do not advise taking any wreckage, parts or evidence from the scene, but items from inside the car, more photo documentation of property damage, valuables inside the car or injuries to others inside and outside your vehicle will always add an extra sense of acknowledgment and proof

To learn more on how to properly document your car accident and the circumstances involved, visit the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) page on "How to document auto accident damage."

Our San Francisco Parking Lot Accident Attorneys and Personal Injury Lawyers have the resources to win even the most complex of cases. Our firm accepts and signs cases all of the time, that were previously rejected and denied by other well-known law firms because of their inability and lack of confidence in reaching a victorious settlement or verdict.

Coping with injuries, mental and financial hardships and other aspects of experiencing a car accident or personal injury situation can be very straining and exhausting. Ensure that your legal representation is not going to worsen your stress or anxiety, and instead give you a sense of confidence and ability to relax.

Our team of legal professionals never leave you hanging, never put your case on the back burner or in the back of the filing cabinet. We have over 40 years of experience, top of the line technology and software, to ensure that all of your questions are answered and that your case is always ahead of everyone else.

Bisnar Chase has won over $500 Million for our clients, proving that our team finds solutions and wins cases.

The legal team at Bisnar Chase want to be involved and represent you and your case, to win and get you maximum compensation. Call us for your Free consultation and Case Evaluation at 415-358-0723.