Parking Lot Injury Attorney in Los Angeles, California

Parking lots might seem like simple spaces to park cars, but they're hotspots for serious accidents and injuries. From slip-and-fall incidents on poorly maintained surfaces to pedestrian accidents involving vehicles, these seemingly safe areas can quickly become dangerous. When property owners fail to maintain safe conditions, innocent people suffer the consequences. 

Antaramian Law, APC, supports parking lot injury victims throughout California, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, and Kern Counties. Attorney Andrew Antaramian brings a unique perspective to personal injury cases, having spent many years defending insurance companies before switching sides to fight for accident victims.

If you've been injured in a parking lot due to unsafe conditions or negligent property maintenance, seeking legal representation can make the difference between receiving a pittance and getting the full amount you deserve. Property owners have legal obligations to maintain safe premises; when they fail to meet these responsibilities, they should be held accountable for the harm they cause. 

Common Types of Parking Lot Injuries

Parking lots present numerous hazards that can lead to serious injuries. Understanding these common accident types helps victims recognize when they may have valid legal claims.
 

• Slip and fall accidents: These often occur due to poor surface maintenance, inadequate lighting, or weather-related hazards. Cracked pavement, potholes, oil spills, and standing water create dangerous conditions that can cause people to lose their footing and suffer significant injuries. 

• Vehicle-pedestrian collisions: These happen when drivers fail to see pedestrians crossing through parking areas or when pedestrians can't see oncoming vehicles due to poor visibility. These accidents often result in severe injuries due to the vulnerability of pedestrians against moving vehicles. 

• Shopping cart incidents: These may seem minor, but they can cause serious harm. Runaway carts, improperly maintained cart corrals, and damaged wheels can lead to collisions with people or property, causing cuts, bruises, and more serious injuries. 

• Poor lighting accidents: These contribute to many parking lot injuries. Inadequate illumination makes it difficult for pedestrians to see hazards and for drivers to spot people walking through the area, especially during evening hours. 

• Structural failures: These involve damaged curbs, broken concrete, collapsed barriers, or faulty handrails, which can cause unexpected falls and injuries when people encounter these hazards. 

Property Owner Responsibilities

California law places specific obligations on property owners to maintain safe conditions for visitors. These responsibilities form the foundation of most parking lot injury claims. 

Property owners must conduct regular inspections to identify potential hazards and address them promptly. This includes checking for surface damage, lighting issues, drainage problems, and any structural concerns that could pose risks to visitors. 

• Maintenance standards require owners to keep parking surfaces in good repair, remove debris and spills quickly, and address weather-related hazards like ice or standing water. They must also maintain proper lighting levels throughout the parking area. 

• Warning requirements mandate that property owners post appropriate signs when hazards cannot be immediately fixed. These warnings must be clearly visible and adequately communicate the nature of the danger to visitors. 

• Security measures may be required in certain circumstances, particularly in areas with known crime issues. Property owners might need to provide adequate lighting, security cameras, or other protective measures to keep visitors safe. 

When property owners fail to meet these obligations and someone gets injured as a result, they can be held liable for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. 

Building Your Case

Successful parking lot injury cases require detailed documentation and investigation. The strength of your case often depends on the evidence gathered immediately after the accident and in the following days. 

Immediate documentation should include photographs of the accident scene, the hazardous condition that caused the injury, and any visible injuries. Getting contact information from witnesses and obtaining a copy of any incident report filed with the property owner is also vital. 

Medical records provide critical evidence of your injuries and their connection to the parking lot accident. Seeking prompt medical attention not only protects your health but also creates documented proof of your condition. 

Property maintenance records can reveal whether the owner knew about dangerous conditions or failed to conduct proper inspections. These records often become available through the legal discovery process. 

Surveillance footage from security cameras may capture the accident or show that the hazardous condition existed for an extended period. Acting quickly to preserve this evidence is important since many systems automatically delete old recordings. 

Witness statements from people who saw the accident or can testify about the dangerous condition add credibility to your case. Independent witnesses carry weight with juries and insurance adjusters. 

California Laws and Parking Lot Injuries

California's premises liability laws govern parking lot injury cases and establish the legal framework for holding property owners accountable. These laws create specific standards that property owners must follow. 

• Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the general duty of care that property owners owe to visitors. This law requires property owners to use reasonable care to keep their premises safe and to warn visitors about known hazards that aren't obvious. 

• The Premises Liability doctrine in California distinguishes between different types of visitors. Most parking lot visitors are considered "invitees" - people invited onto the property for the owner's benefit. Property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care, including actively inspecting for hazards and maintaining safe conditions. 

• Comparative Negligence rules under California Civil Code Section 1714.1 allow injury victims to recover compensation even if they were partially at fault for their accident. The court will reduce their compensation by their percentage of fault, but they can still receive damages for the portion of fault attributable to the property owner. 

• Notice requirements play a significant role in parking lot injury cases. Property owners are liable for hazards they knew about (actual notice) or should have known about through reasonable inspection (constructive notice). The longer a dangerous condition exists, the more likely courts will find that the owner should have discovered it. 

• Local ordinances may impose additional requirements on property owners regarding lighting standards, surface maintenance, and safety measures. These local rules can strengthen injury claims by establishing specific standards that weren't met. 

California's statute of limitations gives injury victims two years from the date of their accident to file a lawsuit, making prompt legal action essential for safeguarding their rights.