It has been estimated that 20% of car accidents happen when cars are parked. Parking lots are often very busy places and congestion can end in rash decisions made. In addition to parking lots cars may be hit if they are parked legitimately on the side of the road.
If your car has been hit, you will be wondering whether you can obtain compensation if it can be discovered who hit it. Talk to a personal injury lawyer if you think you can prove who was at fault.
Damages Due to a Parked Car Accident
If your car has been hit while parked, it is likely that your car at the very least will have been damaged. If you were in the car or close to it when it was hit you may have been injured too.
Damages claimed after a parked car accident may include the cost of towing away your car if necessary, the repair of your car and the replacement of any other damaged property.
If you or anyone else was injured you may have had to obtain medical treatment and could have lost wages or other earnings dealing with the accident and injuries. A full personal injury claim would include property damage, medical costs; lost earnings and compensation for pain and suffering, if relevant.
What You Could Do at the Site of the Accident
If you are in or near your car when it was hit, there are some steps you should take to make sure you will have everything to file a personal injury claim.
- You should be able to stop the other driver and exchange insurance details, names, contact details.
- You should record the registration and number plate of the driver.
- If there has been a serious accident and injuries have occurred, you will have to deal with the injuries first before anything else.
- The police should be notified if the accident is serious. If they come to the accident site, police should make an accident report, which will be useful evidence later after the accident when you make a claim.
- You may be able to find someone who saw what happened and should take down their statement of what happened as well as their contact information.
- The damage to your car and any remains or traces left behind from the other vehicle may be useful in determining which car was involved so take any pictures that you can.
What Should Be Done After Leaving the Accident?
Once you’ve left the accident, continue to collect evidence and documentation for your claim.
- Attend to your injuries first, if any. Keep any documentation and bills you receive while getting medical treatment.
- Your insurance provider will have to be notified.
- If you cannot find out who was to blame for the damage or injuries you may be forced to file a claim with your own insurer.
- If you know who hit your car and can prove it, you should prepare to file a claim for compensation with the help of a personal injury lawyer.
- This will need sufficient documentation to prove that the compensation you claim is linked to the accident and the person who hit you. Compensation is only possible if it can be proved that the other driver’s actions were due to negligence.
- Keep anything that you are given from the auto body shop, these documents may be needed to help the claim.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer.
Why You Should Contact a Lawyer
An experienced personal injury attorney will have dealt with cases like yours before and will know based on what you tell him/her whether you have a good chance of obtaining compensation. Use the Free Case Evaluation Form available below to be put in contact with a lawyer to assist you in filing a claim.
