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Parking Lot Premises Accidents: Who is at Fault if You Are Injured in a Company’s Parking Lot?

Are you surprised to learn that slip and fall accidents are the most common cause of serious accidental injury in the state and throughout the country? Some are purely accidental, and no one can be found at fault. For others, there is a person at fault – and they should be held responsible. Find out how to tell the difference between the two and contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 now for a free legal consultation.

Parking Lot Slip and Fall Accidents Can Occur in Many Ways

A slip and fall accident in a parking lot is a more common issue than you might realize. There are many factors that can cause these types of falls, including the carelessness of property owners in maintaining their property, uneven surfaces, lack of sufficient lighting, spills in the parking lot, and potholes. These are just of few of the potential causes of a parking lot accident.

Owners of Parking Lots Have Legal Responsibilities

Any owner of a private or public parking lot is required to keep their property in a reasonably safe state for all lawful visitors. What the owner’s level of responsibility to an injured party will be will depend on the relationship between the property owner and the injured party. For example, the owner’s duty of care is greater to someone leasing a parking spot compared to someone trespassing after hours.

What it Means to Reasonably Maintain a Parking Lot

The law holds that a property owner can be negligent if their property (including their parking lot) is hazardous and reasonable steps have not been taken to repair the parking lot or warn visitors of the danger. For example, if there are potholes that have existed for years, the owner could be found at fault for injuries that result from a person falling due to the said pothole.

How to Prove Fault in a Personal Injury Case

In the event that you suffer an injury in a parking lot, and you believe that the owner of the property is at fault, you and your attorney will need to prove several elements. First, you will need to prove that the person you are suing owns the property or otherwise controls it. Next, you will need to prove that the parking lot was not reasonably safe when the accident occurred, that you were injured due to the slip and fall, and that the negligence of the defendant was a significant cause of the injury.

Note that the property owner need not have known about the danger – it is enough that they should have known. However, if you can prove that they did know and that they had time to take action but chose not to, then you will have a much stronger case. Contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas now at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation and discover what your options are.