Mississippi Auto Accident Attorney Discusses Parking Lot Car Accidents

Recently, in Corinth, Mississippi, a teenager died from injuries suffered in a tragic car accident in a church parking lot earlier this month.  The teen was a passenger in an SUV that overturned in the parking lot of the Oakland Baptist Church on August 3, 2014, at about 10 p.m.  Police report that the driver of the vehicle was back up and evidently overcorrected.  The vehicle rolled over, pinning the seventeen year old passenger underneath it.  Firefighters were able to pull the teen from under the car and he was transported to a Memphis hospital.  After fighting for weeks to survive, the teen succumbed to his injuries days ago.

While this Corinth parking lot accident is unique in its severity, parking lots are the site of many car accidents each year.  In parking lots, cars are always in motion, heading for or pulling out of parking spaces.  Drivers are generally more focused on getting in or out than paying attention to traffic.  There is the added distraction of people walking through the traffic and across parking spaces to get back to their cars or to their intended destination.

Parking lot accidents are usually low speed collisions, leading to minimal damages and personal injuries.  Nonetheless, these accidents should not be taken lightly as even your seemingly minor injuries could have lasting effects.

The following is a list of steps you should follow if you have been involved in a parking lot accident.  Adherence to these steps can help protect your legal rights and later chance at recovery.

  • Pull your vehicle out of the way of traffic and into a safe location
  • If you cannot move your car, put your emergency flashers on and exit the vehicle
  • Immediately call for medical assistance if you or anyone else involved in the crash is injured
  • Call the police
  • Call your insurance company
  • Exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information with all involved drivers
  • Obtain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses along with a statement concerning what they observed
  • Take pictures of the scene of the accident, including any skid marks, damage to your vehicle, injuries on you, and any other relevant information
  • Take notes of the vital facts surrounding the accident, such as the time, date, location, parking lot conditions, weather conditions, and your memories of the crash
  • Call an experienced personal injury attorney if your damages are extensive or you are injured

It is important to call the police after any sort of car accident because they can help to establish the facts of the case and document the accident.  Police officers may also be able to determine if the other driver was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving recklessly.  However, the police will not always write a report if the accident occurred on private property, which is the case with many parking lots.  Detailed notes will be crucial in these instances.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Assisting Parking Lot Accident Victims in Obtaining the Recovery They Deserve

Parking lot accidents occur with alarming regularity, often leaving your vehicle damaged and you in pain.  Those these accidents are not usually serious, you have the right to receive compensation for your damages sustained in a parking lot crash caused by another’s negligence.  The skilled Mississippi Auto Accident Attorneys at Giddens Law Firm, P.A. assist victims in all manner of car accidents, including parking lot accidents.  Our team of veteran auto accident attorneys will examine the facts of the parking lot accident and determine whether negligence played a role.  We offer a free case analysis to all new clients.  Call Giddens Law Firm, P.A. today at (601) 355-2022 to start us fighting for you!